Relative Effects of Cooling and Lubrication in Micro-Milling of Aluminum and the Design of Atomization Cooling and Lubrication Systems

Abstract

Accelerated tool wear and tool breakage are significant problems in micro-machining processes such as micro-milling. Traditional flood cooling processes are unsuitable for micro-milling due to the excessive collision force between the fluid stream and the tool being large enough to affect the accuracy of the cutting process. In this research an atomization-based cooling and lubrication system is presented that delivers atomized cutting fluids to a micro-milling tool through the use of an original nozzle design based on two orthogonally-directed streams. The system and nozzle is used to investigate the relative importance of cooling and lubrication on micro-milling of 6061 T6 cold-rolled aluminum with a 0.508 mm diameter two-fluted end mill. Six cutting conditions are experimentally evaluated based on cutting forces and tool life. Lubrication is investigated through two concentrations (10% and 25%) of a semi-synthetic cutting fluid. Cooling is investigated through the use of atomized deionized water as well as dry cutting with cooling provided by a Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube. Dry cutting was used as a control. Statistical testing revealed the importance of lubrication relative to cooling when machining on the micro-scale as deionized water performed the worst of all tests conducted. Based on the experimental results, recommendations are made for the design of future micro-machining cooling and lubrication systems.

Vorteks Soğutma Yöntemi̇ni̇n Talaşli İmalat Yöntemleri̇ Ve Kesme Parametreleri̇ne Göre İncelenmesi̇

“…Al ve alaşımlarının 100,150,250 m/dk kesme hızları ve 1, 2.5 mm kesme derinlikleri kullanılarak frezelenmesinde geleneksel soğutucuların daha düşük yüzey pürüzlülüğü sağladığını ve çapak yüksekliğinin daha az olduğunu vurgulamışlardır [44,56]. Ayrıca yağlama ve soğutmayı eş zamanlı olarak yapan sistemler de geliştirmiş; daha iyi takım performansı ve daha uzun takım ömrü elde etmişlerdir [59]. Polimer, çelik ve alüminyum alaşımlarının yanı sıra pirinç, süper alaşımlar, Ti alaşımları, paslanmaz çelik ve kompozit malzemeler üzerine de çalışmalar gerçekleştirilmiştir.…”

Effect of minimum quantity lubrication and vortex tube cooling on laser-assisted micromilling of a difficult-to-cut steel

“…Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) 7–9 and vortex tube cooling 10–14 are two machinability and tool life enhancement methods that are potentially suitable for LAMM. However, while there have been many studies of MQL in micromilling, 15–21 and limited investigations of vortex tube cooling 13 and blown air cooling 22 in micromilling, there have been no studies of the combined effects of laser heating and cooling or laser heating and lubrication on micromachinability in LAMM. Wang et al 23 combined plasma-enhanced machining (PEM) and cryogenic cooling to thermally soften the workpiece and to cool the tool, respectively, in conventional scale turning of Inconel 718.…”