Analysis of the environmental impact for a turning operation of AISI 1040 steel

When the need to reduce the environmental impact of a product became a necessity often the designer starts with a study to change the material of the product or the technology used for the production. However these solutions require important change in the manufacturing plant and large money investment. Another solution, often underused, is the optimization of the already used technology choosing the best process parameters configuration from a sustainable point of view. The sustainability means that the production has to be not only characterized by a low environmental impact but also profitable for the manufacturer. The first step has been the definition of a “black box” model of the process and a metric for the evaluation of the environmental impact of a machining process. Moreover an experimental test plan has been performed in order to evaluate the best configuration for a turning process of an AISI 1040 steel bar taking into account both process parameters, such as depth of cut and feed rate, and lubrication strategies – dry, MQL and flooded – that could be used. The comparison has showed the best process configuration and has presented the MQL as the most sustainable lubrication strategy.