Post on 23-Mar-2018
Modern Lubricants for Tube Bending
Christopher Fletcher, ChETower Oil & Technology Co.
FABTECH Canada 2014
Outline
Selecting Lubricants Why? Tools Chemistry Steps
Today’s Choices Lubricants Substrates & Sizes Wear Tooling Application
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Do I Have To?
Not Always. However…
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Why Lubrication?
Photos courtesy of thefabricator.com
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Why Lubrication?
Ff = μ NwhereFf = frictional forceμ = coefficient of frictionN = normal force
Lower μis desirable
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Twist Compression Test (TCT)
Tools
• Scientific Bench Test
• Variable Test Materials
• Very High Interface Pressures
• Lubricant Starvation
• Low Speed
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TCT
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TCT
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TCT
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5
0 5 10 15
Time (s)
Coef
ficie
nt o
f Fric
tion
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 Interface Stress (MPa)
W-4177
1650
10,000 psi
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TCT Comparing Two Gel Products
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Viscosity or Thick Film
Chemistry
www.stle.org
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Boundary
Chemistry
Create space to
keep asperites
from touching
www.stle.org
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Extreme Pressure (EP)
Chemistry
Use iron in metal to form
chemical reaction
Cl = Iron Chloride S = Iron Sulfide P = Iron Phosphate
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Health & Safety Considerations
Chemical Content or Restrictions
Waste Disposal
Application
Key Steps
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Desired Residue
Secondary Operation Compatibility
No Adverse Effects on Material, Tooling, or Equipment
Quality Parts & Acceptable Tool Life
Key Steps
Today’s choices
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Synthetic Chemical Solutions
Seed Oil Compounds
Renewal Resource
Soluble Oils
Gels
Pastes
Compounded Oils
Preferred Lubricants
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Synthetic Chemical Solutions
Varying viscosities
Dilutable
Easy to wash
Weld over lube residue
True solutions or dispersions
Lube does not drip out in paint oven
Use when welding and/or painting are required
Can be viscosity, boundary, and EP
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Vegetable and/or renewable
Minimal lubricant required (MQL)
Lost lubricant theory
No oily mess at machines
No parts washing
Weld over lube residue
No waste disposal
Usually viscosity and boundary
Seed Oil Compounds
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Very Versatile Lube
All Metal Safe
Use neat or diluted
Mix with water
Easy to clean
Can be viscosity, boundary, and EP
Soluble Oil
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Emulsions
Oil In Water Water in Oil
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Contain no mineral oil
Very clean
High water content
Good weld through
Mostly viscosity and barrier
Not all work on aluminum
Need controlled application
Gels
http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/File:Gel_ojos.jpg
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Does not harden in drum or mandrel
No “slumping” on mandrel under heat
Does not drip out of tubes in-process
Pump-able from drums/pails
Come with drums liners
Necessary Gel Features
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Contain mineral oil and water
Form an invert emulsion to thicken
Typically blended with lubricity and/or EP or solid film lubricants for tougher applications
Modern high quality pastes do not harden like a rock
Can be cleaned and conducive to secondary processing
Paste
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Wide range of viscosities
Typically used for extreme pressure lubrication
Easy to pump or apply
Additives to improve cleaning
Compounded Oils
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There are many products within each family of lubricants.
The individual products range from
Light Duty to
Medium Duty to
Heavy Duty and in some cases
Extreme Duty.
So much to choose from…
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Light Duty Diluted Synthetics & Soluble Oils
Seed Oil and Renewable Resource
Gels
Medium Duty Synthetics Seed Oil & Renewable Resource Soluble Oils Gels & Pastes
Order
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Heavy Duty Synthetics & Soluble Oils with EP
Seed Oil and Renewable Resource with Boundary and/or EP
Thicker Gels and Pastes with Boundary or EP
Compounded Oils
Extreme Duty High viscosity Soluble Oils with EP High viscosity Gels & Pastes with EP High viscosity Compounded Oils with EP
Order
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Degree of Bending
Diameter of Tube
Substrate Material
Thickness
Tooling
Lubricant Performance Variables
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D of Bend
Use the degree of bend (D) to help determine how heavy duty the lubricant needs to be
D of Bend = CLR ÷ OD
Example: 4” CLR ÷ 2” OD = 2 DPhoto courtesy of Tools for Bending
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Rule of Thumb
To help select bending lubricants, use the following rules of thumb
≤ 3” OD and < 2 D Bend: Use Heavy Duty Lube
≤ 3” OD and ≥ 2 D Bend: Use Light or Medium Duty Lube
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> 3” OD and < 2 D Bend: Use Heavy or Extreme Duty Lube
> 3” OD and ≥ 2 D Bend: Use Medium or Heavy Duty Lube
Use heavier duty lubricant as: OD increases Thickness increases
Rule of Thumb
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Steel Seed Oils & Renewable ResourceGels PastesCompounded Oils
AluminumGels PastesRenewable Resources
Substrates
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Stainless 4xx Series Seed Oils & Renewable Resource
Gels
3xx Series Seed Oils & Renewable Resource
Pastes
Compounded Oils
Aluminized Stainless Same as above only more paste
Substrates
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Copper/Brass/Softer Metals Seed Oils & Renewable Resource Synthetic (compatible) Soluble Oils
Inconel/Titanium Pastes Compounded Oil
Substrates
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Mandrel AMPCO Bronze
18, 21, M4 are most common
Soft = wears quickly
Used on steel, stainless
New coatings extending life
All lubricants
Tooling
Photo courtesy of Omni-X
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Mandrel Steel
Harder
Chromed; Other coatings
Longer life but more wear on tube
Use on steel, stainless, aluminum, aluminized, and
softer metals
Higher end lubricants
Tooling
Photo courtesy of Omni-X
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Mandrel Plastic
Becoming more useful
Soft = wears quickly
Used on helix, continuous, short run large
Light lubricant
Tooling
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Mandrel New Material
Longer life
Acts like coating
Light lubricant
Tooling
Photo courtesy of Tools for Bending
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Wiper AMPCO Bronze Flexible
Steel
D2, S7, H13
Some coatings on both, but cannot be brittle
Tooling
Photo courtesy of Omni-X
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Tooling
• Cutoff Knives
– High Speed Steel
– TiN Coating
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Synthetic Chemical Solutions, Soluble Oils & Compounded Oils
Basic fluid pump
Bender turns on and off
Air/electrical operated
1:1-5:1 ratio
Application
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Synthetic Chemical Solutions, Soluble Oils & Compounded Oils
Air over lube tank with solenoid
Electrical operated
Bender sends signal but PLC can manipulate
Application
All can be sprayed or injected into locations depending on viscosity
Photo courtesy of Industrial Innovations
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Seed Oil Compounds & Renewable Resource Micro-mist
Air or electrically operated Bender controls frequency
Application
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Gels & Pastes Air operated drum/pail pump
Depends on viscosity
Light = 5:1 ratio fluid pump
Heavy = 15:1-50:1 grease pump; follower plate
Metering system
For < 4”OD
Valves or metering pumps
Bender controlled for each lube point
Application
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Can be very large
Generalities
Rules of thumb
Locked variables
Narrows down quickly
Multiple parts per bender
MatrixSubstrate Thickness OD
Typical Mandrel Material
Mandrel Lube Application
Car
bon
Stee
l
Thin
< 3"
Bronze
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
Steel Chromed
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
> 3"
Bronze
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
Steel Chromed
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
Hea
vy
< 3"
Bronze
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
Steel Chromed
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
> 3"
Bronze
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
Steel Chromed
Synthetic Fluid pump
Spray system
Seed OilFluid pump
Micro Mister
Spray system
Soluble Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
GelDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
PasteDrum pump
Drum pump/Metering system
Compounded Oil Fluid pump
Spray system
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Method to the madness
Run through selection steps
Gather data
Key in on performance, then optimize
Consider application methods
Consult lube and tooling suppliers
Conclusion
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Grinelli, Tony. "When a Good Tube Bends Bad - Part II." TheFabricator.com. N.p., 11 Apr. 2006. Web. 28 Sept. 2013.
Tools for Bending
Bend Tooling
OMNI-X
www.thefabricator.com
www.stle.org
www.industrialinnovations.com
www.unist.com
www.ampcometal.com
www.toweroil.com
Sources
Thank You
Christopher Fletcher, ChETower Oil & Technology
chris@toweroil.com248-838-8884