Is the lubricant you’re using best for your interests…or for your supplier? It’s an uncomfortable question to ask, but a valid one. What may seem a perfect fit for your production budget may actually be the opposite.
With raw metal and energy costs always front and center in the minds of production managers – lubricant related costs are often misunderstood or drastically miscalculated. What may seem an excellent deal as far as cost per gallon pricing, may lose its attractiveness when you need to use 5 times more volume to run your parts. What may also be a perceived savings of fractions of, or whole dollars per gallon in “up front” costs – may result in “hidden costs” of shortened tool life, increased down-time and scrap due to poor stamping performance. It’s ironic that stamping lubricant selection is typically afforded less attention than nearly every other factor in metal stamping – yet can impact everything from being able to form the part at all – to protection/longevity of tool coatings – to scrap and reject rates through surface-treating and finishing. For these reasons, it’s crucial you and your supplier understand and discuss your production processes to ensure an “optimized fit”.
This sharing of information may be awkward at times and every goal may not be obtainable through using just one product – but that’s what a true business partnership involves – ideas and expertise shared toward the common goal of increased productivity. This is not something that is unfamiliar to IRMCO.
IRMCO was an early pioneer in the development and application of water-based, synthetic stamping lubricants. IRMCO was also an early pioneer in addressing application methods/equipment, maintenance of solution control and improving water quality for metal-stamping processes. IRMCO understood early on that your “cost per gallon” is merely the “tip of the iceberg” as far as your true lubricant costs are concerned. Helping our customers realize and address this is the “IRMCO WAY”. It’s our culture and the way we live. It’s what our customers and business partners come to understand and expect from us.
Learn how IRMCO will work to help you navigate around those “icebergs” by calling 800-323-2933 or visit us at www.irmco.com.
