Design and Development of Small Quantity Lubrication (SQL) cooling System

Mechanical Engineering

Machining is an important part of any production industry. During machining operation, large amount of heat is generated between contact of tool and work piece which is not desirable because it increases power consumption, affects product quality and also results in early failure of cutting tool. Cutting fluids are applied to avoid the heat generated during machining to ensure good quality of the work piece. But, conventional cutting fluids are harmful to human health. Adopting sustainable machining offers a cost-effective route to improve economic, environmental and social performance of any manufacturing industry. A possible solution in searching for the optimum lubrication system is small quantity lubrication (SQL), which is becoming increasingly important. Compared to conventional wet machining, where up to 1200 liters of coolant is used per hour and must be reconditioned again, the user of the SQL system does not need a higher quantity than a few milliliters. The optimum lubrication considerably reduces the frictional heat. With SQL, the machining costs can be reduced considerably. The environment is also protected and possible health risks for the machine operator are reduced.

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