
CNC operations are all about precision. But with each operation, the machine’s coolant is drifting out of spec. As chips, swarf, sludge, and tramp oil collect in the sumps and coolant tanks, that fluid stops performing as a lubricant and coolant, and becomes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
But this isn’t just a matter of oil mist and stinky sumps. These annoyances are signs that your coolant is already badly out of spec. Even if you aren’t getting rejects yet, that dirty coolant is degrading part quality and damaging your machine tools.
How Contaminants Defeat Filters
You can’t filter out bacteria. Once contaminants either let bacteria get a toehold—either by providing them food or throwing off the concentration of your coolant, giving them an opportunity to breed. Bacteria then eat the emulsifiers meant to stabilize the oil in water-based coolants. This provides more food for more bacteria, while also causing the coolant to stop performing properly—increasing machine tool wear while decreasing part quality.
Bacteria are a corrosion multiplier at a CNC station: They feed on the corrosion inhibitors in your coolant and then excrete organic acids, salts, and hydrogen sulfide—all of which are themselves corrosive.
And bacteria are just one possible problem.
Each kind of coolant reacts differently with each combination of contaminants. Some coolants reject tramp oil altogether. This leads to “free oil” floating on the surface of your tank, where it can be skimmed off. Other coolants will tend to emulsify tramp oils, requiring a tramp oil separator, coalescer, or centrifuge. Even more frustrating, these interactions can change over time. Some coolants start out rejecting tramp oil, but eventually emulsify it. As a result, filtration and purification systems that seemed to work for a time can suddenly stop working altogether.
But it all has the same result: delays, decreased tool life, increased maintenance, increased rejects, and mounting costs.
Meeting Unique Challenges with Custom Filtration Solutions
Each facility, process, and operation poses unique challenges. And you cannot meet a unique set of challenges with a handful of generic solutions.
That’s why Trucent is dedicated to a process-oriented approach, one that extends tool life and increases part quality while consistently driving down costs.
Our teams draw on the full range of coolant filtration and purification tools. They harness non-disposable media filtration, centrifuges, separators, and other technologies to capture particles down to five microns, keeping your coolant cleaner longer.
But we don’t expect technology to solve all your problems. Instead, we bring together decades of experience in filtration and purification, manufacturing and machining processes, along with researchers who understand the challenges of synthetic and semi-synthetic coolant separation at a fundamental level. That group works with you to find the right intervention, use the right technology, and match it to the right application.
Trucent standalone filtration systems preserve your flow rate and your metalworking fluids. If you choose to rent or lease a system, it comes with true support. Your Trucent representative will regularly inspect the system, sample fluids, and make any needed adjustments. Service includes regular lab analysis of your coolant, so you’ll have even more clarity in your operations. No one else offers this level of comprehensive coolant service.
Every solution begins with a conversation. Contact us today to explore better ways to manage your CNC coolant. If you’re ready, we can schedule a no-obligation on-site consultation.
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Complete CNC Coolant Filtration Systems & Services
Trucent provides comprehensive solutions to address the fluid filtration challenges posed by your CNC coolant and metalworking fluids. We can help you maintain or improve your existing filtration—or design an entirely new particulate removal solution. We can install one piece of equipment or an entire team to manage all your filtration technology on an ongoing basis.
The goals remain the same: Clean coolant, longer coolant life, longer tool life, higher quality parts, and a better working environment.

Metalworking Reclaim Saves $400,000 Annually
A transmission component supplier was losing large amounts of metalworking fluid before it could reach the purification system.
Reengineering the customer’s purification system showed a customer-documented 60% decrease in coolant concentrate usage. Documentation by the facility also showed a decrease in waste treatment and water usage. Tooling savings totaled over $30,000 in the first four months of operation.

