Advanced ceramics have been extensively used in applications in industry in the last two decades because of their properties of high resistance to wear and hardness. Nevertheless, the finishing process highly increases the cost of pieces and components. The finishing process is, in most cases, grinding, the only viable process that produces high quality surfaces and guarantees geometric precision. In this context, companies are seeking to optimize the grinding process by, for example, reducing the usage and flow of cutting fluid, which also helps to achieve global environmental preservation requirements. Thus this project sought to exploit the technique of Minimum Quantity of Lubrication of the external cylindrical grinding in ceramics with diamond wheels. The project used two methods of cooling, the conventional and MQL, with three feed velocity in each case. We used a conventional nozzle, a mouthpiece for the MQL the latter having a uniform output of the jet. Variables were analyzed as the output acoustic emission, G relationship, surface condition by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), roughness and circularity. Even though the conventional cooling still achieves better results in some aspects, in comparison with the MQL method, the latest is able to attend the requirements for many applications, especially with lower feed velocities. Furthermore, the MQL method brings environmental benefits, due to its lower consumption, and thus disposal, of cutting fluids.
External plunge grinding; MQL; environmental concern; advanced ceramics
