OPTIMAL NOZZLE ORIENTATION SET UP FOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT UNDER DUAL-NOZZLE ENABLED MQL SYSTEM

Abstract

ABSTRACT “OPTIMAL NOZZLE ORIENTATION SET UP FOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT UNDER DUAL-NOZZLE ENABLED MQL SYSTEM” The present invention relates to an optimized dual-nozzle Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) system for improving the machinability of hardened steel, specifically AISI D2. The system features a dual-nozzle setup where the first nozzle is positioned at 90° to the cutting zone, and the second nozzle is oriented at 45° to the workpiece axis. With a variable standoff distance (20-40 mm) and flow rate (30-50 ml/hr), the invention optimizes tool wear, surface roughness, cutting temperature, power consumption, and carbon emissions. Experimental results demonstrate significant reductions in tool wear (28.30%), cutting temperature (33.98%), and carbon emissions (10.09%) using the dual-nozzle configuration. This setup improves machining precision, lowers production costs, and enhances sustainability, making it suitable for various hardened steels and promoting environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. Figure 1

Specification

Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of artificial intelligence and automated systems, and more particularly, the present invention relates to the optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] The following discussion of the background of the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known, or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as of the application's priority date. The details provided herein the background if belongs to any publication is taken only as a reference for describing the problems, in general terminologies or principles or both of science and technology in the associated prior art.
[0003] During machining of hardened steel high heat generated at the cutting zone which leads to the cutting tool to fail by developing prominent tool failure phenomena such as abrasion, adhesion, chipping, built up edge and edge fracture. This unanticipated heat not only affects tool span but also changes the microstructure of the workpiece and causes surface degradation. In that case traditional metal cutting fluid was in use. However, the use of traditional fluid fails to properly remove heat during the high-speed cutting operation. Moreover, in a traditional flood cooling environment, an excessive amount of synthetic oil is used which is difficult to dispose of and hazardous to the operator's health. MQL (Minimum quantity lubrication) can solve these problems but nozzle orientation angle, nozzle distance, flow rate and the number of nozzles affect machinability performance which should be investigated in detail with proper design of experiment. So, to overcome these above problems a proper cooling and lubrication set up with standardized orientation set up is needed which is sustainable and also improve the machinability performance.
[0004] Typically, hard turning operations are performed in a dry atmosphere to prevent the excessive utilization of metal cutting fluid. These artificial metal cutting fluids are utilized as flood cooling environments in several industries for the operation of machining. Nevertheless, these metal cutting fluids pose a threat to the operator's well-being and are not environmentally friendly. Additionally, they provide challenges when it comes to disposal. The majority of the inventions focus on the utilization of single nozzle Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) systems in the process of harsh machining. Utilizing several Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) mist flows in both the cutting zone (namely the Tool-workpiece contact zone) and the major flank face of the cutting insert during hard machining will yield greater effectiveness compared to a single mist flow. The impact of employing MQL double nozzles on the machining efficiency of hardened steel (specifically AISI D2 steel) has not been documented in the existing literature. Therefore, a comprehensive examination is required to assess its viability and long-term effectiveness with their orientation and set up.
[0005] The following existing solutions are patented for machining applications:
1. Lubricating and cooling method for cutting process and device thereof
Publication number: CN102029551A
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: 24th July 2011

2. A lubrication and cooling device and a method for lubricating and cooling a work piece
Publication number: EP3313610B1
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: 29th July 2020

3. Nanoparticle graphite-based minimum quantity lubrication method and composition
Publication number: US9080122B2
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: 15th July 2015

4. Method and device for measuring particle size of nano particle jet minimum quantity lubrication grinding droplets
Publication number: CN103454190B
Publication type : Grant
Publication date : 20th May 2015
[0006] In light of the foregoing, there is a need for Optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system that overcomes problems prevalent in the prior art associated with the traditionally available method or system, of the above-mentioned inventions that can be used with the presented disclosed technique with or without modification.
[0007] All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies, and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing Optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide Optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system that provides the availability of commercially accessible LRT 30 mineral oil. This configuration is compatible with many types of vegetable oil and other mineral oil for application.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide Optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system that is simple, cost-effective, and compact, necessitating minimal installation area. The MQL lubricating system is more economical than a cryogenic system.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide Optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system that has a significant economic influence for practical use in machining applications. Additionally, the technology's environmental friendliness presents a substantial opportunity for commercialization in other machining industries.
[0012] The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention relates to an optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system.
[0014] The current investigation proposed to use a MQL (Minimum quantity lubrication) technique which is based on a multi-nozzle supported system for a better cooling approach. In this current research a comparison has been made between the single and multi-nozzle aided MQL set up during turning of Hardened steel (55 ± 1 HRC). LRT 30 has been used as a coolant in this current investigation. A Taguchi mixed level L18 orthogonal array design has been developed to investigate the best optimal nozzle orientation with single or multi nozzle use for the process improvement in hard turning. As input parameters number of nozzle, nozzle distance from cutting tool and the flow rate of the nozzle have been taken into consideration. Line diagram for single and multi-nozzle (Double nozzle set up) MQL set up are displayed in Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively. Nozzle distances are varied within the range of 20 mm, 30 mm and 40 mm, flow rates are varied as 30, 40 and 50 ml/hr and number of nozzles are varied as single or dual nozzle in this investigation. For the single nozzle setup, nozzle was kept at 90° to the cutting zone whereas for dual nozzle setup, 1st nozzle kept at 90° focussing towards the cutting zone and 2nd nozzle was kept focussing towards the principal flank wear zone at an angle of 45° from the workpiece axis. As output responses tool wear, surface roughness, cutting power and cutting temperature were evaluated along with carbon footprint emission during machining operation for the environmental concern.
[0015] According to the result dual nozzle assisted turning outperformed single nozzle aided turning with a flow rate of 50 ml/hr and with a nozzle distance of 30 mm in terms of all response parameters such as tool wear, surface roughness, cutting power, cutting temperature and carbon emission. It was observed that, single nozzle MQL with maximum nozzle distance of 40 mm and lowest flow rate of 30 ml/hr shows lowest performance regarding tool wear, power consumption, cutting temperature and carbon emission while worst surface finish observed at lowest nozzle distance of 20 mm and lowest flow rate of 30 ml/hr. There is a notable reduction has been observed in tool wear, cutting temperature, power consumption, surface roughness and carbon emission with a percentage of 28.30%, 33.98%, 18.99%, 22.33% and 10.09% respectively at dual nozzle setting with 50ml/hr flow rate and 30mm nozzle standoff distance compared to single nozzle MQL setup with 50ml/hr flow rate and 30mm nozzle standoff distance. So, a dual nozzle setup (1st nozzle at 90° to the cutting zone and 2nd nozzle at 45° from the workpiece axis) MQL with 50ml/hr flow rate and the nozzle distance (30 mm) can be considered as an optimal setting for nozzle orientation to achieve notable improvement in machining performance while concerning environmental footprints during the process improvement of AISI D2 steel in turning operation. This parameter can be adopted in machining of other hardened steel also.
[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] So that the manner in which the above-recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may have been referred by embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
[0018] These and other features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following text figure, with like reference numbers referring to like structures across the views, wherein:
[0019] Figure 1. Single nozzle set up line diagram 1. Compressor 2. Oil Tank 3. Pressure regulator 4. Tailstock 5. Cutting Tool 6. Spray nozzle (90° top the cutting zone) 7. Lubricant passage 8. Chuck 9. Workpiece.
[0020] Figure 2. Multi nozzle MQL set up line diagram 1. Compressor 2. Oil Tank 3. Pressure regulator 4. Tailstock 5. Cutting Tool 6. Spray nozzle 1(90° to cutting zone) 7. Spray nozzle 2 (45° angle from workpiece axis) 8. Chuck 9. Workpiece
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] While the present invention is described herein by way of example using embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments of drawing or drawings described and are not intended to represent the scale of the various components. Further, some components that may form a part of the invention may not be illustrated in certain figures, for ease of illustration, and such omissions do not limit the embodiments outlined in any way. It should be understood that the drawings and the detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.
[0022] As used throughout this description, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e. meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense, (i.e. meaning must). Further, the words "a" or "an" mean "at least one" and the word "plurality" means "one or more" unless otherwise mentioned. Furthermore, the terminology and phraseology used herein are solely used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in scope. Language such as "including," "comprising," "having," "containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, is intended to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited, and is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers, or steps. Likewise, the term "comprising" is considered synonymous with the terms "including" or "containing" for applicable legal purposes. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles, and the like are included in the specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention.
[0023] In this disclosure, whenever a composition or an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase "comprising", it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition, element, or group of elements with transitional phrases "consisting of", "consisting", "selected from the group of consisting of, "including", or "is" preceding the recitation of the composition, element or group of elements and vice versa.
[0024] The present invention is described hereinafter by various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein reference numerals used in the accompanying drawing correspond to the like elements throughout the description. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the following detailed description, numeric values and ranges are provided for various aspects of the implementations described. These values and ranges are to be treated as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. In addition, several materials are identified as suitable for various facets of the implementations. These materials are to be treated as exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
[0025] The present invention relates to an optimal nozzle orientation set up for process improvement under dual-nozzle enabled MQL system.
[0026] The current investigation proposed to use a MQL (Minimum quantity lubrication) technique which is based on a multi-nozzle supported system for a better cooling approach. In this current research a comparison has been made between the single and multi-nozzle aided MQL set up during turning of Hardened steel (55 ± 1 HRC). LRT 30 has been used as a coolant in this current investigation. A Taguchi mixed level L18 orthogonal array design has been developed to investigate the best optimal nozzle orientation with single or multi nozzle use for the process improvement in hard turning. As input parameters number of nozzle, nozzle distance from cutting tool and the flow rate of the nozzle have been taken into consideration. Line diagram for single and multi-nozzle (Double nozzle set up) MQL set up are displayed in Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively. Nozzle distances are varied within the range of 20 mm, 30 mm and 40 mm, flow rates are varied as 30, 40 and 50 ml/hr and number of nozzles are varied as single or dual nozzle in this investigation. For the single nozzle setup, nozzle was kept at 90° to the cutting zone whereas for dual nozzle setup, 1st nozzle kept at 90° focussing towards the cutting zone and 2nd nozzle was kept focussing towards the principal flank wear zone at an angle of 45° from the workpiece axis. As output responses tool wear, surface roughness, cutting power and cutting temperature were evaluated along with carbon footprint emission during machining operation for the environmental concern.
[0027] According to the result dual nozzle assisted turning outperformed single nozzle aided turning with a flow rate of 50 ml/hr and with a nozzle distance of 30 mm in terms of all response parameters such as tool wear, surface roughness, cutting power, cutting temperature and carbon emission. It was observed that, single nozzle MQL with maximum nozzle distance of 40 mm and lowest flow rate of 30 ml/hr shows lowest performance regarding tool wear, power consumption, cutting temperature and carbon emission while worst surface finish observed at lowest nozzle distance of 20 mm and lowest flow rate of 30 ml/hr. There is a notable reduction has been observed in tool wear, cutting temperature, power consumption, surface roughness and carbon emission with a percentage of 28.30%, 33.98%, 18.99%, 22.33% and 10.09% respectively at dual nozzle setting with 50ml/hr flow rate and 30mm nozzle standoff distance compared to single nozzle MQL setup with 50ml/hr flow rate and 30mm nozzle standoff distance. So, a dual nozzle setup (1st nozzle at 90° to the cutting zone and 2nd nozzle at 45° from the workpiece axis) MQL with 50ml/hr flow rate and the nozzle distance (30 mm) can be considered as an optimal setting for nozzle orientation to achieve notable improvement in machining performance while concerning environmental footprints during the process improvement of AISI D2 steel in turning operation. This parameter can be adopted in machining of other hardened steel also.
[0028] The developed model suggests to use a novel nozzle orientation setup for MQL (Minimum quantity lubrication) which can be adopted for machinability improvement of AISI D2 steel along with other hardened steel. Single nozzle MQL set up failed to mitigate the cutting zone temperature so that tool wear, surface roughness, power consumption increases rapidly which affects the overall production cost along with increases environmental consequences by producing more carbon dioxide. In that case the proposed multi nozzle setup with proper orientation angle, nozzle distance and flow rate suppress all the negative impact on flank wear, surface roughness, power consumption and control cutting temperature effectively so that there is a significant reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) production has been noticed.
[0029] Additionally, this invention focuses on creating high-precision products that have exceptional surface quality. Furthermore, it aims to decrease the entire production cost of the product or industry while prioritizing sustainability and environmental considerations. This technology is expected to become a prominent cooling lubrication system for the environmentally friendly and sustainable advanced manufacturing process.
[0030] The current innovation is novel and not used yet for any machining applications. The technical differences between the conventional and current process are technically compared in Table 1.

Table 1: Technical differences in between conventional and current process
Conventional/existing process Current process
Low machinability characteristics High machinability characteristics
Tool span is minimum The tool span is more
Production cost is higher Respectively lower production cost
Higher carbon emission Low carbon emission
Higher noise pollution Low noise pollution
[0031] The following innovative characteristics of this invention are as follows:
- The concept of multi-nozzle (Double nozzle set up) MQL set up with proper orientation is a novel concept.
- Moreover, in this invention appropriate optimal nozzle orientation angle for MQL set up has been suggested for machining application which is novel.
- Additionally, optimal flow rate and nozzle distance proposed by this model to improve MQL efficiency for improve machinability characteristics.
[0032] Various modifications to these embodiments are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description and the accompanying drawings. The principles associated with the various embodiments described herein may be applied to other embodiments. Therefore, the description is not intended to be limited to the 5 embodiments shown along with the accompanying drawings but is to be providing the broadest scope consistent with the principles and the novel and inventive features disclosed or suggested herein. Accordingly, the invention is anticipated to hold on to all other such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the present invention and appended claims.
, Claims:
CLAIMS
We Claim:
1) A dual-nozzle Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) system for improving machinability of hardened steel, comprising:
- a first nozzle positioned at a 90° angle to the cutting zone;
- a second nozzle positioned at a 45° angle relative to the workpiece axis, focused on the principal flank wear zone;
- a variable nozzle standoff distance, ranging from 20 mm to 40 mm;
- a variable flow rate of coolant, ranging from 30 ml/hr to 50 ml/hr;
- wherein the optimal configuration includes a flow rate of 50 ml/hr and a nozzle distance of 30 mm for reducing tool wear, cutting temperature, power consumption, surface roughness, and carbon emissions.
2) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dual-nozzle setup results in a reduction of tool wear by 28.30%, cutting temperature by 33.98%, power consumption by 18.99%, surface roughness by 22.33%, and carbon emissions by 10.09%, compared to a single-nozzle MQL system.
3) A method for optimizing MQL nozzle orientation during hard turning of AISI D2 steel, comprising the steps of:
- Positioning a first nozzle at 90° to the cutting zone;
- Positioning a second nozzle at 45° relative to the workpiece axis;
- Adjusting nozzle standoff distance between 20 mm and 40 mm;
- Adjusting coolant flow rate between 30 ml/hr and 50 ml/hr;
- Monitoring output parameters such as tool wear, surface roughness, cutting power, cutting temperature, and carbon footprint emissions to determine optimal performance.
4) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the optimal configuration of 50 ml/hr coolant flow rate and 30 mm nozzle standoff distance enhances machining performance, reduces environmental impact, and improves surface finish.
5) The system as claimed in claim 1, the system further comprising:
- a monitoring mechanism to evaluate tool wear, cutting temperature, surface roughness, and cutting power at regular intervals to adjust nozzle settings and maintain optimal machining conditions.

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