The influence of single-channel liquid CO2 and MQL delivery on surface integrity in machining of Inconel 718

Sustainable machining of difficult-to-cut materials requires effective cooling and lubrication techniques. To substitute conventional flood cooling and lubrication, different techniques such as cryogenic cooling and/or minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) can be used. Liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) can be pre-mixed with different lubricants before its delivery to the cutting zone. This article investigates the influence of this recently developed cooling and lubrication method on surface integrity characteristics in milling of Inconel 718. Surface roughness, surface topography and microstructure were evaluated for flood lubrication, dry cutting and LCO2 machining using a single-channel LCO2 and MQL strategy. Moreover, two different lubricants were evaluated for MQL: (i) conventional MQL oil and (ii) solid lubricant molybdenum di-sulphide (MoS2). In addition to being environmentally friendly, MoS2 lubricated LCO2 showed comparable surface characteristics to flood lubrication. Also, the use of lubricated LCO2 resulted in higher part surface cleanliness compared to flood lubrication

Tribology of solid-lubricated liquid carbon dioxide assisted machining

An investigation is made into the lubrication capabilities of solid-lubricated liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) in comparison to flood lubrication, straight LCO2 and oil-lubricated LCO2 (MQL). The coefficient of friction is determined via tribological experiments, similar to machining, using an open tribometer which features an uncoated carbide insert sliding against a workpiece. Tribological experiments reveal superior performance of solid-lubricated LCO2. The milling experiments as well indicate that solid-lubricated LCO2 significantly reduces wear. The machined-surface topography is examined using high-magnification SEM, which shows no presence of adhered solid particles on the workpiece surface, providing a completely dry machining process

Lubrication and cooling device and a method for lubricating and cooling a workpiece

The disclosure relates to a lubrication and cooling device (1), comprising; a cooling fluid device (3), which comprises a first channel (5), which is connected to a first inlet port (7), and a lubricant fluid device (9), which comprises a second channel (11), which is connected to a second inlet port (13). The lubrication and cooling device (1) further comprises a heat exchanger (15), which comprises a cooling circuit (17) and a lubricant delivery circuit (19). The heat exchanger (15) is arranged to cool the lubricant fluid (24) by means of the cooling fluid (22), wherein the cooling fluid is a cryogenic fluid. The disclosure further relates to a method for lubricating and cooling a workpiece or a process by using a lubrication and cooling device (1), wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) cooling the lubricant fluid (24) by means of the cooling fluid (22) using the heat exchanger (15), and b) providing the cooled lubricant fluid (24) to the workpiece or process being lubricated and cooled

Behaviour of a biocompatible titanium alloy during orthogonal micro-cutting employing green machining techniques

The sustainability of a process is the objective of modern industries aiming to reduce waste in production, since consumers require high quality and efficiency with fair price. Thus, a good understanding of the process should be its starting point. The manufacture of dental implants is an example in which waste reduction is important for the reduction of prices due to the demand for great quality and accuracy. This study observed the behaviour of sustainable micro-cutting applied to the Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium alloy, considering the ploughing effect on minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and high-speed machining (HSM) conditions. When compared with dry condition and low-speed cutting in orthogonal micro-cutting, the use of HSM in dry cutting was more efficient than using MQL. The dry condition presented lower surface roughness, whilst the cooled/lubricated condition presented lower burr formation.publishe

Experimental Analysis of Selective Laser Sintering of Polyamide Powders: an Energy Perspective

The diffusion of innovative working process, including rapid prototyping techniques, is needed to achieve sustainable production technology. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) has a potential as an environmental benign alternative to traditional processes but only few authors deal with the process optimisation including energy aspects. In the present paper an analysis of the energetic aspect of SLS is proposed. In addition, with respect to the classical technological parameters (resolution, productivity) attention is paid to energetic elements (energetic productivity, laser parameters) showing how the perspective of a sensible development of such a kind of technology could be beneficial not only from a technological point of view, but also for energy saving in a lot of manufacturing fields. A polyamide powder is the material tested to acquire some characteristics data of the process. It is shown that the energy intensity of the process in optimal condition could be of the order of 0.2 J for each mm3 of material agglomerated

A novel cryogenic machining concept based on a lubricated liquid carbon dioxide

A novel single-channel supply of pre-mixed (a) liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) and (b) oil – delivered via minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) – represents a significant advancement in cryogenic-machining technology. In this proof-of-concept study, an attempt is made to advance the understanding of the oil solubility in LCO2 and to analyze the oil-droplets and their impact on machining performance. The results indicate that the physical and chemical properties of oil distinctively affect its solubility in LCO2. The achieved solubility further influences the achievable oil-droplet size and distribution and tool life