Application of Nanofluid Lubrication During Machining of Aeroengine Grade Stainless Steel

Abstract

The main problem associated with any metal cutting operation is introduction of undesirable elevated temperature at the cutting zone. Higher temperature at the tool-work interface becomes cause for failure of cutting tools and formation of micro cracks. The reason behind high temperature formation is high rate of friction between tool-work and tool-chip interface caused by continuous rubbing action of forming chip with tool face and the shearing failure of chip. To overcome this problem the solution which is most widely used comes into picture, is implementation of cutting fluid. The purpose of cutting fluids is to provide cooling and to reduce the friction between tool and work piece at the shear zone. It is well known that application of minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) as a cutting fluid is more preferable than normal flood cooling technique because of many advantages over normal flood cooling. To increase the effectiveness of MQL addition of nanoparticles is done. In the present work a water-soluble-oil-based MQL technique with different volume fraction of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles is used as the cutting fluid for turning of 17-4 PH grade stainless steel. Experiment is carried out using 4 different volume concentrations inclusion of Al2O3 nanoparticles in the base fluid with MQL lubrication technique and the experimental results are plotted on the basis of that. The results clearly indicated the beneficial aspects of Al2O3 in reducing the cutting temperature by virtue of enhanced heat transfer characteristics of nanoparticles of Al2O3. It is observed that the rate of temperature dissipation from tool and work piece increases on increasing the volume fraction of Al2O3 nanoparticles and dynamic fluctuation of cutting forces also reduces during introduction of nanoparticles. On the other hand major decrement on the cutting force, tool wear rate and chip thickness along with improved surface quality has also seen, on percentage increment in concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles.