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My coolant emulsion smells. What should I do?

You’re machining a new product when you notice an unusual smell. It turns out the odor is coming from the coolant emulsion. But what causes this smell, and what can you do about it?

We explain it all in this article.


What does it mean when your coolant emulsion smells?

It is important to regularly check the quality of your coolant emulsion. Without routine inspections and proper maintenance, the quality can quickly deteriorate. This may lead to the growth of bacteria or fungi. Aside from posing a health risk to employees, this also has serious consequences for your production process. Products may be rejected due to staining, and both machines and tools can wear out faster.

There are several reasons why bacteria or fungi can develop. When the water in the emulsion is old or contaminated, microorganisms can easily form and multiply. Reusing coolant emulsion is also not recommended. The heat generated during machining makes the used emulsion an ideal environment for microbial growth. On top of that, contaminated emulsion may contain waste particles such as the wrong type of oil or metal chips. Oils like greases can create a barrier that suffocates the emulsion, giving microorganisms free rein to grow.


How can you prevent smelly coolant emulsion?

As mentioned above, regular monitoring and maintenance of your coolant emulsion is very important. You can do this by measuring the emulsion with a refractometer.  Once you have taken the measurements, it is important to record the values. This can easily be done using the LubriWatch application. With this tool, you can monitor the values of all your machining equipment in one place and take timely action when needed.

Curious about how the LubriWatch application works? Request a free demo today.

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