MWFs Pollution Prevention Techniques

Dr. S. P. Leo Kumar

Department of Production Engineering
PSG College of Technology
Coimbatore
 Introduction
• Quite opportunity currently exists to capitalize on environmental based process
efficiency improvements as a source of competitive advantage.

• It focus ahead on future legislation or competitors’ actions requires it.

• The most profitable environmental improvements require fundamental process

understanding and change.

• Knowledge of process issues associated with the environmental effects are mandatory
for suggesting improvement for Metalworking Fluids (MWFs) used in metal-fabricated
products manufacturing.
 Pollution Prevention in Metal Products Manufacturing

• Manufacturing of metallic based products are critical to the aerospace, automotive,

electronic, defense, furniture and domestic appliance industries.

• In 1992 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produced a bibliographic report to
create awareness within the metal fabricated products manufacturing industry regarding
opportunities to prevent pollution.

• The techniques offered in the report to prevent pollution are listed .

Contd.,
Pollution Prevention Techniques

Harder to Implement Easier to Implement

Greater Potential Gain Smaller Potential Gain

Process Planning Waste Segregation

Process Modification Good Housekeeping

Material Substitution Training

In-Process Recycling
 Contd…,
• Housekeeping, waste segregation and training are the subset of pollution prevention techniques
that can be conducted with minimal change to basic manufacturing methods.

• By contrast, process planning, process modification, raw material substitution and in-process
recycling require full understanding of the environmental ramifications of a given manufacturing
process.

• Data gap in both environmental and process knowledge present the largest source of resistance
to this second subset of pollution prevention techniques.

• However, these forms of pollution prevention that provide the greatest potential for improved
efficiency and competitive advantage.
 Contd…,

• This is especially true for MWFs used in the metal fabricated product industry.

• MWFs have a variety of environmental liabilities associated with them that the industry is
currently trying to reduce.

• Fundamental solutions to these environmental problems are MWF volume reduction,

alternative MWF application strategies, MWF formulation change and MWF recycling
technologies.

• However most of these solutions require fundamental understanding and change at the
metalworking process level.
 1. MWF Pollution Prevention Through Process Planning

• Process planning deals with determination of individual manufacturing operations

needed to manufacture the product.

• It is a decision making process.

• Decision making on pollution prevention techniques in process planning can

effectively reduce the MWF pollution.

• Example- illustrates a process-planning strategy for comprehensively integrating

environmental considerations into traditional metal-cutting operations.
 Conceptual
Process-planning
Strategy for
Environmentally
Conscious
Machining
Contd…,

• The figure outlines the models required for environmentally conscious process
planning and the detailed flow of information required between them.

• The models can be classified in five general categories:

1. Process simulation model for tool wear, part quality, heat generation and chip
morphology as a function of operating parameters, workpiece and tool
materials.

2. An economic model to assess productivity and profitability of different sets of

operating parameters, materials, and MWF.
Contd.,

3. MWF and material transport model to elucidate potential receptors and

exposure to the process.

4. Environmental, health and safety model to quantify health risks and

environmental impact of process exposure.

5. A decision-making model to optimize the metal-cutting operation with

respect to profitability, productivity, health risks and environmental impact.
Contd…,

• The process-planning strategy demonstrates the relationship between process knowledge

and the ability to improve environmental performance.

• This example supports the general experience of many pollution prevention researchers

who have concluded that environmental improvement is generally bounded by the

current state of process knowledge.

 2. MWF Pollution Prevention Through Process Modification

• A study in the German automotive industry revealed that workpiece-related

manufacturing cost associated with MWFs (7–17%) times higher than tool costs (2–4%).

• These cost would be eliminated if machining processes could be conducted without

MWF.

• Environmental impact and health risks directly associated with MWFs would also be
eliminated.

• These opportunities have encouraged research into machining without MWF (dry
machining) and into minimizing MWF usage.
 Dry Machining

• Replacing the functions of MWF during dry machining has proven challenging.

• It is due to the fact that MWFs perform multiple functions simultaneously.

• It includes lubricating the workpiece and tool, conducting heat from the cutting
zone, inhibiting workpiece corrosion, cleaning of workpiece and flushing of chips
from the cutting zone.

• The relative importance of these MWF functions depends on the operation,

workpiece and tool material, cutting speed, feed rate , depth of cut, etc.
 Effect Due to Absence of MWF

• The absence of MWF can have negative impacts on machining.

• The absence of cooling and lubrication leads to a temperature increase due to friction.

• This can result in accelerated tool wear, residual stresses within the component being
machined, dimensional errors, poor surface finish and metal chip build-up on both the
tool and workpiece.

• The absence of active chip removal from the cutting zone can also lead to high
temperatures, as well as tool failure.
 Possible Alternative Solution
• Several technologies have been researched to compensate for the cooling functions
of cutting fluid during dry machining.

• Internal tool cooling, cryogenic systems, thermoelectric systems and air cooling
systems are tested for their ability to keep process temperatures low and reduce
tool wear.

• Altering the process geometry to favour increased heat removal from the process
and also to keep process temperatures low in certain operations.

• Altering the tool geometry to reduce the contact between chip and tool can have
the same effect.
 Contd.,
• Special tooling has been developed to replace lubrication and chip evacuation
functions of cutting fluid during dry machining.

• Carbide, Cubic boron nitride, Silicon nitride and Diamond-coated tools have some
application in dry machining.

• These materials possess high-temperature hardness and wear resistance.

• Special tooling with specific geometry can perform chip control, chip-breaking
function and assist chip-removal functions.

• Vacuum and air-jet system can also remove chip from the cutting zone.
 Contd.,
• Operating conditions and materials that tend to produce short chip, low cutting
forces and low temperatures are most amenable to dry material removal.
 Contd.,

• Table lists operations that have been researched under dry conditions in order of increasing
difficulty from milling to deep drilling.

• It describes the current applicability of common workpiece materials.

• Cast iron materials are traditionally used in turning and milling without cutting fluid.

• The development of new tool coating and geometries holds some promise to increase
profitability and to extend the applicability of dry machining.

• However, grinding and other finishing operations will remain as greater challenges to dry
machining.
 Minimal MWF Application
• Difficulty in operations such as dry machining has lead to research of applications that can
be described as “minimal MWF” application strategies.

• Instead of flooding the tool and workpiece with MWFs, minimal application strategies are
attempted.

• In this approach, MWFs applied directly to the cutting zone in amounts Not greater than
actually required by the process.

• The benefits of minimal MWFs usage include reduced acquisition, maintenance, recycling
and disposal costs. It also reduces operator exposure to mists.

• Recent research has been directed towards determining the minimum amount of MWFs
required by a given process.
 MWF Mist Reduction

• The degree of respiratory hazard associated with MWFs is directly proportional to

worker exposure to MWFs mist.

• Attempts to reduce in-plant mists generated by MWFs have taken three forms:

1. Improved enclosure and ventilation of machine tools.

2. Adjustment of machining parameters to reduce mist formation.

3. Formulation of MWFs with specialty additives to supress the mist.

 Contd.,
• First one- improved ventilation systems and enclosed machine tools have been applied
toward reducing mists from machining.

• This can be achieved reasonably well in many facilities and operations.

• However the costs can be significant and reducing operator access to the process is not
always feasible.

• Second deals with operating parameters or the geometry of the process can be adjusted
to reduce mist.

• Third, MWF polymer additives have been developed that reduce worker exposure to
mists.
 3. MWF Pollution Prevention Through In-process Recycling

• It involves separation of contaminants from MWFs, returning to its initial state, before it is
exposed to metalworking.

• MWF contaminants include microorganisms, oils, machined particulate, etc.

• It affects the quality of machining over time, costly disposal and acquisition, frequent
loading of environmental pollutants and risks of respiratory illness.

• Eliminating contaminants can extend the life of MWFs, reduce costs, improve the quality
of manufacturing, reduce health risks and decrease environmental loadings.
Technologies for MWF Recycling Categorized by Mode of
Operation
 1. Phase Separation

• Large particulate and free oil contaminants get mechanically mixed with MWFs.

• Contaminated MWFs left for some time in a large tank, the particulate (with density

greater than the MWF) would eventually fall to the bottom of the tank, could be

removed.

• During gravity settling, oil contamination also rises to the surface.

• Skimming, coalescing and flotation, supplement the gravitational separation with the

natural affinity of oil and chip to other substances.

 2. Filtration

• Filtration consist of the separation using a physical barrier.

• In the case of MWFs, this usually is the separation of chip.

• Large oil droplets can also be removed by filtration.

• Bacteria can be separated with the help of membrane filtration.

• Traditional filters for MWFs recycling operates by allowing MWF entering and exiting the
filter in the same direction called dead-end filtration.
 3. Magnetic Separation

• Magnetic separation employs magnetic force to remove

ferromagnetic particles (e.g., cast iron chips) from MWFs.

• A typical unit consists of a nonmagnetic drum lined on

the inside with four to six stationary magnets.

• As MWF makes contact with the rotating drum, magnetic

particles are attracted to the drum and are removed from
the MWF by a blade.

• Effective for removing magnetic particles greater than

10 μm. Hydrocyclone Concept

 References

• Steven J. Skerlos “Prevention of Metalworking Fluid Pollution:

Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing At The Machine Tool ”, The
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.