Cutting Performance of Oxygen-Including Compounds in MQL Machining of Aluminum

Abstract

In minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) machining of aluminum alloys, since they have highly adhesive characteristics, more effective lubrication is necessary. This study therefore proposes that oxygen-including compounds, such as esters, alcohols and acids, are considered to be a potential MQL lubricant. The experimental investigations have shown the cutting performance of those oxygen-including compounds has greatly been influenced by their chemical structures. Some of them have been able to provide the successful cutting performance as a MQL cutting fluid and, in particular, specific alcohols have demonstrated the superior anti-adhesive characteristics in MQL end milling.

Machining with Least Quantity Lubrication

“…Wakabayashi et al (12) investigated the performance of cutting oil mixed with different alcohols in MQL machining of an aluminum alloy, JIS AC8A. It can also be underlined that the lubricity will be improved by adding esters having 12 and 18 carbon atoms to the C12 surfactant and that these added esters will in turn reduce the minimum quantity of oil, q min .…”

“…By analogy with the formulation of eqn [9], an approximate equation of the stop distance, S D , for the drag coefficient of eqn [12] can be yielded (16) as [14] This means that the stop distance, S D , can be approximated to be proportional to the square of the diameter of the oil droplet. Since coefficient C R given by eqn [13] can vary only in the range of 1 C R 8=3, it can be said that the diameter of an oil droplet will most significantly affect the stop distance.…”