PSA: I just found out how much coolant flow really matters for tool life

I was reading an old shop manual from the 90s my boss gave me, and it said something that made me stop. It claimed that for a lot of aluminum jobs, increasing coolant flow by just 20% could double the life of an end mill. I thought that sounded crazy, so I tried it on a simple pocketing job we run all the time. I bumped up the flow on our machine and ran the same program. The tool looked way better after the run, with way less built-up edge. I checked the inserts after and they were definitely in better shape. It seems so simple, but I guess I never really paid attention to the flow rate beyond just making sure it was on. Has anyone else done a test like this and seen a real difference?

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1 Comment

adam6756h ago

Coolant pressure matters just as much as flow. High flow with low pressure won't clear chips from deep pockets. The stream needs to hit the cut. Seen tools fail because the coolant just washed over the top of the work. It's not just about turning the pump up. You need to check the nozzle position and pressure gauge. A lot of older machines have weak pumps that can't push enough.