TRIM E923 cutting and grinding fluid started life as a bespoke development for a manufacturer serving the oil and gas industry — both for the general machining and the deep-hole drilling of tough corrosion-resistant alloys used in the manufacture of sub-sea wellhead equipment.

This product can now provide the same high-level performance to industry at large, thanks to its inclusion in Master Fluid Solutions’ standard range (www.masterfluidsolutions.com).

A proprietary blend of new vegetable-based technology and very high levels of chlorine-free extreme-pressure (EP) additives, TRIM E923 is ‘robust’ enough to deliver excellent tool life in difficult metal-cutting operations; it also provides the non-cutting characteristics expected from Master Fluid Solutions’ traditional high-quality emulsions.

Peter Blenkinsop, director of sales (Europe), said: “Our original brief for the development of this product came as a result of the customer investing in latest-generation machining centres that could drill holes up to 1m deep with a diameter of 25mm and undertake standard machining in the same set-up.

"A lot of R&D time went into creating a formulation that could provide the necessary tool protection. Guide pads keep the drill in place but they wear out quickly without exceptional lubrication, resulting in very costly tool changes.”

TRIM E923 has since been used by another company for drilling 10mm-diameter 2m-deep holes in steel, proving itself a replacement for neat oil in the toughest of applications.

The optimised lubricity and EP package matches heavy-duty neat oils on difficult-to-machine materials such as Inconel, titanium, stainless steel and high-tensile-strength steels.

Although coolant additives are commercially available to boost standard coolant performance, TRIM E923 is formulated as a complete coolant package for harsh applications.

It has a very long sump life and will run effectively for long periods without the need for additives.

It is also boron- and formaldehyde-free and is easily recycled or disposed of without special handling or equipment.