Artificial aging of water miscible metal working fluids

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Daniel Meyer
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2018 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 401878197

For various industrial manufacturing processes, metalworking fluids are of high relevance due to their cooling and lubricating ability. Water-based MWFs are prone to the colonization by microorganisms which leads to aging and a change of the chemical composition over service life. The central objective of the present proposal is the scientific investigation of cause and effect relationships within the aging of water-based metal working fluids. Hereby, the evaluation of separated aspects of the metal working fluid aging by tribology tests and metal working processes is a central component. Defined "aspects" of MWF aging shall be artificially created in order to evaluate their relevance isolated from each other. The evaluation shall be conducted by established tribology tests as well as metal cutting and abrasive processes. For the generation of a validation system, it is planned to characterize the “natural aging process” of a conventional MWF in detail to identify the influence of MWF aging on relevant practical applications. Furthermore, a reference system will be created for the evaluation of the isolated aspects.The intended gain of knowledge of the proposed project regarding the loss of quality of water-based MWF due to the aging process is of high relevance for a large sector of the metalworking industry. The results will help to concentrate monitoring and maintenance measures on aging aspects which actual influence the MWFs performance in machining processes. This could lead, for example, to a more efficient application of biocides. In general, a considerably enlargement of the MWFs service life is expected due to the obtained results. However, the intended progress can only be achieved by fundamental research of the actual relevant parameters within an artificial and defined system.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants