A look at 4 stamping lubricant application systems

March 6, 2023

The loss of lubricant in a stamping operation is a wasted investment not only because of the cost of the lubricant, but also because it results in higher disposal costs, higher parts cleaning costs, and lower employee morale. Excessive lubricant causes employees to work in a dangerous, slippery area. They might even become covered in oil if too much lubricant is applied–unnecessarily.

Using a direct lubricant application system is a sensible way to eliminate lubricant waste and to optimize lubricant effectiveness.

Direct Lubricant Application System Variables
There are several types of direct lubricant application systems. The best one to use in a stamping operation depends on several variables:

Die clearance
Material width and thickness
Type of stamping
Which side of the stock needs lubricant
Running speed
Oil viscosity
Location needing lubricant–on the die, the stock, or both

The area of stock or die that needs lubrication is a pivotal consideration. For instance, it may be best to spray lubricant in a precise area such as a punch. In other cases, using a roller for even coating across the stock is the optimal approach.

1. Roller Coater System
In roller coater systems, a metered amount of lubricant is dispensed to rolls, which then spread and coat it onto the coiled material as they rotate (see Figure 1).

The best applications for roller coating are those that need an even coating of light or heavy oil on the entire coil stock, lubricating both top and bottom, if necessary.

Roller coating systems also offer the ability to lubricate specific areas of the coil stock when applicable (see Figure 2). Each dispensing manifold is individually controlled. Closing any of these valves prevents lubricant from coating a specific area of the coil stock. Not only does this option save on lubricant consumption, it also saves on cleaning and disposal costs.

Dispensing heads are spring-loaded against the lube roll. Their faces conform to the lube roll’s curvature to ensure that the lubricant spreads evenly onto the roll and then to the stock.