Progression in Designing and Fabrication of Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) System with an Arduino based Controller

Abstract

Using cutting fluids in machining with petroleum-based creates health hazards issues to the machining operator and environmental problems due to the waste. One effort to reduce it is by applying minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). This research aims to develop an MQL system with an Arduino controlled based on the previous design. The main hardware was changed, i.e., pump, power supply, nozzle, sensor, and temperature setting changed from 70°C to 150°C. The fluid consumption was measured in machining with a depth of cut of 2.3 mm and 2.5 mm and cutting liquid composition of 3:7 and 7:3 (water to dromus cutting fluid). The calculation showed that cutting fluid consumption is mostly more than 1000 ml/h, or it has not achieved a maximum of 500 ml/h. However, compared to the previous design, it has reduced up to half of the former scenario. From the tool deterioration perspective, the depth of cut of more than 2.0 mm results in severe tool deterioration in the form of chipping. The higher the depth of cut, the intense the tool deteriorated. For the next design, we should add an air compressor in the MQL system and solenoid(s) to regulate the spraying.