Producing almost 40 million fine-punched steel disks normally means that lots of viscous lubricating oil is needed to ensure that the cut edges are punched cleanly. Once this process is complete, the wheels are “contaminated” and require extensive washing before they can be slide ground.
It is not without washing almost 40 million metal discs. A lot of water, cleaning agents, energy and time are used. Cost. “Our oil-free lubricant is as thin as apple juice, even more powerful than conventional lubricating oils and has the advantage for our customer of saving the time-consuming washing process and thus time and a lot of money,” promises Sascha Keller, Managing Director of LBI Oil Free.
Contemporary recipes
For decades, the Worms-based company has been offering modern, oil-free lubricants that are not only particularly efficient, but also protect the environment and the health of employees. In the case of metal discs, the commercial product Irmco Fluid 980 323-15 has proved its worth. It has been optimized for forming thin to medium-thick tubes and for light to medium forming and stamping operations. The special formulation delivers excellent EP properties with corrosion protection and is KTL compatible. The thin-viscosity, amber-colored lubricant not only dispenses with mineral oil, but is also free of chlorine, sulfur, silicone, nitrite and Teflon.
Irmco Fluid 980 323-15 is applied undiluted by means of minimum quantity lubrication, mandrel lubrication systems or manually. “At first, our customer couldn’t believe how little lubricant was actually needed,” the managing director knows from experience. This was quickly proven in a test position. Here it is advantageous that the company has a range of its own metering technology on offer, so that technology and lubricant can be perfectly matched.
Low drip and precise
LBI Oil Free’s metering technology enables precise application of the low-drip lubricants. The devices and systems are specially made for thin to highly viscous media. LBI Oil Free’s portfolio ranges from ready-made models to modified basic models and individual special solutions. All models ensure minimum quantity lubrication at the highest level. The spray pattern is reliably uniform. Not only the lubricants but also the metering technology are made available for testing.
The advantages of the broad portfolio of the medium-sized lubricant expert are obvious, because in addition to the ecological aspects, the cost savings and the time saved in production are important factors for customers when making their purchasing decisions. This is especially true for companies in the automotive industry, for manufacturers of white goods, but also for those in furniture manufacturing, where large quantities of metal sheets are processed.
Quick dry
The metal processor, who does not wish to be named, appreciates, in addition to all the obvious advantages, that the discs dry quickly and subsequent vibratory grinding is possible without prior washing. Furthermore, the service life of the vibratory abrasive is higher, as when oily substances are dragged in.
With conventional lubricating oils, not only the workpieces but also the machines regularly have to be cleaned at great expense before the production process can continue. Until now, the wastewater generated during parts cleaning has had to be disposed of in hazardous waste at great expense. This is different when using LBI Oil Free lubricants. The wastewater can be discharged directly after consultation with the local wastewater treatment plant, as it is biodegradable.
20 years experience
In the case of Irmco products, the Worms-based company scores with its more than 20 years of experience as the exclusive dealer for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The company also supplies the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. REACH-registered in Europe, Irmco’s oil-free lubricants meet the demanding requirements of today’s metalworking industry.
These oil-free standard lubricants are used in the machining of steel and high-strength steels. Classic fields of application are deep drawing and stamping of automotive parts. But the machining of stainless steels and aluminum also benefits from the oil-free lubricants.
Even if a standard product is used in this case – LBI Oil Free’s product range also includes individual lubricants, which are adapted to actual needs in the company’s own laboratory. “In our laboratory, the recipe is put together and subjected to the practical test in a trial run,” explains Sascha Keller. This resonates with companies because, ultimately, this service ensures that customers can keep up with the numerous technical and regulatory requirements of the market.
Environmentally and workplace friendly
All products are developed and manufactured on the basis of environmentally and workplace-friendly raw materials. “We rely on regenerative and synthetic polymers that are generally biodegradable,” says Sascha Keller, explaining the difference. According to the manufacturer, the “superior cooling effect of the pioneering lubricants” ensures “excellent lubrication and wear protection performance, high cycle rates with consistent or even longer tool life.”
The formulations do not contain any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and are the best choice in terms of corrosion protection, which is in high demand. A thin-viscosity lubricant with a consistency reminiscent of apple juice, for example, is also sufficient to turn metal disks into a really round thing.
About LBI Oil Free
LBI Oil Free specializes in high-tech oil-free lubricants and the appropriate metering technology. Equipped with its own laboratory, LBI offers metalworking companies customized lubricants that eliminate the need for time-consuming cleaning of workpieces and machines. In addition to the development of individual lubricants, for which the company also offers the appropriate metering technology, the portfolio of the medium-sized company also includes training, on-site installations, maintenance and testing as well as repairs. The lubricants are based on regenerative and synthetic polymers that are biodegradable, as the formulations do not contain chlorine, silicone or heavy metals. This makes them a forward-looking alternative to conventional forming lubricants or forming oil.
Web:
lbi-oilfree.com