oelSmart® Solutions for Carbide
When creating a system for working with carbide, the presence of cobalt within the material is a key consideration. During the machining process, it is possible for cobalt to ‘leach’ out and dissolve into the metalworking fluid. Classed as a heavy metal, the substance in this form is toxic and can pose a serious risk to health if swallowed, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled.
“The adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is certainly true of cobalt leaching; once metalworking fluids have become contaminated, it will soon be necessary to replace the fluid entirely. Fortunately, there are several preventative measures grinders can take within their systems to reduce the risk of leaching occurring.”
-Pete Mangan, Managing Director, oelheld UK
That’s where oelSmart comes in!
The holistic and proactive approach can help grinders ensure that applications processing carbide are optimised for performance, productivity and H&S protections. Each aspect of the fluid system has a role to place, read how below…
Fluids for Carbide
When choosing your coolant, opt for an oil which contains cobalt leaching inhibitors. A high-quality carbide-equipped oil can last for years if well-filtered and prevent even a single ppm of cobalt entering the fluid. However, equally important is to prevent any tramp oil or foreign fluids entering the grinding oil as some additives found within industrial lubricants such as hydraulic and slideway oil can in fact boost the cobalt leaching process. Regular oil tests are recommended to help identify potential contamination at an early stage, as well as providing a more general insight into a fluid’s ongoing performance levels.
Filtration for Carbide
A sintered material, carbide uses powdered cobalt to bind irregular shaped tungsten carbide particles together. The resulting debris created by the grinding process tends to be much smaller in size than, say, HSS. To effectively remove carbide swarf the filtration provision must be capable of filtering debris particles down to 3-5microns. Insufficient filtration can exacerbate any cobalt leaching that occurs by allowing particles to remain within the machine and filter tank, providing more opportunity for a reaction with the oil.
Mist Extraction for Carbide
Just as leached cobalt can be found within metalworking fluids, so it can be present within oil mist particles. If inhaled by workers it can cause inflammation and fibrosis of the lung in a conditional called ‘hard metal disease’, making an effective and properly maintained mist extraction unit crucial to reducing potential worker exposure. Any extractor technology can be considered (i.e., electrostatic, centrifugal or mechanical) but it is essential to correctly match the airflow to the process and ensure mist extraction filters are well maintained and cleaned or replaced when necessary.
Maintenance for Carbide
Equally as important as an effective system setup, is an appropriate servicing and maintenance schedule for the equipment involved. A proactive approach, carried out in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, is essential for ensuring consistent performance and HSE compliance, especially COSHH requirements concerning workplace exposure levels to cobalt, and regulations concerning LEV system testing, which should be conducted by a competent person every 14 months, at least.
Leading the way: the example from carbide specialists, Hartmetall UK Ltd
When it comes to carbide, Hartmetall UK Ltd are the experts. Established in 2003 as an independent distributor of tungsten carbide wear parts, the Worcestershire-based company today holds a comprehensive range of tungsten carbide rods (sintered, ground with and without coolant holes, deep hole drill blanks), strips, EDM blocks and preforms in grades EMT 100 – 612. The company also offers an in-house cylindrical blank grinding service providing steps, tapers, ball nose and back tapers to meet customer requirements. As the company’s reputation and reliability for subcontract preform grinding has grown, a continued investment strategy in the latest technology has been key to increasing capacity and keeping up with demand in recent years.
To complement the growing number of Rollomatic grinding machines, oelheld UK has been working with Hartmetall UK for a number of years, implementing and adapting a grinding fluid and filtration solution to meet the company’s expanding requirements and work in conjunction with the existing fluid system components.
Read the full details of the solution Hartmetall has implemented, and the benefits they’ve seen here
