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Oil Mist In The Factories – Thinking About The Past

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Oil Mist In The Factories – Thinking About The Past

Some of us may recall how the equipment used to make the factory floors and the operators of the equipment filthy and dark. Today, the conventional metal sector seldom ever emits this thick, black smoke. Could this imply that the air in the machine tool is now cleaner than it was in the past? While you may think so, the matter doesn’t seem to be so simple and straightforward. When we consider earlier observations of the black and dark smoke and oil, we’d think it was really bad then. But, the fact is that numerous observations claim that the past was about less pollution! How!? Let’s help you get to it.

What is oil mist?

Let’s consider the contamination that results from working with metal in a lathe or grinding machine, which is known as oil smoke or oil mist. This oil mist comprises of a number of particles, which includes oil, smoke, vapours from the metals, and also the very tiny particulate matter, all of which are extremely dangerous! There are numerous factors that can affect the concentration of these oil mist particles; for instance, the type of machining operation being executed, the machine tool speed, the degree of machining temperature, the kind of fluid utilized, and the coolant’s level of pressure. Because of the demand of high productivity, businesses are forced to create more quickly, which has resulted in greater coolant pressures and tool speeds to accommodate faster machining; all of which has worsened the scenario, and increased the production and concentration of oil mist particles.

Comparing the past and present

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, we could see dark exhaust clouds coming from factory chimneys and the back of cars. Although we can’t now see pollution, we are all aware that it still exists. This is due to the fact that air pollution in modern times includes both big and small particle concentrations. Many machines also create extremely tiny particles, about the size of a virus, which are completely invisible to the naked eye. But these imperceptible particles linger in the air for days, and cause much harm to humans, machineries, and the environment. Today, the air is rarely fully blackened by smoke and oil mist, but the danger prevails. Unlike the smoke and soot produced by machines in the past, today’s pollution is invisible, but nevertheless dangerous to both people and the environment. Additionally, as a result of the growing demands, we will only face greater danger in the coming times, which was unthinkable in the past when the demands and subsequently the productions were constrained.

How to we fight this danger?

Due to the increasing demand for such manufacturing operations across a variety of industries, there is no way we can completely eliminate the risk, but we can definitely take steps to mitigate the effects. Installing an oil mist collector in each workplace where such processes that create oil mist take place is one way to do this. For instance, the Mistkiller from Powertech Pollution Controls can help maintain a healthy environment by minimizing pollution with the help of high-speed centrifugal collection of liquid pollutants. When using water-based liquids to create mist, such as when CNC and non-CNC machining, cleaning chambers, and spraying systems, the Mistkiller can be used to efficiently collect and control the mist.