Neo-Synthetic fluids are part of an emerging global trend in the metal-working industry, and it isn’t hard to see why. They’re clean, safe, and extremely high performing coolants that are perfectly suited for the CNC machine shops of Australia. At Excision we believe that fully synthetic coolants are the future of metal working fluids, and in this article I’ll tell you all the reasons why you should consider using Neo-Synthetic coolant in your machines.
What exactly is Neo-Synthetic Coolant?
Neo-Synthetic cutting fluid is a type of specially developed water-miscible cutting fluid. It has been designed with extreme pressure and polymeric additives that are completely free of mineral oils. While traditional soluble coolant contains roughly 45% mineral oil, fully synthetic coolants replace this with hydro soluble lubricants, giving it a whole host of benefits.
This gives it an important distinction from soluble coolants – it is not an emulsion, but a solution. Emulsions are inherently unstable. Water and oil love to separate which means you need to include emulsifiers for the cutting fluid to remain stable. However, bacteria love emulsifiers, which means your coolant is at a greater risk of being attacked and ruined by smelly bacteria. Your traditional coolant is also more likely to separate. Neo-Synthetic coolants trump soluble cutting fluids easily in this area as they are physically unable to separate and contain no emulsifiers to attract bacteria!
Okay, so what are all of the benefits of Neo-Synthetic Coolant?
The benefits of synthetic cutting fluids are many and varied, but I’ll do my best to give you an idea of how they might benefit you.
Synthetics are great for soft water
Unlike mineral-based coolants, which have a tendency to foam up in softer waters, Synthetic coolants are highly resistant to foam. This makes them perfect for the majority of Eastern Australia where the water is extremely soft. If you struggle with foam covering your workpiece and machine, you should most certainly consider using fully synthetic coolant.
Synthetics have amazing sump life
Because Neo-Synthetics are so stable and high performing, they last for a really long time in the sump. You can get almost double the life compared to soluble coolants. In fact, some people can achieve many years of coolant usage without having to replace it!
Synthetics have a lower consumption
Because of the advanced lubricants synthetic coolants use, you can dilute them at a lower ratio, around 3-10%. This means that your consumption will be lower over time – not to mention the decreased drag out. ‘Drag out’ is a technical term referring to the coolant that is removed with a workpiece when it is taken out of the machining process. Synthetic coolants have drastically reduced drag out, meaning their consumption is greatly reduced.
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Standard Soluble Coolant Drag-out |
Neo-Synthetic Coolant Drag-out |
We’ve heard stories of customers switching from soluble coolant to synthetic coolant and lowering their consumption by half, purely because of the decreased drag-out and sump life!
Synthetics have great lubrication & cooling
For many years, lubrication was the Achilles heel of Synthetics – they lacked the performance of traditional soluble coolants, and without any oil, the lubricity needed to maintain good tool life just wasn’t there. However there have been significant improvements since then, and Neo-Synthetic cutting fluids now boast some of the best lubricity in the game.
Synthetics also inherently have great cooling capacity, because of their increased concentration of water.
Synthetic fluids are clean
Neo-Synthetic fluids are inherently clean because they don’t contain any mineral oil. This means that they’re not greasy, they’re less likely to attract dirt and they won’t leave surfaces sticky and hard to clean-up. This makes it a lot easier for your CNC operator.
Synthetics are green
Because they replace mineral oil with advanced polymers and hydro soluble lubricants, synthetics have a greatly reduced impact on the environment. These polymers aren’t taxing on the environment, meaning you can rest easy while using synthetic cutting fluids.
Synthetics are transparent
Traditional soluble coolants and Semi-Synthetics are milky or translucent, which means that you can’t always see the operation you’re performing with absolute clarity. However, fully synthetic fluids are as clear as water, meaning it is a lot easier to see what you are doing.
Synthetics are more bacteria & fungi resistant
Unlike mineral coolants, which are highly susceptible to bacteria attacks, Neo-Synthetic cutting fluid has a very low bacteria and fungi risk purely because of the structure of its molecules. This means that there is a reduced need to ‘baby’ the coolant with continual maintenance to keep it healthy and high performing. This means that synthetic coolants are a lot more hassle-free.
Synthetic coolants are less dangerous
Some cheaper soluble coolants can be dangerous for your health because they contain harmful substances such as chlorine and formaldehyde. However, because of the decreased bacteria risk there isn’t the need for as many harsh chemicals (such as pH regulator, bactericide and harsh EP additives) meaning synthetic coolant is often easier on the skin.
Sounds like magic. Are there any downsides to Synthetic Cutting Fluids?
While Neo-Synthetic coolant is the best you can get, it doesn’t come without its shares of downsides.
Neo-Synthetic coolant costs more
There are no two ways about it – fully synthetic coolant is more expensive. This makes sense. It is a very high performing coolant, with a whole host of benefits compared to traditional soluble coolants, meaning that it is bound to cost more. If you’re looking for a cheap coolant, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
However, if you’re looking for an incredible coolant that ticks almost every single box, this is the coolant for you – just be prepared to part with a bit more cash.
That said, Neo-Synthetic coolant is in reality a better value proposition – it performs better, needs less maintenance and lasts longer. You’re really getting more for your money, not less.
Synthetics don’t work in every type of water
Neo-synthetic coolant doesn’t handle corrosion very well with harder waters. While it does have a greater proportion of corrosion inhibitors compared to soluble coolants, it still won’t do a great job when the water is too hard.
Give it a Go
If you’re wondering whether going fully-synthetic is right for you, we suggest that you give it a go and do a trial. Do a test in one machine for a couple of months and see what the performance is like – you might be surprised.
Most of the customers that test this type of coolant say that they’re pleased with it, and don’t go back to soluble or semi-synthetic. When King Springs switched to our XDP3200 neo synthetic coolant they said it was “delivering in spades. Increased tool life, lower machine operating temperature, improved finish on the output product, all while running on a lower concentration to our previously used coolant.”
Granted, synthetic coolant isn’t for everyone, but if you make the switch you likely won’t be disappointed. You’ll get improved tool life, longer sump life, less drag-out, decreased environmental impact, removal of safety concerns for your workers, and increased visibility of your application.
This liquid gold is changing the metalworking industry – don’t miss out.
