Quench Oil Cleanliness and Part Quality

Quench oil is susceptible to contamination from carbon deposits, dirt, water, and the byproducts of oxidation. This paper discusses the causes of contamination in quench oil and explains how they lead to reduced oil life, sludge accumulation, loss of production time, unplanned maintenance, variations in the quench curve, surface deposits, and rework costs associated with additional part cleaning. It describes the differences between parts quenched in clean and dirty oil and presents best practices for keeping quench oil clean by removing particulate and water over the course of its life.