Chris Harding

Hello! I'm Sally, the AI assistant for Pennine Lubricants. How can I help you today?

Hi, we're having issues with our cutting fluid breaking down too quickly on our CNC machines. We've got 12 machines running Houghton coolant and it's degrading within weeks.

I understand the frustration — rapid coolant degradation is a common challenge, especially with high-volume CNC operations. It's often caused by bacterial contamination, tramp oil ingress, or incorrect concentration levels. Can I ask a couple of questions to help? What type of machining are you primarily doing (turning, milling, grinding)? And are you currently monitoring your coolant health regularly?

Mostly turning and milling, some grinding. We check concentration with a refractometer occasionally but nothing regular. The smell is getting bad and the operators are complaining.

That's very helpful. The odour issues strongly suggest bacterial contamination, which is a health and safety concern under HSE MW05 regulations. I'd recommend looking at two things: 1. **Ultrasol X-777** — our high-performance soluble coolant specifically designed for extended sump life in CNC environments. It's HSE MW05 compliant and we've seen excellent results at similar operations. 2. **PROCARE Fluid Management** — our monitoring programme includes regular dipslide testing, concentration checks, and machine cleaning. We also provide a cloud-based dashboard (PROCARE Fluid Cloud) so you can track coolant health across all 12 machines. Would it be helpful if I connected you with one of our technical team to discuss your specific setup?

Yes please, that sounds exactly what we need. Can someone come and do a site survey?

Absolutely! I'll arrange for Bob, one of our Technical Sales Engineers, to contact you about a lubrication survey. He has extensive experience with CNC operations. Could I take your direct contact details so Bob can reach you?

Sure — Simon Briggs, Operations Manager at Protek CNC. 0114 278 4521 or simon.briggs@protekcnc.co.uk. We're on Atlas Way in Sheffield so not far from you!

Perfect, thank you Simon! I've passed your details to Bob and he'll be in touch within 24 hours. In the meantime, I'd recommend reducing coolant concentration slightly and ensuring tramp oil is being skimmed regularly. Is there anything else I can help with?

No that's great, thanks Sally. Look forward to hearing from Bob.