Evaluation of energy efficiency in cutting aerospace materials with high-pressure cooling lubricant supply

Abstract

In the field of machining difficult-to-cut materials like titanium or nickel-based alloys, the use of high-pressure cooling lubricant supply (HPCLS) offers huge potential to significantly increase productivity and process stability. Due to enhanced cooling and lubrication of the cutting zone, tool wear can be decreased which allows higher applicable cutting speeds. Furthermore, process stability can be increased through effective chip breaking and evacuation. Increasing energy prices and legislative framework conditions, require energy efficient machine tools and processes. Since additional energy is required to run the high-pressure pump, it has to be determined if the overall process is still energy-efficient due to the increase in productivity resulting in shorter cycle times. In this paper the overall aim is to evaluate the conventional-flood-cooling and HPCLS in terms of economics and energy efficiency. Therefore a case study has been performed in which the energy consumption and production times for machining a rotationally symmetric jet engine part made of Inconel 718 were compared for both conventional and HPCLS. Furthermore, an ecological evaluation has been conducted to determine the advantageousness of the HPCLS. Due to the rising necessity of suppliers to provide a product carbon footprint, a methodology for assessing the footprint has been applied.