Study of a Cutting Fluid Application System Adaptation on a Bench Milling Machine for an Academic Laboratory Environment

Abstract

Abstract: Cutting fluid is a resource that can benefit machining, improving the service life, surface, and dimensional qualities of cutting tools. For the operation of a basic cutting fluid application system, it is necessary to consider the components that store, filter, and induce the flow of the cutting fluid. Some essential components are the reservoir, the filter, and the pump. Aiming to provide better machining conditions, this study presented the proposal for designing and manufacturing a cutting fluid application system for an academic laboratory's bench drill/milling machine. The experimental research characterized the study methodology, in which the system was built with the least possible resources. The main result showed that the system achieved the proposed objective. For pump selection, a system of equations was developed in Microsoft Excel software, which indicated a pressure variation in the flow system of approximately 15 kPa. After the three-dimensional modeling, a script for the manufacture and assembly of the system components was prepared, involving the processes of forming, machining and welding. Adaptations were made to the machine tool, such as the insertion of a limit switch that reduced the longitudinal displacement of the work table by 150 mm. An electronic command system was inserted to control the cutting fluid flow. In the testing phase, positive aspects were observed (reservoir position, absence of leaks, cutting fluid flow, among others) and negative aspects (cutting fluid return paths). Some further improvements proved possible, especially on a machine not designed to have a cutting fluid system.