How to Measure and Correct Metalworking Fluid Concentration: The Guide to Keeping Metalworking Fluid Productive
Coolant concentration is one of the easiest variables to let slide, because a sump running a few points off target doesn’t set off an alarm. It shows up weeks later as a shortened tool life report, a rust bloom on finished parts, or a technician wondering why the fluid smells sour three days after a sump change. By the time any of those symptoms appear, the cost has already been spent. That’s the case for treating concentration control as a daily habit rather than an occasional troubleshooting step, and it starts with understanding what a refractometer is actually telling you.
