Environmentally Friendly Machining: Vegetable Based Cutting Fluid

Abstract

A wide variety of cutting fluids are commercially available in the market. Although, these cutting fluids are beneficial in the industries, their uses are being questioned nowadays as regards to health and environmental issues. To minimize the adverse environmental effects associated with the use of cutting fluids, the hazardous components from their formulations have to be eliminated or reduced. Today to diminish the negative effects associated with cutting fluids, researchers have developed new bio based cutting fluids from various vegetable oils. MQL machining was performed much superior compared to the dry and wet machining due to substantial reduction in cutting zone temperature enabling favourable chip formation and chip-tool interaction, with enhanced the tool life and surface finish. Furthermore, MQL provides environment friendliness (maintaining neat, clean and dry working area, avoiding inconvenience and health hazards due to heat, smoke, fumes, gases, etc. and preventing pollution of the surroundings) and improves the machinability characteristics. This paper presents the effects of minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) by vegetable oil based cutting fluid on the turning performance of AISI 316L stainless steel as compared to completely dry and wet machining in terms of chip-tool interface temperature, chip formation mode, tool wear and surface roughness.