What Is MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) and How Can it Reduce
Total Lubricant Costs?

The process of selectively removing metal from a blank part -- subtractive manufacturing -- has a long and venerable tradition in the manufacturing sector. So, too, do the metalworking fluids (MWFs) used to lubricate and cool a workpiece as it is machined.

In recent times, manufacturing has put more focus on environmental sustainability. This, along with intense cost competition, has nudged machine shops away from the traditional concept of flooding a workpiece with MWF and toward a technology called MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication).

MWF vs. MQL
MQL is the precise application of small, measured amounts of lubricant to the tool/workpiece interface. Whereas the use of MWFs uses the sheer volume of the fluid to dissipate heat from the workpiece, MQL uses a high-grade lubricant to cool the workpiece not by dissipation, but by lubrication. In other words, the right lubricant, properly applied in the right amount, will coat the interface with a thin film of lubricant that reduces friction while cutting and prevents the excessive build-up of heat.

MQL Thermodynamics
The excellent surface adhesion of the lubricant provides superior lubricity and far less heat generation at the interface. In such a situation, most of the frictional heat generated is confined to the chip and removed as the chip flies off the workpiece. The result is the use of far less lubricant than traditional MWF, and the lubricated tool stays sharper for longer -- often, much longer. Further, MQL technology is a much cleaner process than MWF applications and not just because of the vast reduction in fluid volume used.

The working mechanism of MQL technology is such that the actual lubricant is almost completely consumed and vaporized in the process of cutting, leaving the part, the machine tool, and the area around it much cleaner and free of spilled coolant compared to when MWFs are used.

Most importantly, this improves the working environment and benefits the health of workers, who are no longer subjected to the toxicity, bacteria, and fungal exposure that may accompany MWF machining. It also reduces the cost of cleaning finished parts and/or metal chips (swarf) before they can be recycled.

MQL technology requires a dispensing mechanism for the lubricant, but it does not require the full re-circulating system required to recover, filter and re-apply MWFs to a machine tool. Additionally, MQL lubricants are generally based on esters or vegetable oils that are far less toxic to your workforce.

That's an excellent question, and we at Acculube invite you to call us for the answer, which varies with each machining application. We have seen it all, including the use of both MWFs and MQL technology on the same machine tool.

As with any emerging technology, the adoption of MQL has been slowed by industry misconceptions that, for example, equate the volume of fluid with efficient cooling of the workpiece. In such a case, it is hard for experienced machinists to trust the concept that a few droplets of lubricant can go such a long way. Whereas an MWF operation might use tens of gallons of fluid during a shift, MQL technology requires just a few ounces.

NEXT ESSAY

Talk with Us Today If sustainability and cost control are on your mind, consider MQL technology, and call Acculube to learn what products are available, and how they perform in operations like yours. Contact Us: 1.800.404.2570 or email us at sales@acculube.com

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