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1. Introduction |
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 The minimum quantity lubrication: Why is it necessary
| In the EU there is a tremendous amount of research being done to develop
a viable cutting process without the use of lubrication. Environmental
regulations controlling lubricants have increase every year driving up
the cost of using lubricants in the cutting process. Consider dioxins as
an example; with some lubricants containing chlorinated additives, during
both the cutting process and waste oil incineration these highly toxic
by-products are generated; thus the need for dechlorinization. Factories
intending to be recognized as conforming to the ISO 14000 environmental
norm grapple with the cost of administrating the use of lubricants. |
| In Japan also Pollutant Release & Transfer Resister (PRTR; the arrangement
that factories should declare the quantity of pollutants they release into
environment) is about to start. Accidents including the smallest leakage
of lubricant from a machine or the administration of machine cleaning products
are now the targets of reinforced legislation. |
| In Germany, some factories recycle lubricants, after eliminating the sludge
from them. These counter-measures result in considerable increases in manufacturing
costs, such as: equipment, administration, and waste oil disposal. In Germany
the cost of lubricant is said to reach 15%-30% of production cost. Hence
there are fifteen current studies being conducted involving dry cutting
tools, coatings, and new lubricants. |
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| Before successfully arriving at a complete dry cutting process, there are
many difficult issues that need to be resolved: tool life, accuracy, surface
roughness. Under the current circumstances, a move to a cutting system
that is more environmentally friendly is demanded everywhere. The traditional
method - flood lubricant under high pressure - is now a thing of past.
A new method - a small dose on a pinpoint target - is now planned. New
methods sometimes increase costs while affecting productivity with some
types of cutting and some materials. But now, the most important issue
must be the environment. |
| Under current circumstances Bluebe(Accu-lube) is an ideal solution with
a remarkable feature: very small quantities of high lubricity oil pinpointly
applied onto the point - a semi-dry lubricant supplying system hence called
Near Dry Machining(NDM) or Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL), which has
its origin in the American aerospace industry with a view of cutting difficult
materials. With Bluebe(Accu-lube), cutting technology has approached a
nearly complete dry process; free from sticky oil, improved air quality,
and improved visibility at the cutting point. |
| Additional benefits include; dry metal chips that are ready to re-melt,
and improved chip removal capabilities using vacuum systems. Minimum quantities
of oil provides a highly reduced risk of fire; significantly reduces the
administration costs for lubricants, reduces the need for waste treatment,
eliminates the problem of lubricating oil life, and greatly reduces waste
oil disposal. Last of all products are easy to wash or sometime a simple
wipe is enough. |
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