Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 11

FLUID MONITORING NEXT GENERATION A s most casting manufacturers know, there are several key factors to creating a quality casting. However, die lubrication is a key component to the success of a quality casting. Die Lubrication is key to the flow of metal, the cooling process and the ejection process. How do we monitor this key component of our process? What do we use? Is it accurate? These are all key questions that come up daily in our production, tooling and quality meetings. With today’s ISO 9001 standards, most all Die Lubricant Companies use these standards to develop and continuously manufacture quality lubricants with the same properties to be delivered to the end user. With this said if our manufactured die lubricant is always consistently manufactured and delivered, how do we know if our desired dilution of lubricant to water is consistent with our known process requirement? There are many ways to monitor our die lubricants. There is the process of refractive index reading, using a Refractometer and reading the solids of a known dilution and creating a chart utilizing known dilutions. There is the process of using a Hydrometer used for measuring the relative density of liquids based on the concept of buoyancy. They are typically calibrated and graduated with one or more scales such as specific gravity. This process also requires the creation of charts using known dilutions. How about TROY TURNBULL President INDUSTRIAL INNOVATIONS ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Having Team Involvement helps with the critical changeover decision • Die Lubricant is the most critical necessity of your process. DIE LUBRICANTS IN PREVENTING DEFECTS 55 the process of moisture balance testing? This probably is the most accurate and scientific process that requires the use of a Moisture Balance Analyzer machine. This process will also require charting of known dilutions to give you your accurate dilution readings. All these processes are solid methods of measuring and monitoring. However, they are very time consuming and labor intensive if multiple lube sources are being monitored. Continued on next page MAKING YOUR INSTALLATION ASUCCESS