Water-Soluble Grinding Fluid Prevents Grindstone Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional water-soluble grinding fluids are ineffective in preventing grindstone clogging during superfinishing, leading to processing failures, and the use of water-insoluble fluids poses flammability risks and requires separate equipment setups.

Innovation Solution

A water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid composed of a glycol compound, an alkaline substance, and a surfactant, mixed at specific ratios, providing excellent permeability and washability, allowing for the use of a single fluid in both grinding and superfinishing processes without flammability risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a water-soluble grinding fluid is used for superfinishing, then cooling performance is improved and flammability risk is reduced, but grindstone clogging occurs and processing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidgrindstone clogging
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical parameters of the water-soluble fluid by adding specific additives (alkaline substance with pH 10-13, surfactant, and polymer) to modify its interaction with swarf and grindstone surface, preventing clogging while maintaining cooling properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite fluid system combining water-soluble base fluid with multiple functional additives (alkaline substance, surfactant, polymer) to achieve both cooling performance and anti-clogging properties that neither component could provide alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a water-insoluble grinding fluid is used for superfinishing, then grindstone clogging is prevented and processing performance is improved, but flammability risk increases and environmental friendliness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrindstone clogging preventionVSAvoidflammability risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the typically harmful effect of water-soluble fluids (causing clogging) into a beneficial property by using the water-based formulation with controlled evaporation and additives that prevent swarf adhesion, thereby eliminating fire hazards while maintaining reliable processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention modifies the chemical composition parameters of water-soluble fluids by incorporating alkaline substances and surfactants that fundamentally change the fluid's interaction with metal swarf, preventing the clogging issue that normally makes water-based fluids unsuitable for superfinishing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional water-soluble grinding fluid is used for superfinishing, then flammability risk is reduced, but liquid performance is insufficient and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflammability riskVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention formulates a composite water-soluble fluid containing multiple functional components (alkaline substances, surfactants, polymers) that work synergistically to provide both safety and high processing efficiency, overcoming the limitations of conventional single-component water-based fluids

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The fluid effectively prevents grindstone clogging, reduces equipment costs by eliminating the need for separate setups, and enables efficient cooling and processing of hardened steel, enhancing productivity and safety by using a single fluid for all steps from grinding to superfinishing.

Implementation Method 1

a water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid which comprises a glycol compound (A), an alkaline substance (B), and a surfactant (C)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

Water-soluble grinding fluids have excellent cooling properties

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

Water-soluble grinding fluids have excellent cooling properties

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3006544B1Water-soluble cutting/grinding fluid
Publication Date: 2021.05.05 NTN CORP
  • EP3006544B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~2
  • EP3006544B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3006544B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid that has excellent permeability and washability, that can be widely used in cutting or grinding, and that is particularly suitable for use in superfinishing. The present invention provides a water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid that contains a glycol compound (A), at least one substance (B) selected from the group consisting of organic amines and inorganic alkalis, a surfactant (C), and water (D), the water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid having a contact angle of 2 to 15° as measured using the θ/2 method one second after a drop of a dilution of the water-soluble cutting or grinding fluid is dropped on an SPCC-SB plate.