07-09-2017, 01:05 PM
Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) has many names. It has been called "Minimum Quantity Lubrication", "Dry Machining" or "NDM", "Micro-Lubrication" or "Microlubrification", "Microdosing" and sometimes even incorrectly referred to as "." Minimum Quantity Lubrication ) is an alternative to the use of traditional metal working fluids (MWFs) in machining. You may have heard of MQL called "Near-Dry Machining" (NDM), "Micro-Lubrification" or "Micro-lubrication", "Micro-dosing", or even incorrectly called "fog coolant" .
The historical and generalized use of refrigerants like MWF has overshadowed MQL and has kept it as a marginal technology. Unfortunately, not many machinists know or really understand the concepts behind MQL and therefore never get to enjoy its many benefits. In an industry where production efficiency is crucial, the unknowns of a "new" technology pose the potential threat of complications and downtime. Fear of the unknown may be the biggest challenge for MQL, and the fact that a large percentage of metalworking equipment already comes equipped with flood-cooling systems is surely no help either.
The concept of MQL is fundamentally different from the one of the flood coolant and this can be a great obstacle for the machinists who are new in MQL. The use of flood coolant is incredibly basic. As long as the relatively clean coolant "floods" the interface of the cutting tool and the workpiece, the heat generated by the machining operations is kept at bay. This process works (another reason why it is widely accepted!), But it does have some significant consequences. One of the main disadvantages of using refrigerant is that it adds additional equipment into the equation. Equipment is required to recirculate, filter, test and treat refrigerant to keep it viable. Contamination of bacteria, vagabond oil, and chip are important concerns like the disposal of the last refrigerant. The spent refrigerant is normally classified as a toxic waste and its disposal is regulated. Flood coolant users must take into account the cost of their disposal in their machining costs. Another consequence of refrigerant is that it is messy. Despite the containment methods, the coolant invariably ends up covering more than just the cutting tool and the work. Machinery, floors, and finished parts are usually wetted by the refrigerant, causing potential slip hazards and often require cleaning of the parts before secondary operations can be performed. Repeated exposure to many refrigerants can have real consequences for humans involved as well. Some refrigerants have been shown to cause dermatitis and are carcinogenic with long-term exposure to refrigerant vapor. Studies have shown that the cumulative cost of refrigerants / MWFs can match as high as 15% of the total cost to produce one part.
The cost and negative effects of the flood coolant beautifully set the stage for MQL. When presented with a money-saving alternative, it eliminates clutter, disposal and negative aspects of the refrigerant, you would think that engineers around the world would be struggling to implement this new technology right? In fact, MQL technology has gained much wider acceptance in European machining due to stricter environmental regulation. In the US, MQL still faces an uphill battle to win the "hearts and minds" of the machinists. This website attempts to promote MQL awareness and awareness in the industry and hopefully become a forum for discussion of this emerging technology.
The historical and generalized use of refrigerants like MWF has overshadowed MQL and has kept it as a marginal technology. Unfortunately, not many machinists know or really understand the concepts behind MQL and therefore never get to enjoy its many benefits. In an industry where production efficiency is crucial, the unknowns of a "new" technology pose the potential threat of complications and downtime. Fear of the unknown may be the biggest challenge for MQL, and the fact that a large percentage of metalworking equipment already comes equipped with flood-cooling systems is surely no help either.
The concept of MQL is fundamentally different from the one of the flood coolant and this can be a great obstacle for the machinists who are new in MQL. The use of flood coolant is incredibly basic. As long as the relatively clean coolant "floods" the interface of the cutting tool and the workpiece, the heat generated by the machining operations is kept at bay. This process works (another reason why it is widely accepted!), But it does have some significant consequences. One of the main disadvantages of using refrigerant is that it adds additional equipment into the equation. Equipment is required to recirculate, filter, test and treat refrigerant to keep it viable. Contamination of bacteria, vagabond oil, and chip are important concerns like the disposal of the last refrigerant. The spent refrigerant is normally classified as a toxic waste and its disposal is regulated. Flood coolant users must take into account the cost of their disposal in their machining costs. Another consequence of refrigerant is that it is messy. Despite the containment methods, the coolant invariably ends up covering more than just the cutting tool and the work. Machinery, floors, and finished parts are usually wetted by the refrigerant, causing potential slip hazards and often require cleaning of the parts before secondary operations can be performed. Repeated exposure to many refrigerants can have real consequences for humans involved as well. Some refrigerants have been shown to cause dermatitis and are carcinogenic with long-term exposure to refrigerant vapor. Studies have shown that the cumulative cost of refrigerants / MWFs can match as high as 15% of the total cost to produce one part.
The cost and negative effects of the flood coolant beautifully set the stage for MQL. When presented with a money-saving alternative, it eliminates clutter, disposal and negative aspects of the refrigerant, you would think that engineers around the world would be struggling to implement this new technology right? In fact, MQL technology has gained much wider acceptance in European machining due to stricter environmental regulation. In the US, MQL still faces an uphill battle to win the "hearts and minds" of the machinists. This website attempts to promote MQL awareness and awareness in the industry and hopefully become a forum for discussion of this emerging technology.