Research on near dry cryogenic machining for transition to cleaner and waste free production in mass automotive industry

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal have established guidelines for sustainable management of non-renewable energy sources and higher standards of health and environmental protection. These principles are being applied in all areas, including production, where it is possible to reduce energy consumption, environmental pollution, increase efficiency and improve end product quality, and apply new technologies such as cryogenic machining. The introduction of liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) based cryogenic machining eliminates the need for toxic emulsions, while at the same time improving the cleanliness and economy of production processes. Cryogenic machining is a developing technology with the first industrial applications emerging abroad. The project proposes the application of a single-channel cryogenic machining principle for the delivery of a mixture of LCO2 and oil, which represents a breakthrough in the field of cryogenic machining and opens up new possibilities for scientific research and industrial implementation. The project involves collaboration between the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UNI-LJ, and Hidria d.d., and aims to analyze, optimize and implement cryogenic machining in the series production of aluminum components for the automotive industry. Conventional emulsions used in machining are highly unclean, both in terms of ensuring the final cleanliness of the machined components and workspace pollution. Cryogenic machining offers significantly improved cooling and lubrication capabilities, which allows for an increase in process parameters and thus higher productivity. Successful transfer of cryogenic machining technology from research to an industrial environment requires careful planning, economic evaluation, and analysis of appropriate processes. The project involves the optimization of influential process output parameters, such as productivity, cutting tool life, and integrity/cleanliness of the machined surface, as well as the minimum consumption of cooling and lubricating media to ensure minimum workspace pollution and raw materials consumption. Dedicated cutting tools for cryogenic machining are being developed in parallel. The transfer of technology from research to industry involves using the machine tool knowledge gained for the successful implementation of cryogenic machining hardware. All the steps leading to the most economical process possible are carried out in a planned manner, while being fully integrated from an Industry 4.0 perspective and ease of use. The research findings are validated by comparing process benchmarks obtained from the research environment with those obtained on an actual industrial process, which ensures the validity of the entire research process and verifies the quality assurance and cleanliness of the final machined product and workspace area. The economic analysis of the project results on the industrial case of test-applied cryogenic machining technology provides valuable insights into the feasibility of investment and opportunities for further collaborations both domestically and internationally. The project work also enables the project applicants to acquire new fundamental knowledge in the industrialization of cryogenic machining technology, leading to enhanced global competitiveness and higher visibility of Slovenia in this field. In summary, the proposed project aims to implement cryogenic machining in the production of aluminum components for the automotive industry. The project involves the application of a single-channel principle for the delivery of LCO2 and oil, optimization of influential process output parameters, and validation of research findings through comparison with actual industrial processes. The economic analysis of the project results and acquisition of fundamental knowledge in the field will enhance global competitiveness and visibility of Slovenia in the industrialization of cryogenic machining technology.