Machining Tool Supercritical Coolant Insert Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machining tools face inefficiencies due to unpredictable cryogenic spray composition and reduced cooling effectiveness, as the coolant delivery is complex, often directed away from the tool-workpiece interface, and susceptible to ambient air interference.
Innovation Solution
A machining tool design that maintains a coolant fluid in a supercritical state, delivering it directly to the interface through distribution passages within the insert, ensuring consistent lubrication and cooling by using a single fluid stream with the density of a liquid and the ease of delivery of a gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two different fluid streams (coolant and propellant) are directed through the tool and mixed prior to the interface, then lubrication and cooling are provided, but the system complexity increases and mixture composition becomes unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the propellant stream from the dual-fluid system, retaining only the coolant stream delivered through the insert. This simplifies the system from mixing two fluids to delivering a single coolant, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining reliable and predictable cooling performance at the tool-workpiece interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of coolant delivery and propellant assistance into a single coolant delivery system. By eliminating the separate propellant stream and its mixing requirements, the system combines what were previously two separate fluid delivery paths into one unified coolant delivery path through the insert, reducing complexity while achieving the desired cooling effect.
2Ease of manufacture
If cryogenic spray is directed through the shank away from the interface, then the tool structure is simplified, but the cooling effectiveness is reduced due to temperature rise and ambient air interference
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the spatial dimension of coolant delivery by moving the delivery point from the shank (remote location) to the insert (directly at the interface). This dimensional shift in coolant application location eliminates the temperature rise problem and ambient air interference that occur when coolant is delivered from a distance, while the insert integration maintains structural simplicity.
3Reliability
If more cryogenic fluid is used to compensate for delivery inefficiency, then the desired lubrication and cooling are achieved, but the amount of coolant required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the coolant delivery point directly at the tool-workpiece interface through the insert. This preliminary positioning ensures that the coolant reaches the target location immediately at the required temperature, eliminating the need to overcompensate with excessive coolant quantities that would be required if delivery were delayed or indirect.
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
This approach enhances the predictability and efficiency of the cooling and lubrication process, reducing the amount of coolant needed and minimizing temperature rise, thus improving machining tool performance and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining the fluid above a pressure at which the fluid exists in a supercritical state
Data Source
AI summary
A machining tool is provided having an insert that includes one or more interface surfaces configured to interact with a workpiece. The machining tool also has one or more distribution passages located within the insert. The one or more distribution passages are situated and sized to direct a fluid to the one or more interface surfaces while maintaining the fluid above a pressure at which the fluid exists in a supercritical state.