Manufacturing process linked to the MQL compared to flood lubrication applied to the grinding of VP50IM steel using black silicon carbide wheel

Abstract

The VP50IM steels were developed to manufacture molds for thermoplastics injection and dies for thermoplastics extrusion. This article compares the grinding of VP50IM steel with black silicon carbide grinding wheel using the flood method and the minimum quantity of lubricant system (MQL) using feed rates of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 mm/min. The output parameters analyzed were surface roughness (Ra), roundness error, diametrical wheel wear, tangential cutting force, metallography, microhardness, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cost analysis, and CO2 emission. The results revealed that the conventional system, due to its higher lubri-refrigerant capacity, provided a better performance compared to the MQL system. Furthermore, the lower feed rates provided superior results than higher feed rates. On the other hand, the results related to the cost and pollution show a superiority of the MQL system due to the lower use of lubricants. In addition, a higher feed rate was a determining factor in achieving a reduction in pollution and process cost.