Performance of the jatropha vegetable-base soluble cutting oil as a renewable source in the aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 milling

• Performance of a new product, the jatropha vegetable-base soluble cutting oil.
• Information on requisite, restrictions, and machinability criteria for the cutting oils.
• Any elements involved in the formation of intergranular corrosion and/or pitting.

This article aimed at collecting data on the performance of a new product – the jatropha vegetable-base soluble cutting oil – in relation to other canola oils (vegetable), synthetic (jatropha ester), and the semisynthetic (mineral) traditionally used in the industry in high feed milling of the aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 for the production of aeronautical structures. Thus, information on requisites, restrictions, and machinability criteria for the cutting oils were analyzed. It was observed that the jatropha cutting oil presented the best results in relation to requirements for lubrication, superficial mean roughness index Ra, and shape errors, which were measured in the milling part. It also offered an increase in the life-span of the cutting tool that exceeded in approximately 30% the other cutting oils analyzed here. The jatropha (vegetable) oil, in relation to its physicochemical properties, appeared to be the best one fit for being used in the machining of aluminum alloys 7050-T7451 because it did not interfere with any of the elements involved in the formation of intergranular corrosion and/or pitting, which are not allowed in the aeronautical production of parts. Jatropha (vegetable) cutting oil, besides being produced from a clean and renewable source, has the inherent characteristics that can help attain a sustainable manufacturing.

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