CUTTING FLUIDS

AN INTERACTIVE REVIEW ON CUTTING FLUIDS

WHAT “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Cutting fluid is a type of coolant and lubricant designed specifically for metalworking
processes, such as machining and stamping.
◦ Sometimes a cutting fluid is also called a coolant, but technically this is incorrect. A
cutting fluid performs many functions, and cooling the equipment and workpiece is
one of them.
◦ Cutting fluids are required to perform many things simultaneously, these functions
include:
 Cooling the work piece and cutting tool
 Improving the surface finish quality
 Lubricating too reduce friction and cutting forces, thereby extending tool life
 Minimize material build up on tool cutting edges
 Protecting newly machined surface against corrosion
 Flushing away chips
WHAT “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Cutting fluid is a fluid used primarily to remove heat generated during metal cutting &
other machining processes.

◦ If the correct amount of cutting fluid is applied, heat can be removed as soon as it is
generated. So cutting fluids is necessary to increase production efficiency.

◦ Although, there are so many great things associate with the use of cutting fluids. Wrong
or untimely use of cutting fluids on a workpiece can result in thermal shock on the
microstructure of the material.
WHY “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ To understand cutting fluids, we have to understand machining as it is used during this
process.
◦ Metal cutting is the main processing method in mechanical engineering. During the
cutting process especially high-speed machining, plastic deformation of the material
near cutting edge is very large, with high temperature and complex mechanical and
thermal stresses.
◦ It is well known that chip formation in machining is a result of Severe Plastic Deformation
(SPD) involving large strains, high strain rates that scale with the cutting speed and
coupled temperature rise in the deformation zone arising from the large plastic
dissipation in the deformation zone
◦ Regardless of the tool being used or the metal being cut, the chip forming process
occurs by a mechanism called plastic deformation. This deformation can be visualized
as shearing. That is when a metal is subjected to a load exceeding its elastic limit.
​The crystals of the metal elongate through an action of slipping or shearing,
WHY “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ During, machining the cutting tool melts the work piece in order for the unwanted
material to be removed.

◦ NOTE; At the melting point of a metal, it is in equilibrium between its solid and liquid
phases. Adding more heat to it will cause it to further liquify. Cooling it will cause it to
solidify.

◦ Therefore, we can all agree to the theory proposed by our lecturer that during
machining, the tool exerts pressure on the workpiece which causes heat generation.
The heat generated results in the melting of the workpiece which in turn leads to plastic
deformation visualized by shearing of the unwanted material. This process leads to the
formation of chips
WHY “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ There is a possibility that without the cooling effect of a cutting fluid, the heat generate
by the cutting process can go beyond the equilibrium of solid and liquid phases.

◦ This will result in a phase change of the work piece from solid to liquid and visual will be
represented by the pouring of the liquid metal, destruction of the workpiece,
destruction of the work tool and most importantly total destruction of the internal
microstructure of the work piece.
◦ Did you know? Cutting fluid is evolved from water. Initially, during the metalworking
process water, was used as the cutting fluid. You might have seen a blacksmith using
water for shaping metal. Water is excellent at cooling but, it lacks lubricating
capabilities and not good at decreasing friction while cutting.
WHO “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Cutting fluids can be in liquid or gaseous forms. It is mainly used in metal processes such as
machining and stamping.
◦ Cutting fluids are of various types such as oil, oil-water emission, pastes, gels, etc.
The cutting fluid may be referred to as the cutting fluid, cutting oil, coolant, or lubricant,
depending on the type of cutting fluid and its use. Cutting fluids can be beneficial for most
metal and machining processes.
◦ Types of Cutting Fluids
 Straight Oil - Examples of straight oil are paraffin oil, Naphthenic oil, vegetable oil.
 Soluble Oil - Soluble oils are made by mixing mineral oil, water, & coupling agents.
 Synthetic Liquids – Water, The problem with synthetic fluids is that it is not a good lubricant and also
causes corrosion.
 Semi-Synthetic Fluids – Some examples of this are molybdenum disulfide, graphite, wax stick, etc
 Solid and Paste Lubricants - Some examples of this are molybdenum disulfide, graphite, wax stick, etc.
 Cutting Oil- Cutting oil is made by mixing minerals oil & fatty oil. It is used as both a coolant and a
lubricant.
WHEN “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Selection of Cutting Fluid:
◦ The choice of cutting fluid in machining processes depends on various factors. Cutting
fluids are selected according to which the main factors are given below:

◦ Machining Process Type

◦ Typically, more difficult machining processes more cutting fluids. Heavy cutting oil is
required for heavy machining processes such as broking or screwing with a tap. Heavy
cutting oils should be used in horizontal broking, but in the vertical broking process,
emulsions and solutions may be used.
For the threading and drillings process, the cooling characteristics of cuttings fluids are
more important.
WHEN “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Workpiece Material
◦ The next factor for the selection of cuttings fluids is the workpiece material. The cast iron and
cast group of materials are brittle during machining, and therefore small chips are produced
that do not cause too much friction. Therefore emulsion should be used as it increases the
surface finish, and the concentration should be kept between 10 and 15 percent.
◦ For steel and stainless steel workpiece materials, high-pressure cutting oils should be used.
For machining of steel alloys, water-based cutting fluids are used because they are heat
resistant & difficult to cut.
◦ Cutting Tool Material
◦ Another’s a factor for the selection of cutting tool materials is cutting tool material. High-
speed steel cuttings tools can be used with any type of cutting tool, but when the material is
difficult to cut, the waterless cutting liquid is used with the HSS cutting tool.
HOW “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
◦ Methods of Applying Cutting Fluid on the Workpiece or Tool:
◦ Manual Application- Under this method, a worker pours the cutting liquid manually on
the workpiece or tool with the help of a container or oil can. It is the simplest and
economical method that requires the least effort. But it is also the least used method in
the machining process due to inconsistency inflow.
◦ Flood Application- This technique uses a pipe, hose, or nozzle system for delivering the
cutting fluid to the tool or the workpiece. To produce maximum results fluid is flown by
the nozzle under high pressure.
◦ Mist Application- This method is used to atomize & blow the cutting fluid over the
surface of the workpiece/tool. For the implementation of this technique, there should
be appropriate ventilation to protect the worker. For the successful application of this
technique, the pressure and direction of mist are critical.
HOW “CUTTING FLUIDS”?
PROPERTIES OF CUTTING FLUIDS
◦ High Heat Absorption Capacity: The fluid must have a high heat-absorbing capacity so
that it can reduce the heat produced by metalworking( or cutting process)
◦ Good lubricating quality: Reduces the coefficient of friction between workpiece and
tool hence reducing the wear of the tool.
◦ Very High Flash Point: Having a lower flash point can lead to inflammation so, cutting
fluid must have a high flash point to avoid accidents.
◦ High Stability: The oxidization of cutting liquid with the air present in the atmosphere
must be very less.
◦ Neutral Properties: The cutting liquid must not react with the other chemicals.
PROPERTIES OF CUTTING FLUIDS
◦ Must be odorless: The cutting liquid must not produce a bad odor.
◦ It must be harmless: The cutting liquid should not harm any human being or worker. It
must be safe to use.
◦ Transparent: The fluid must be transparent so the tool’s operation on the work piece
can be easily visible.
◦ Low Viscosity: The cutting fluid must have a low viscosity to provide smooth fluidity on
the workpiece surface or the tool.
◦ Low Price: The cutting liquid must be affordable so that it reduces the production cost.
ADVANTAGES OF CUTTING FLUIDS
• Higher surface finish and better dimensional quality is obtained due to the use of cutting
fluid in machining operation.
• Reduction in the cost of the tool as cutting fluids increases the life of the tool by reducing the
wear and tear of the tool.
• The production speed increases as cutting fluid reduce fiction and heat produced due to
deformation so cutting functions can be performed at a higher speed.
• Power consumption reduces as fiction reduces so less power is required in the machining
operation.
• Cutting fluids helps in avoiding corrosion on the surface of the workpiece.
• It has low toxicity so does not harm the workers.
• It should have small molecular sizes to allow it to penetrate the chip tool interface and
spread rapidly.
• It should have a high flash point & should not burn due to heat generated during machining.
DISADVANTAGES OF CUTTING FLUIDS
• For certain machining processes, it requires a costly engineering system for the
application of cutting fluid.
• Disposal of the fluids prepared is not an easy task as it requires a long time and can
cause environmental issues.
• The fluid prepared needs to be prepared and after use needs to be filtered for reuse or
disposal.
• Some fluids cause health hazards due to chemicals and additives added while
preparation. If not used properly can cause health issues.
• Some metal is affected due to the use of cutting fluids so, we have to use it carefully.
• Some of the materials get affected due to thermal shock so again use it carefully.
CUTTING FLUIDS?
◦ Conclusion
◦ Cutting fluids are an important element of manufacturing that helps the manufacturing
industries in metal cleaning and producing processes.
◦ Due to the development of precision machining, high machined surface quality
becomes more and more important, especially for the parts working in extreme
environments with long life and high stability requirements which also increases the
importance of cutting fluids when it comes to machining PRECISELY.