Case Studies

One of the customer's primary operations is to mill high-quality gas turbine parts for power plants out of Inconel^® 939, a metal that is notoriously difficult to machine. Shop managers used two cutting fluids throughout the production process: a neat oil and a semisynthetic water soluble coolant. In addition to high coolant consumption and fluid costs, the neat oil significantly limited productivity due to strict fire service laws around its use. Regulations require that machines using neat oils must be fully manned during operation, in case of an emergency requiring a shutdown.

The customer replaced both cutting fluids with TRIM™ MicroSol™ 585XT, a semisynthetic microemulsion prized for its high lubricity and ability to machine exceptionally challenging metals, such as titanium and Inconel. MicroSol 585XT not only dramatically extended sump life without tank side additives, but also provided superior cooling and lubricity compared to the neat oil. TRIM MicroSol 585XT's enhanced cooling eliminates issues that arise from built-up edge on cutting tools during operation.

Consolidating into one cutting fluid saved considerable time and operating costs. MicroSol 585XT lasts 25% longer than the customer's previous semisynthetic coolant. Replacing the neat oil reduced consumption enough for the customer to cut fluid costs by 65%.

Switching to a microemulsion formula also allowed managers to reallocate the workers who previously had to monitor machines using neat oil, resulting in additional savings. MicroSol 585XT also achieved a superior surface finish quality compared to the previous coolants.