Enhancing Machining Efficiency and Sustainability of Ti-6Al-4V Through Minimum Quantity Lubrication With Ester-Based Oils

Abstract

Ti-6Al-4 V is known as difficult-to-cut due to its low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity. While cutting fluids aid lubrication and reduce friction, Conventional Cutting Fluids (CCF) have high consumption, limited efficiency gains and negative environmental and health effects. Therefore, there is an ongoing search for more sustainable alternatives to CCF that do not adversely affect machining performance. Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL), which delivers compressed air - oil aerosol, has emerged as a promising solution by drastically reducing fluid use and associated risks. Selecting the right MQL fluid is key to optimising machining performance. This study evaluates MQL fluids based on polyol and polymeric esters for Ti-6Al-4 V machining and compares their performance with CCF. Cutting forces, surface roughness and topography are examined. Results show that MQL reduces cutting forces up to 21.7% and surface roughness up to 57.6% compared to CCF, with more uniform surface topography. Among MQL oils, polymeric esters perform better than polyol esters, with a reduction in cutting force up to 14.6% and surface roughness up to 47.7%. High viscosity indexed polymeric esters showed the best overall performance due to their thermal stability. Moreover, according to the sustainability assessment analysis polymeric esters were identified as the most sustainable option.