Plastic processing of non-ferrous metals is the deformation and shaping of non-ferrous metals by applying external force, forming certain parts to meet certain technical requirements. Plastic processing generally includes three basic elements: external force, material deformation, and shape adjustment.
Lubricants are generally used to reduce friction between the machined surfaces, reduce wear of tools, simplify process operations, reduce machining forces and power consumption, increase surface finish and dimensional accuracy, make cutting smoother, reduce noise, save energy, improve machining conditions, reduce environmental pollution and extend tool life.
Applications of lubricants in plastic processing of non-ferrous metals include machining, rolling, extrusion, forging and other plastic processes. Lubricants can be divided into three categories according to their characteristics: water based lubricants, oil based lubricants and solid lubricants.
Water based lubricants are predominantly used in machining operations such as turning, milling and drilling as they have a high degree of cooling capacity, low viscosity, easy application and maintenance, and low equipment cost. On the other hand, oil based lubricants are mainly used in plastic deformation processes, such as rolling, extrusion and forging. This kind of lubricants has high flash point, extreme pressure performance, good protection of surfaces, thermal stability and less environmental pollution. Solid lubricants are mainly used when water and oil based lubricants are not suitable, such as in the hot processing of non-ferrous metals.
In the plastic processing of non-ferrous metals, various plastic deformation processes are used. For example, stamping is a method for forming parts with a certain shape accuracy. In this process, cold oil-based lubricants are usually used, which can reduce the cutting force, improve the surface quality and workpiece dimensions, reduce the noise of the die, and make the management of the process easier. During the extrusion process, oil-based lubricants are mainly used, while certain solid lubricants are also used under certain conditions.
Forging is a plastic processing method used to achieve a certain shape, size or mechanical properties and a certain surface quality. For this process, water–based and oil-based lubricants are mainly used. The water-based lubricant can be used to suspended particles, while the oil-based lubricant can also increase the wetting ability.
The choice of lubricant is very important when it comes to plastic processing of non-ferrous metals. The requirements of plastic processing are different and the corresponding lubricant should be chosen according to the specific conditions. In general, when choosing lubricants for plastic processing of non-ferrous metals, it is necessary to pay attention to their friction-reducing performance, environmental safety, easy application and cost. In addition, the selection of the lubricant should also consider the economic cost, environmental conservation and specific application conditions.
