Mechanisms of action and design of cutting fluid supply conditions for milling processes

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Berend Denkena
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 572264323

The targeted design of cutting fluids supply conditions in machining processes shows significant potential for significantly increasing the sustainability of machining processes by reducing energy consumption. Fundamental insights into the mechanisms involved currently exist primarily for continuous cutting. However, milling differs significantly due to time-varying chip cross-sections and cyclic re-wetting of the cutting wedge with cutting fluid. As a result, there are no modeling approaches that can be used for targeted tool and process design taking into account the cutting fluid supply strategy. This means that considerable potential for increasing the energy efficiency of milling processes is not being exploited. Based on the current state of knowledge, the working hypothesis of the planned project is as follows: “By understanding the local effects of cutting fluids along the cutting wedge in interrupted cutting, the cutting fluid supply during milling can be designed to increase the energy efficiency and productivity of machining processes.” The main objective is therefore to transfer knowledge about the interaction between cutting fluids and their behavior during interrupted cutting, gained from fundamental investigations, to the design of cooling lubricant strategies for increasing the efficiency of industrial milling processes. The application partner LMT Tools Systems GmbH & Co. KG will be enabled to design cutting fluid strategies, tools, and coatings based on the mechanisms of action of cutting fluids in order to increase competitiveness. This requires an understanding of the jet characteristics of milling tools in contact using internal cutting fluids supply. Based on this knowledge, the existing methodology for investigating the influence of coolant supply on cutting wedge loading will be extended to interrupted cutting and used to analyze the thermomechanical alternating loading during milling. Since tool coatings are a decisive factor in the performance of cutting tools, knowledge of the effect of cutting fluids will be expanded to include the influence of coating properties on cutting wedge alternating loads. Wear tests will then be carried out with varying cutting fluid supply conditions in order to gain knowledge of its effect on the performance of milling tools. Finally, based on the knowledge gained, a cutting fluids supply methodology will be developed, tested, and validated using another material.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: LMT Tools Systems GmbH & Co. KG