Coolant with low lubricity or improper chemistry can allow metal to embed in the abrasive surface just as mud embeds in the tread of a tire. Metal embedded in the honing stone may weld to the workpiece and cause scratches or tearing in the honed surface. In addition, the honing stone may chip due to the welding, shortening stone life. Proper coolant selection can prevent all these negative consequences. Both water-based coolants and honing oils are used in the honing process.
Oils come in varieties tailored to different application requirements.
Honing oil works well with plated honing tools, but water-based coolant does a better job of removing heat. Honing machines have recently been designed as modules, which users can mix and match to suit applications. Most honing applications involve several stages to obtain submicron size and straightness tolerances. Honing equipment suppliers have integrated abrasive, tooling, machine, and coolant with automatic loading and gaging to create turnkey systems. More automated solutions will be required in the future as the skilled labor workforce shrinks.