Utilização de óleo de moringa oleífera como fluido de corte na usinagem de metais ferrosos

Abstract

Accentuated wear on mechanical parts has been a cause for concern in the industrial sector. In the context of machining, cutting fluids are used with the primary objective of minimizing tool wear through lubrication, thereby increasing their durability. Traditionally, these products incorporate mineral oils, typically derived from petroleum, which are non-renewable and have a high potential to contaminate the environment and harm workers' health. As an alternative, vegetable oils are notable for being sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable. This study focuses on analyzing the feasibility of using Moringa oleifera oil as a cutting fluid in the industrial machining sector. Based on undergraduate research, moringa oil was selected for the cutting fluid formulation, considering the boundary conditions established by the partner company where the tests were conducted. Both bench tests and factory floor tests were performed. The bench tests evaluated tool wear, shape error, roughness, chipping, and power consumption, analyzing physicochemical, tribological, and microbiological properties. The factory floor tests focused on tool wear. Most tests using vegetable cutting fluid exhibited a more uniform wear track in both depth and width, in contrast to samples without fluid, which showed irregular wear. This reinforces the effectiveness of the fluid's lubrication properties. Consequently, it is concluded that Moringa vegetable oil is viable for use in cutting fluid formulations, offering an ecological alternative to mineral oils.