The lone road toward oil-free metalworking fluids

ABSTRACT

Over the past couple of decades, newer formulations on the market have trended toward less dependence on nonrenewable resources like petroleum products and fewer ingredients like biocides that pose worker health concerns. Oil-free formulations check these boxes, and they also help with reducing foam, increasing fluid life and eliminating the need to clean oil films from the finished workpieces. However, they don't work for all applications, they can be expensive and they can present waste disposal problems. Here, McGuire talks about oil-free metalworking fluids.