The Lions and Tigers and Bears of modern manufacturing are Bacteria, Fungus and Mold.  There are more than 2,000 known species of bacteria on earth. They are of great interest to us in the management of metalworking fluids. Bacterial actions alter fluid by destroying lubricants and corrosion inhibitors, by generating corrosive organic acids and salts. Some are responsible for the “Monday morning stink” that causes us to dump the system. The majority of bacteria need oxygen (are aerobic) for growth, they reproduce by dividing in half approximately every 20 to 30 minutes. Trim technical bulletin explains how you can keep your friends on the yellow brick road.