Assessment of the Cooling and Lubricative Properties of Grinding Fluids

This paper summarizes elements of work undertaken at the University of Bristol by a succession of researchers that led to an improved understanding of the cooling and lubricative properties of grinding fluids. Experimental results are given which show that a criticel limitation to cooling is film boiling of the grinding fluid which occurred when the workpioco surfaco temperature reached about 130°C for water-based fluids and about 300°C for oil fluids. Prior to film boiling, the thermal partitioning values measured were much lower than those previously reported. Experimental results pertinent to the lubricative properties of grinding fluids are also given. These show the dependence of forces generated when grinding a stainless steel on grinding fluid composition, a dependence inextricably linked to the mechanism of redeposition of ground material onto the workpiece. Further results show that continuous dress techniques may be useful in Isolating the lubricative properly to give a more dependable means of generic assessment than hitherto possible.