Metal Cutting Fluids: Meaning, Functions and Types

Meaning of Metal Cutting Fluids:

In metal cutting process heal is generated due to following
actions:
i. Plastic deformation of the metal at shear zone.
ii. Friction between chip and rake surface of tool.
iii. Rubbing action between work and flank surface of tool.
If we touch the work, tool, or chip, we shall find them hot. Among all three items chip is
hottest element. According to the energy consideration, 70% heat is carried away by chip, 20%
carried by tool and 10% by work. The heat changes the properties of tool such as hardness. It
looses its hardness as temperature increases. Results in increased tool wear, hence surface finish
of the work deteriorates. Fig. 9.41 (a) shows the percentage distribution of total heat generated
among chip, tool and the workpiece at various cutting speeds.

To remain the accuracy of cutting tool, surface finish of workpiece, and increased tool life, use
of cutting fluids started a century ago. Cutting fluid includes lubricants and coolants.

Lubricants reduce the friction or wear between tool and work, while coolants carried away the
heat generated during deformation of metal. Cutting fluids help to achieve better surface finish
and a tighter dimensional control.

Functions of Cutting Fluids:

The main functions of cutting fluids in machining process are::
1. To Heat Dissipation: To dissipate the heat generated during machining.
2. To Cool the Workpiece: To cool the workpiece by carried away heat by coolant
3. To Cool the Tool: To cool the cutting tool by cooling cutting zone.
4. To Reduce Friction and Wear: To reduce the friction and wear of the tool using lubricants.
5. To Reduce Forces and Energy Consumption: It reduces power consumption in cutting the
material, by reducing wear.
6. To Improve the Tool Life: By dissipating heat properly.
7. To Improve the Surface Finish: By carried away heat from work material.
8. To Flush Away the Chips: Keep the cutting zone free from hot chips. Also to cause chips
breakup into small parts.
9. To Protect Machined Surface from Environmental Corrosion: Corrosion inhibitors like
sodium nitrate or triethanolamine is added in the cutting fluids to prevent corrosion of the
machined surface.
Desirable Properties of Cutting Fluid:
1. Lubricating Qualities: This quality reduces frictional force between work and tool. It also
prevents the formation of built-up edge.
2. High Heat Carrying (Cooling) Capacity: Cutting fluid must carry more and more heat from
cutting zone quickly. Thus, reducing the temperature of work and tool. This will reduce tool
wear, increase tool life and surface finish.
A small reduction in temperature can considerably increase tool life, according to the
following empirical relation:
Tθn = K
Where, T= Tool life (min)
θ = Temperature at the chip tool interface (°C)
n = An exponent depends on tool form and material
K = Constant
3. Corrosion Resistant: The cutting fluid should prevent the work material from environmental
rusting or corrosion. For this purpose corrosion inhibitor like sodium nitrate is added in cutting
fluid.
4. Low Viscosity: It should have low viscosity, so that chip and dirt can settle quickly.
5. Stability:It should have long life, i.e., it should not get spoiled quickly, both in use and in
storage.
6. Non-Toxic: It should be non-toxic and should not be injurious to the human skin.
7. Non-Flammable: It should have high flash point, and should not burn easily.
8. Non-Smokey:It should not smoke or foam easily.
9. Small Molecular Size: It should have small molecular size to allow rapid diffusion and better
penetration to the chip-tool interface.
10. Chemically Stable or Inert: It should not adversely react with work material.
11. Odourless: It should be free from undesirable odours.

Types of Cutting Fluids:

A variety of cutting fluids are available to satisfy the requirements of machining processes.
Although, there is no all-purpose cutting fluid, some offer considerable versatility while some
are for specific application.
The basic types of cutting fluids are following:
1. Water:Water has high specific heat but is poor in lubrication. Also, it encourages rusting. It is
used as cooling agent during tool grinding.
2. Soluble Oils (Emulsions): Soluble oils or emulsifiable oils are the largest type of cutting
fluids used in machining operations.
These are composed of: i. Soluble oil.
ii. Emulsifiers (Sodium sulfonate, fatty, acid soap, esters).
iii. Additives (Corrosive resistance or coupling agents).
iv. Water (for dilution 1-20%).
Emulsifiers are chemical substances that cause suspension of tiny oil droplets in the water.
Additives are corrosive resistance chemicals or coupling agents. Coupling agents provide a white
emulsion with no oil or cream separating out after mixing with water 5% dilution level being the
most common dilution level. These fluids have average lubricating abilities and good cooling
properties. Soluble oils are suitable for light cutting operations on general purpose machines
were low metal remove rates used.
3. Mineral Oils: Mineral oils are used for heavier cutting operations because of their good
lubricating properties. They are commonly found in production machines where high metal
removal rates are employed. They are most suitable for steels but should not be used on copper
or its alloys since it has a corrosive effect.
4. Straight Oils (Petroleum or Vegetable Oils): Straight oil is a petroleum or vegetable oil that
is used without dilution with water. Paraffin oils, naphthenic oils, vegetable oils are some
examples of straight oils. It is said that, straight oils provide excellent lubrication. For
environmentally favorable requirements, vegetable oils are preferable due to their ease of
biodegradation and disposal. On the other hand, they are of little use since they are liable to
decompose and smell badly.
5. Synthetic Fluids: They are water based fluids and contain no mineral oil. They have a typical
particulate size of 0.003 mm. Water provides excellent cooling properties. But creates a problem
of corrosion. Also, not effective as lubricant. To prevent rust formation rust inhibitors are added.
6. Semi-Synthetic Fluids: They are mixture of soluble oils (Emulsions) and synthetics fluids
(water based fluids). About 5 to 20% mineral oil is emulsified with water to produce a micro
emulsion. The partical size varies from 0.01 -0.1 mm. This is small enough to transmit all
incidents light.
These types of fluids are used largely due to their advantages of both soluble oils and synthetics.

Some major advantages are:

i. Rapid heat dissipation
.ii. Cleanliness of the system.
iii. Bio-resistance (due to small particle size).