cue
a lookat the mostsignificant
onstanLly banlingexpensive down-
ftl
I time and retooline?Troubledwith
Vthe messand safJtyissuesof too
m u c h m i s t i n g ?l s o v e r -o r u n d e r l u b r i -
cation costing you time and money?
You're not alone. According to a 2005
research study conducted by August
Research,these are some of the most
commonly cited dielubrication chal-
Iengesfacingthe stampingindustry.
The top five dieJube problems,data
show,are:
. Excessivemisting
. Over-application of lubricant
. Inadequate coverageof the work-
piece
Daye Mielke is a marketing and techni-
cal specialistwith SprayingSystemsCo.,
Wheaton,IL; tel. 630/665-5000,e-mail
mielkedl@spray. com.
30 M E T A L F O R M I N/GD E C E M B E R
2OO5
stampers
andhowspray
Ganovercome
DAVEMIELKE
. Inability to corectly place lubricant
. Excessivetool wear.
Of those responding to the suruey,all
actively involved in their company's
stamping operations, 30 percent used
stock less than 2 in. wide, 30 percent
used stock 2 to 4 in. wide and
40 percent used stock more than 4 tn.
wide. Application methods, with more
than one method employed in many
shops,were reported asfollows: 75 per-
cent employed spraying, 33 percent
used rollers, 25 percent used both spray-
ing and rollers.20percentappliedlubri-
cant by hand and a minimal percentage
used a drip or similar method.
OptimizeSprayCapability
Themajorityof metalformingshops
usesprayto applylubdcant.The t'?e of
spraysystemandsetupemployedgoes
challengesreported
them,
a long way toward whether lubrication
works effectively,Use the wrong spray
application and you most likely will
battle all five of the challengeslisted
above. But proper setup will signifi-
cantly reduce misting, minimize tool
wear and lube use,and placelubrication
just where it is needed.
Spray meLhodsrange from basic.
economical airlesssetupsto advanced
atomizing systems.The more advanced
the system,the more control stampers
have in achieving and maintaidng opti-
mal lubrication. Here'show spray sys-
tems can combat lubrication challenges.
ExcessiveMisting
A common misconceptionof exces-
sivemisting: little to no way to control
it. In reality, excessivemisting has many
causesand all ofthem are controllable.
w w wn- e l al l or mi ngn ag azi ne .com

l n c o r r e c t o P e r a li n g P r e \ s u r e s
Excessive pressurecausesover nistll-lg'
e e n e r d l l yf.o r ' l t y d r r t r l i c' p t a 1 o r ' r i r -
atolnizing systeIns,the higher the pres-
sure thc greater the amount of atol-n-
ization. As a rule' keeP
pressureto a minit-num.
Incorrect sPraY trP-
Usingthe incorrecttiP for aD
a p p l i c a t i o n c a u s e se x c c s s
nristing.For instance,a 95
cleg.sprav tiP wili cover 8
in.-rvidestockfrom a distance
of about 3.5 in. from the work
s u rf a c e , a b o u t t h e r e c o m -
mended maximru.n sPraYing
distance.For that tlP to cover
stock 12 l5 in. $'ide,it nrust
be moved to 5.5-7 in. above
the surfacc, resulting in
extremciyhigh nisting, over
splay and uirdc'raPPlication
ln.rportant:I(eeP sPraYdis-
tancesto a minimum. More
nrist der.elops as the tiP
locatesfartl.rerawaYliom the tt"ii),
stock,ultimatelvescaPilrg
suLr-ouncling areas.Changeto
ir rvicleranglesPravliP or add
to mini-
aclclitionrlr'rozzles
niizespra,vheiglrt.
Incorrect flow rates
Lubricantsdiffer in viscosi-
ties.A tip or nozzlethat works
rveli for a heavier viscosity
causesexcessive misting \\'hen
sprayinglower viscositYlubri-
cants.Match the flo\\'rate ot
thc nozzlesor tiPSwith the
Jubricantto tresPraYed.
wise,when r"-orking with air
atornizing s1-stcms, air and
licluidpressures must change
asviscositvchanges.The same
is tlue lvtth sPriqrsetuPsor
nozzles.Spravt-tozzle suPPli-
erscirnhelp here.
Unstable ambient condi-
tions-Excessive ai1 nlove
nent fron blowels or fans Widerstockmay requiremultiple nozzlesUse
can carry spraYfarther than multiplenozzlei,top and bottom,on stockwiderthan 6 in '
the intended talget. Rernove and checkthe tip's ipray pattern.A commonllat-spraytip
the source or Provide ade- must overlapthe adiacentpatternby 20 to 30
quatc isolation,such asenclo vide
www.metallormingmagazine.com
sures,for the sprayarea.Though son-re The correct sprirytips and nozzles
l i l - e . c \ P e l l 5 i vlen d d ; f l i . L r l t o r n ai n- plovide for improved n.ristcontrol, but
tain, al enclosed system allows tbe selectioncan be difficult.
stamperto recycleexcess lubricant and Choose an llutomaticnozzlervith;l
sPIa)'tipto elim-
eliminate overspr;11 positiveshut-offatthe
sPrayand associ
inateexcess
atednlist. Autorlatic nozzles
Spray-Tip Selection
alsoal1owfor raPidresPonse,
drip reduction or elirnination,
and improvcd overall systeln
control. fl-rebestnozzlesand
spra.vtjPs offer irigh transter
efficiencl',where a largcr Per-
centage of sPlirY Pirrticles
transferdirectlYfrot'nthe noz-
zle to the targetedobject
Another optioll: Low vol-
ume lorv pressure(LVLP) air
atonizing setrlPs,which rvork
n'ell for low viscosity lutrri
cantsand producelittle mist.
But the higher the lube vis-
cosity the higher the Pressule
lncorrect
Correct and capacit,v neededto accu-
p r o d u ce the PIoPer
Whenrotatinga spraytip initiallyselected lor wider stock r a t e l y
percent more lubricant
io cou"r n'arrowei stock 30 to 70 spriy Pattern and Perrorn
(right).Selectspraytips to covera
is aoDlied
'soecilic than needed a n c e . F o I h i g h c r - v i s c o st Y
i
to stockwidth usinga minimalsprayheight' I u b r i c a n t s ,a h i g h v o l u m e
low pressureFIVLPsetupmay
MutiPle Nozzles
Using be a bettet-answer.Transfer
efficiency of botl.r LVLP and
HVLP general\' rangesliortt
30 to ti5 percent.
Ne$'er to spla.vsYstems'
high transfer efficiencl'
(HTE) air'-atomiztngsetuPs
aredesignedto Pr.ovidemax
imum trirnst-erfron.t the noz-
zle to the work surfirce at
operatingpressuresasiow as5
Like-
psi. Testdata sllo\\' lhat trans
fer efticiency as high as 85
perc..nt witlt a lubricant vis-
cosityof 76 centiPoise.HTE
nozzlesallow for it'tcIeasesand
d e c r e a s e si n P r e s s u r e st o
match lhe lubricant rvhile
LVLP and HVLP setuPsmatn
ProPerSPraYOverlaP tain specificoPeratlngranges.
ElectlostaticsP1a)' s)'stens'
alsonew enploy a PositivelY
c h a r g e ds p r a y d r o P l e t t h a t
percentto pro- almost jmn]ediatelYattracts
propercoverage. to the stocli's gt-oundedsur
2 O O5
I VI]N G / D E C E I M B E R
I VE] T A L F O R 31
 ChangeTips to Avoid HeavyGenterDistribution
ldeally,a spraytip will disttibutelubricantin a flat pyramidshapewith a bit more in lhe centersectionbelowthe tip 0eft
illustration).worn splaytips commonlyhavea heavycentel distribution,with lessdistributionto the patternedgesiright).
face. The result: a 40- to go-percent
transfer of liquid to the surface. But
not all lubricants can be sufficiently
chargedto achievethe higher transfer
rate,which is why the percentage varies
so greatly.Water-basedlubricants charge
more easiJy and more rapidlythan their
petroleum-based kin.
The electrically charged spray may
become a concern when used in direct
contact with floor personnel.Another
consideration: An electrostaticsystem
can cost three to six times more than a
conventionalconfiguration. Electrosta-
tic spray,still in deyelopment, to-dlate
can onll addresscoil or 5heetentering
the stamping press.It can't be used for
in-die application.
Over-Application
of Lubricant
Over-application often resultsfrom
c h o o " i n ga 5 p r a yl i p w i t h o u t p r o p e r l y
consideringlubrication needs.Paycare-
ful attention to nozzlecapacities,spray
anglesand spray distances,and match
them to the type ofstock, the lubricant
and the amount ofcoverage desired.A
spra)lip thatworftswellfor heavier-vis-
cosity lubricants results in over-appli-
c a t i o nb y n e a r l y6 0 p e r c e n w
t h e nu s e d
with a lighter-viscositymaterial. Over-
application also can occur following a
changeto a slower feed rate while con-
tinuing to usea higher-feedralenozzle.
A common, but poor, practice is to
rotate spray tips instead of selectinga tip
32 M E T A L F O R M I N/GD E C E M B E R
2OO5
Cloggedor damagedtips result in an
improperspray pattern with streaksor
missingspray,as shownhere.Replace
worn, cloggedor damagedtips and
inspecttip strainersand checkvalves.
with a narrower spray pattern. When
rotating a spraytip initially selectedfor
wider stock, to coyer narrower stock,
30 to 70 percent more lubricant rs
appliedthan needed.Selectspraytips to
cover a specific stock width using a
minimal spray height.
Worn spray tips also cause over-
application,A worn or damagedspray-
tip orifice resultsin a higher flow rate,
leading to excessive spray.Improper tip
mainlenanceis a major causeoforifice
damage.Do not clean or unclog spray
tips using improper tools, such asmetal
probes or screwdrivers.Use a cleaning
tool made of softer material, such as a
toothbrush or toothpick.
For benercontrolofercessive lubri-
cation,choosethe right tip or nozzlefor
the lubricant being applied and imple
ment a nozzle-maintenance plan.
Replaceworn or damaged spray tips
on a regular basis to maintain system
integrity, control wasteand reduce costs.
InadequateGoverage
of the Workpiece
As with over-application,inadequate
coverageresults from incorrect tip or
nozzle selection.Be certain that the
spray tip or nozzle covers the stock
from edge to edge.Wider stock may
require multiple nozzles-use multi
ple nozzles,top and bottom, on stock
wider than 6 in. And check the tip's
spray pattern-some spray tips must
overlapthe adjacentpattern by 20 to 30
percent to provide proper coverage.
Othercauses of inadequate coverage
include intermittent-spray or squirt-
type systemsthat can result in hear,yor
thin spots,spraynozzlespositioned too
far from the lubrication target, and
cloggedor damagedspray nozzles.
1o helpcombatinadequate coverage,
employ regular system maintenance.
Worn spray tips commonly have a heary
center distribution, with lessdistribu-
tion to the pattern edges.Clogged or
damagedtips causean improper spray
pattem with streaksor missing spray.
. e l aI tor mi ngn ag azi ne ,com
ww w m
 their flat-spray counterparts. Also, tem suppliers.A reputable supplier has
Replaceworn, cloggedor damagedtips
solid-strearnnozzlescan provide cov- experts availablefor consultation and
und inrp".t tiP strainers and check
erageof a targeted sPot. can offer a range ofProducts and serv-
yalves.Also helpful: Pressurizedspray
Proper nozzle and tiP selection' icessuchas testing'analysisand fabri-
systems,which offer more-consistent,
s e l u p a n d m a i n t e n a n c ed o m u c h i n c a t i o nt o e n s u r et h e r i g h t l u b r i c a t i o n
even coveraSe.
combating tool wear and successfully solution. Th€y can answer any ques-
A good option for imProved cover-
meeting other lube challenges.Imple- tions regarding proper nozzle selec-
agecontrol is a turnkey'fully automal-
ment a regularly scheduled nozzle- tion, application and mist elimination,
ed systemthat monitors flow and sys-
maintenancePlan to keep the lube sys- and should be willing to come onsite to
tem oPeration electronically.Most of
tem operating at peak efficiency, and assess the stamper'slube-deliveryneeds
these systemsemploy automatic (air- or MF
tap the exPertiseof lubricant and sys- and current system.
electrically-driven) nozzl€s,manifolds
and controllers.

Inability to CorrectlY
PlaceLubricant
Getting lubricant to iust the right
spot can be difficult in some applica
tions, especiallydeep draws. Deep draw-
ing requiresplenty of lubricant, at the
Switchfrcm inefficient and costly spray,drip can
right time and in the correct area.Flex-
ible magnetic-mount feed tubesPlaced
and hand tubrication methods to Progrcmmable
ttJni-ROLLER's and start saving immediately!
on the sidesof the die can help. When
the die opens,nozzlesat the end ofthe
tubes spray the lubricant on required
areas.For longer spray distances'con-
sidernarrow-angleor solid-streamnoz-
zles.Or stampersmay opt for recipro-
cating arms-linear or robotic-that
enter and spray the die completely when
it opens.
A solution can be as simPle as
adding nozzles for extra-wide stock'
When reverting back to narrower stock,
simply place a Plug in the unwanted
nozzles.

ExcessiveToolWear
The reaction of metal-to-metal con-
tact causeswear,no matter the amount
of lubrication applied. However, with
correctlubricantsand lubricationmeth-
ods,stamperscan minimize tool wear.
Continued, proper lubrication with
consistent and even coverage of the Fota No Ohligation askaboula
Evaluation,
stock at the point where it feedsinto the Un'-R0IER/SPR0LLER system f1r y'ur
contigurcd
press is the best way to control wear. coilandtlatstockapplications.
bften, stamperscoat only one side of Calllolt Frce:u$ ' f,anada
(800)253'5462
the stock, even though friction and
binding occur on both. Coat both sides.
Ifproblem spotsrequire extra lubrr- UNIST,Inc. 4T3436th StreetSE GrandRapjds'Ml 49512USA
P h o n e :( 6 1 6 )9 4 9 0 8 5 3 ' F a x : ( 6 1 6 ) 9 4 e - e 5 0 3
cation, use side-mounted nozzles to e m a i l i u n i m a i l @ L i n icsot m ' w w w u n l s t c o m
spraylhe die. Another option: Substi-
tute a full-cone nozzle for the standard
I'IICFO.TLUI'IZATTO'T PEO'U(TS FOR I NUSTRY
flat-spray nozzle. Full-cone nozzles
deliver a much heavier coating than

write no. 19 D E C E M B E2RO O 5 3 3

w w w ,m e t aI t o r m i n g ma g at I n e . c 0 m