Investigation of coolant distribution of bottle boring systems with computational fluid dynamics simulation

Abstract For new developments of manufacturing processes in which cooling lubricants are used, the design of cutting tools plays an important role in achieving effective coolant flow behaviour. In this work, new bottle boring systems for profiling and finishing the ground and the wall of a bore, as well as a novel bottle boring system for the machining of non-circular bore profiles are simulative investigated, because both systems are too complex and costly to carry out experimental studies in the design stage. Since no established measuring equipment can be used due to the inaccessibility, a detailed flow analysis is carried out in this study using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Since the two systems consist of numerous components with very complex geometries, a multi-body system has to be processed in order to create the respective fluid models. Subsequently, the fluid models could be generated and a meshing strategy adapted to the geometries and physical properties selected. The shear stress transport (k-ω-SST) turbulence model, which combines the advantages of wall-bounded and free-shear layer flow, was used to resolve the flow areas. The results show that both bottle boring system prototypes have an inadequate coolant supply and the importance of CFD usage in the development process in order to save development costs and to exploit the improvement potential for tool and process is emphasized. Based on the multi-body modelling the CFD simulation model, which considered the chip formation and the different engagement positions of the tool systems, are to be taken into account in further research work and corresponding optimizations are to be carried out.