RESUMO O processo de retificação possui como características o bom acabamento superficial e alta precisão dimensional e geométrica. Assim, peças usinadas por este processo possuem um alto valor agregado por se tratar de um processo de acabamento que é comumente realizado nas últimas etapas da fabricação. Um fator limitador do processo de retificação é a quantidade de calor gerada, a qual é minimizada pela aplicação de fluidos de corte. Os fluidos utilizados, na maior parte dos casos são poluentes e contém substâncias que são nocivas à saúde e ao meio ambiente, além do mesmo possuir um alto custo de compra, manutenção e descarte. Visando reduzir a quantidade de fluido utilizada durante o processo de retificação, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido. O seu principal objetivo é melhorar a técnica da mínima quantidade de lubrificação através da aplicação combinada com ar comprimido a baixa temperatura. Esta aplicação visa aumentar o efeito de refrigeração e assim minimizar a geração de calor na região de corte. Para avaliar a eficácia da técnica foram analisados os parâmetros de rugosidade, circularidade, desgaste do rebolo e potência consumida durante a usinagem. Estes valores foram medidos para três métodos distintos de aplicação de fluidos de corte durante o processo de retificação, a fim de compará-los. A técnica de lubri-refrigeração convencional obteve melhores resultados para os parâmetros analisados, ficando a técnica de CAMQL (mínima quantidade de fluido combinado com a aplicação de ar comprimido resfriado) com resultados intermediários e a técnica de MQL (mínima quantidade de lubrificação) com os piores resultados obtidos em todos os parâmetros. A técnica proposta de redução de quantidade de fluido utilizada atingiu, em geral, resultados positivos, provando a viabilidade da mesma para a retificação do aço AISI 4340 utilizando rebolo de CBN, o Nitreto Cúbico de Boro, um superabrasivo com capacidade de corte inferior apenas ao diamante.

ABSTRACT The grinding process provides us with good surface finish and good dimensional and geometric precision. Also, ground pieces have a high added value due to this process being a finishing one and is commonly carried out in the last stages of manufacture. A limiting factor for grinding is the great amount of heat generated, which is better removed from the cutting zone by the application of cutting fluids. The fluid used, in most of cases, are pollutants and contain substances that are harmful both to workers and environment, besides having a high cost of purchase, maintenance and disposal. In order to reduce the amount of fluid used during grinding, the present work was developed. Its main objective is to improve the technique of minimum quantity of lubrication (MQL) by combining it with the application of compressed cold air. This aims to increase the cooling effect and yet minimize the heat concentration in the cutting zone. To evaluate the effectiveness of the technique, the parameters of roughness, circularity, grinding wheel wear and power consumption during machining were analyzed. These values were measured for three different methods of application of cutting fluids during grinding to compare. The conventional flood application obtained the best results for the parameters analyzed while CAMQL (cold air minimum quantity lubrication) presents intermediate results and MQL (minimum quantity lubrication) the worst results obtained in all analyzed parameters. The proposed technique of reducing the amount of fluid used has generally been positive, proving its feasibility for the grinding of AISI 4340 steel using CBN grinding wheel with CBN being Cubic Boron Nitride, a superabrasive material.

Abstract The grinding process is defined as an abrasive cutting action of a tool known as grinding wheel, which is submitted to high rotations, promoting excellent finishing and accuracy in dimensions, respecting the parameters established in each project. During the machining, the cutting edges of the abrasive grains undergo wearing and this increases the contact surface of the tool with the workpiece, increasing the machining temperature and creating possibilities of damaging it. Therefore, it is necessary to use a cutting fluid, responsible for lubricating and cooling the cutting zone, removing the chips from the cutting region between the workpiece and the wheel, and even having an anticorrosive action. However, its composition causes contamination to the environment and to the operator. In face of the increasingly strict environmental laws, it has become necessary to search for new methods of cooling that are at least as effective as conventional one and economically practicable. Thus, the Minimum Quantity of Lubrication was developed as a mist of air and oil applied at high pressure, reducing drastically the use of contaminants. In this work, two oil flows were used for the MQL technique, 30 ml/h and 120 ml/h. The wheel used was a CBN (Boron Cubic Nitride) one, composed of synthetic grains and the workpiece, in a ring format, were produced in AISI 4340 steel quenched and tempered. It was observed from results that MQL can be applied in the industrial processes without losing piece quality.

Abstract Usually, machining employs cooling methods to avoid high temperatures. In most cases, the cutting fluid is applied with high flow and low pressures. This technique consumes a large amount of cutting fluid that causes serious problems in the environment and in the health of the worker. An alternative to the conventional cooling method is the Minimum Quantity of Lubricant. The MQL attempts to minimize the consumption of cutting fluid, which this study is about, whereby the reduction provided by this MQL was 99.99%. This technique consumes only the necessary quantity of cutting fluid to create a thin film of lubricant on the cutting surface grinding wheel. The MQL aerosol is injected with high pressure in the contact zone, efficiently lubricating the grinding process. However, the cooling effect of MQL is not enough to dissipate all heat produced during the grinding process. This study analyzes the improvement in the cooling effect caused by the addition of water in the MQL. The tests were done using different concentrations of cutting fluid in water, e.g. 1:0, 1:1, 1:3, 1:5 (oil:water). The experiment occurred on the external cylindrical plunge grinding with a vitrified cubic boron nitrite (CBN) grinding wheel, serving as the workpiece, the AISI 4340 quenched and tempered steel. The analyzed outputs were: surface roughness, roundness deviation, acoustic emission and vibration.. The results improved with the addition of water in the cutting fluid used in the MQL technique. The comparison with the MQL conditions showed that the best condition was the fluid with more water concentration.

Abstract The coolant delivery technique known as Minimal Quantity Lubrication (MQL) has been employed in machining since the end of the 20th Century and has gained considerable evidence in the last years as a viable alternative to the use of the conventional coolant technique (flood). Due to the low oil flow rate delivered by the MQL technique in grinding operations, that generally varies from 20 to 240 ml / h in relation to near 600,000 ml / h flow rate of the conventional coolant technique, the MQL technique provides a reduced risk for human health and environmental damage associated with the use, maintenance and disposal of cutting fluids. In this context, this study was carried out to evaluate the application viability of the minimum quantity lubrication coolant technique under different flow rates in the plunge cylindrical grinding of ABNT 4340 steel with an aluminum oxide wheel. Three flow rates were tested: 30, 60 and 120 ml/h. Grinding trials with the conventional coolant delivery method were also tested for comparative purposes. The output variables used to assess the efficiency of the MQL technique in this work are: roughness, roundness and hardness of the workpiece. Grinding wheel wear and power consumption were also monitored. The results showed that, despite the higher values of roughness and roundness of the workpiece, as well as the grinding wheel wear, the values of these same parameters obtained after machining with the MQL technique were close to those obtained after machining with the conventional technique. No thermal damages and cracks on the machined surface, or even below the machined surface, were observed after grinding ABNT 4340 steel irrespective of the coolant-lubrication condition investigated. The results showed that the MQL with 120 ml/h can be an alternative coolant technique due to cleaner environment and lower consumption of fluid in grinding under the conditions investigated in this work.