The use of cutting fluids is fundamental to machining processes, mainly when it comes to high heat generation, which is the case of grinding. Thus, lubrication and cooling provided by cutting fluids improve the final quality of the workpiece. However, cutting fluid usage provide some drawbacks concerning environmental, costs and health issues. Therefore, new methods for application and optimization of cutting fluids are being researched aiming to reduce the amount of fluid used, as well as the minimization of cutting fluid hazards. The present study analyzes the behavior of a recently proposed optimization method, up to now only tested in turning, which consists of adding water to minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). Three different proportions were tested in this study: 1/1, 1/3 and 1/5 parts of oil per parts of water. The following output variables were evaluated: surface roughness, roundness errors, grinding power and diametric wheel wear. Also, optical microscopy and microhardness measurements were conducted, in order to detect burns and surface alterations. The obtained results were also compared to conventional (flood coolant) cooling-lubrication and traditional MQL (without water). MQL with water (1/5) presented better results of surface roughness and roundness errors, when compared to traditional MQL, and the results are very close to when using flood coolant. For grinding power and wheel wear, the results for MQL with water (1/5) were the best among the tested conditions.
Minimum quantity of lubricant (MQL) in grinding is an alternative for reducing abundant fluid flow and both environmental and health hazards when compared with conventional fluid application. In spite of the fact that MQL is considered an innovative cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique, when used in grinding its inadequate application can increase cutting temperature and wheel clogging, worsening surface roughness, and increasing geometric and dimensional errors. The present study aims to evaluate improvements in MQL in grinding using MQL + water (1:1, 1:3, and 1:5 parts of oil per parts of water), when compared to MQL without water and conventional cooling-lubrication technique. Wheel cleaning by compressed air was also tested, aimed for unclogging of the wheel pores. The tests were performed in a plunge cylindrical grinder with CBN wheel and workpieces of AISI 4340 for different feed rates. The ground workpieces were analyzed with respect to the surface roughness, roundness errors, microhardness, and microscopic changes. In addition, tangential cutting force and diametric wheel wear were investigated. The results observed for the MQL plus water in the proportion of 1:5, with wheel cleaning system (at 30° inclination angle of the air nozzle) were the best, when compared to MQL without water, and close to the conventional flood coolant, implying that this technique is a potential alternative for cooling-lubrication when applied properly
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