On the Tribological Effectiveness of Controlled Cutting Fluid Application in Machining With Coated Tools

Environmental and economic pressures are causing reevaluation of the use of Cutting Fluids (CFs) in machining operations, leading to recent efforts in promoting dry, as well as minimal quantity of lubricant (MQL), machining. This paper presents an experimental investigation into the effects of different CF application methods on various machining performance measures under modern cutting conditions using uncoated and coated cemented tungsten carbide tools. CF effects under dry, flood, and MQL conditions, were gauged through their influence on cutting forces, tool temperatures, tool-chip interfacial friction, and chip morphology during machining of AISI 1045 steel using commercially available uncoated, and mono- and multi-layer coated, carbide tools. The results show new trends on the individual cooling and lubricating effects of CF application methods, and the integrated effects of their interactions with tool material, on tribological performance.