Estudo de viabilidade de sistema aplicador de fluido de corte por MQL em operações de mandrilamento

Abstract

The growing demand for ecological alternatives and enhanced productivity has driven research in the metal-mechanical sector. In small-scale machining processes, where the application of cutting fluids is carried out manually and often with brushes, challenges arise regarding the quality of the surface finish and the durability of cutting tools. This work aims to assess the technical feasibility of cutting fluids of vegetable origin by identifying those with superior lubricating, cooling, and wettability properties. Furthermore, it provides guidelines for the development of an applicator device using the Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) technique, which employs compressed air with controlled pressure and flow rate to accurately direct the fluid over the cutting zones, and characterizes vegetable cutting fluids in terms of their lubricating and cooling properties. This study introduces the sustainable technique of applying cutting fluid via MQL, which uses small amounts of fluid compared to traditional methods, highlighting the increasing adoption of vegetable fluids over mineral-based cutting fluids. This shift is significant given the environmental impacts caused by mineral fluids, such as improper disposal, soil pollution, non-biodegradability, and health risks to operators.