Reducing the weight of moving masses is one of the primary future goals in passenger transportation and the freight sector. Whether for trains, bicycles, drones, electric cars or aircraft, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) and combinations of these with steel, titanium or aluminum - so-called stacks or multi-materials - offer enormous market potential in lightweight construction due to their outstanding weight-related stiffness. Despite the near-net-shape production of components made of multi-materials in combination with FRP, these must be cut or machined at the end of the primary and forming process. The use of water-based cooling lubricants in machining promises advantages in terms of cutting speed, tool wear and occupational safety, but is rarely practiced due to still unresolved risks such as swelling of the plastics, loss of bond adhesion in stack materials, problems with painting and bonding processes and possible biological contamination.
Research report published: Application of the latest cooling lubricants for fiber composites
To build up a broader knowledge base, the BMWK has funded a research project that has been completed after three years.
Research Agencies:
Fraunhofer Society e.V.
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
The aim of the project was to improve the machinability of stack materials through the use of cooling lubricants. To this end, suitable tool mixtures as well as painting and cleaning processes were developed. The researchers also designed a benchmark test that covers the machining operations involved in the process and assesses component quality, tool wear, cleanability and suitability for coating with paints as well as bondability.
Cooperation partner:
Read the details in DGMK Research Report 843 "Application of the latest cooling lubricants for fiber-reinforced composites". The report is available free of charge from the DGMK.
The IGF project (21732 N) of the research association DGMK Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für nachhaltige Energieträger, Mobilität und Kohlenstoffkreisläufe e.V., Große Elbstraße 131, 22767 Hamburg, was funded via the AiF as part of the program for the promotion of joint industrial research (IGF) by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.