What Is a Coolant Hose?
Coolant Hose is a hose used to supply coolant fluid to the cutting area, mainly in the metalworking process of cutting.
Coolant plays an important role in the cutting process, and Coolant Hose is indispensable to the cutting process. In addition to coolant fluid, other materials supplied by Coolant Hose include industrial water, mineral oil, and oil.
Coolant Hose can be freely changed in shape so that coolant can be supplied from the appropriate position to the cutting area. Furthermore, bending the hose to change the overall shape of the hose does not change the inside diameter and does not alter the coolant flow rate. The hose is formed from multiple pieces, and pieces can be added or removed.
Uses of Coolant Hoses
Coolant Hose is primarily used in metal cutting machines. It is a necessary component of most machines, such as machining centers, that are machined while applying cutting fluid.
There are two main methods of supplying coolant fluid to cutting machines: external lubrication and internal lubrication. Coolant Hose is used in the external lubrication system.
The internal lubrication method includes the center-through method, in which coolant is supplied through a hollow hole in the hollow structure of the cutting tool, and the side-through method, in which coolant is supplied through a path near the tool.
Principle of Coolant Hoses
A typical plastic Coolant Hose is made up of multiple piece parts. Each piece is joined together to form a hose.
However, attached to each end are parts that connect to the machine and parts that serve as the outlet, respectively. Some hoses are designed to control the flow rate by attaching specific joint connectors in various places.
Each piece part has a joint structure that allows the hose shape to change freely. While the hose shape can be freely changed by fitting each other, the hose shape must be maintained during the cutting process.
If the shape of the hose changes, coolant cannot be supplied to the cutting area. Each piece part is shaped so that even if the hose shape changes, the inside diameter of the hose remains unchanged.
Other Information on Coolant Fluid
1. Effects of Coolant Fluid
Coolant fluid in the cutting process has the following major effects: cooling, lubrication, cleaning, and rust prevention.
Cooling Effect
First, the cooling effect suppresses the heat generated during cutting. If the part to be machined is made of a metal with low thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, heat cannot escape during the cutting process, resulting in high temperatures, which can easily cause burning, distortion, and warping.
Cooling with coolant fluid is important. Coolant also suppresses thermal deformation of tools, extending tool life and stabilizing machining accuracy.
Lubrication Effect
Lubrication extends tool life by reducing machining resistance and tool wear. Furthermore, it prevents the phenomenon of chips removed by cutting, known as the component edge, from being welded to the cutting edge of the tool and becoming part of the cutting edge.
Cleaning Effect
The cleaning effect washes away chips from cutting. Furthermore, if the cutting fluid has a higher viscosity than coolant fluid, it also prevents chips from scattering.
Rust-Preventing Effect
Coolant fluid also has the effect of preventing rusting of parts in the machining area of processing machines. Coolant fluid covers the surface of metal parts, thereby separating the parts from the air and inhibiting the progress of rust.
Coolant hose is an important part of the cutting process because of the above effects of coolant fluid.
2. Coolant Hose Material
Most Coolant Hoses are made of resin, and polyacetal resin is used. Polyacetal resin is chosen because coolant fluid contains an oil component.
Most Coolant Hoses are made of resin, but some are made of stainless steel. Coolant fluid is generally water soluble, but stainless steel Coolant Hose is resistant to mainly oily cutting oils and chemicals, and the hose itself is strong enough for long-term use.