THE INFLUENCE OF MINIMUM QUANTITY OF LUBRICATION (MQL) BY VEGETABLE OIL-BASED CUTTING FLUID ON MACHINABILITY OF STEEL

The growing demands for high productivity of machining need use of high cutting velocity and feed rate. Such machining inherently produces high cutting temperature, which not only reduces tool life but also impairs the product quality. Metal cutting fluids changes the performance of machining operations because of their lubrication, cooling, and chip flushing functions but the use of cutting fluid has become more problematic in terms of both employee health and environmental pollution. Because of them some alternatives has been sought to minimize or even avoid the use of cutting fluid in machining operations. Some of these alternatives are dry machining and machining with minimum quantity of lubrication (MQL). This paper deals with experimental investigation on the role of MQL on cutting temperature, tool wear, surface finish and dimensional deviation in turning of AISI-1040 steel at industrial speed-feed combinations by uncoated carbide insert. The encouraging results include significant reduction in cutting temperature, tool wears and dimensional inaccuracy by MQL mainly through favorable chip-tool and work-tool interaction.