All cutting fluids have, to a greater or lesser extent, the potential to cause health issues for machine operators. These risks are based on the external (skin) or internal contact involved in machining work; including the touching of parts and tooling, being splashed by the fluid, having mist settle on the skin or via the inhalation of mist.

The key to minimising this risk is the full evaluation of the machining operation; this process starts with the selection of the most suitable cutting fluid.

WRAS approved products could be the next stage in a series of long standing developments towards a safer supply of potable water.

Historically, lead piping used to be the primary form of distributing potable water. This was due to its widespread use in industrial applications, as well as its natural occurrence in soils as a result of local geological conditions. As of the 1970s lead piping has been prohibited for distributing potable water and was considered the starting point for this journey towards a safer water supply.

The overall performance of any cutting fluid emulsion is partially dependant on the quality of the “make water” used to prepare it.

Quality refers to three main features of the water:-

1. Freedom from bacterial contamination
2. Freedom from particular contamination
3. The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts, referred to as total hardness.

While there are many factors that affect the life of a cutting fluid, such as dilution control, tramp oil, top up rates etc. the key to ensuring maximum sump life from any fresh fill is machine cleanliness.

Why Clean? During use, machine tool fluid systems become contaminated with tramp oil machining debris, hard water soaps etc. which can be found on the sides and bottoms of tanks. These deposits are ideal breeding grounds for both bacterial and fungal infections and eventually become “biomasses” that can shorten fluid life.