Enhanced Heat Transfer Technology of Sustainable Cutting

Huge carbon emissions caused by metal-working fluids (MWFs) in machining process, which characterized by high energy consumption and usage of non-renewable resources, is becoming an obsession in the past decades. To mitigate the negative impact of traditional MWFs and promote sustainable manufacturing, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining was proposed, and its feasibility for machining general materials has been confirmed. However, machining difficult-to-cut materials results in higher heat output and temperature rise in the cutting zone, leading to significant tool wear and deterioration of workpiece surface quality. Currently, enhancing atomization, infiltration, heat transfer, and anti-friction in sustainable machining technology is a key area of research. This chapter reports on these advanced technologies and research progress, including nano-lubricant minimum quantity lubrication (NMQL), electrostatic atomization minimum quantity lubrication (EMQL), and ultrasonic vibration-assisted minimum quantity lubrication (UVMQL). This chapter also discusses the enhanced mechanisms and machinability of these technologies, providing insights for future scientific research and industrial applications.