Problem- Slime is plugging my coolant lines

[Driftwood]

So over the past few months, some weird slime/sludge has been forming in my coolant lines... it seems to build on the walls, and then eventually gets forced into the nozzles and plugs up... its whitish/beige-ish and kinda the consistency of toothpaste... this is on our CNC lathe...

Up until now, I've just cleaned it away and kept on working, but looks like its getting worse, because it just plugged up a bunch of nozzles during one part run and can't seem to clean it very easily... its just low pressure flood coolant, so we're going to try to flush the lines with a garden hose and hopefully that'll clean it out for now... but this is probably going to be a temporary fix, not a solution...

Anyone ever experienced anything like this before? The coolant is old, but we've had older... smells normal and we haven't switched to any new coolant or anything lately...

[kmrere42]

Hi,


Been there, Should'a seen the under side of the chip screw pans in a Mori 300L that hadn't been cleaned for 25 years.



By chance are you using Cim-cool coolants??



What you are seeing is the result of Bacterial contamination. Most of the machines in my old shop would get this buildup in the lines and is the result of tramp-oil being left in the sump.

Look in areas of the sump under covers and where the coolant is stagnant, and check for thick paddies that may have attached to the sides of the pan.

Our NL series machines would get this buildup in the pan under the spindle to the point that it would harden and turn black.



The only remedy was to completely strip and clean the machine and use liberal doses of Hot water and Killcide


Be very careful with the Killcide It will do its job, use a respirator and rubber gloves if spraying it on the walls inside the machine. Flush the machine well with hot water after and then spray down again with new mixed coolant.

Yes, it will eat skin too.


Paul

[tom dyla]

Different things can cause plugging of coolant lines, the most common is some type of fungal growth but it can also be a salt or soap formation or a splitting or phasing of the coolant. If a sump is left too long between cleaning, solids and oxide formations in the tank can be drawn up through the lines and cause a restriction in the flow. Each of these items can be addressed differently, as a manufacturer of both coolants and filtration and purification systems, i would be happy to discuss short and long term cures to these problems and help you to come up with solutions that will fit your needs and budget.