Description

This paper describes the various types of aluminum wiredrawing lubricants including conventional straight-oil type products and water-soluble type products that are gaining in popularity in aluminum drawing. The volatility of copper pricing in recent years has stirred debate in the industry about copper vs. aluminum. This paper discusses the best practice methods and key process items for converting a lubricant system from copper to aluminum. This includes lubricant type, system cleanout, filtration needs or changes, and lubricant care and maintenance.