Use of carbon dioxide in fog form for cutting tool refrigeration during wood machining processes

Abstract

As function of its physical and biological properties, wood and its derivatives are considered as a material with special characteristics for transformation by machining processes. In this way, the adopted procedures for machining metallic or polymeric materials cannot be applied for machining wood. Different of other materials, the usual processes for cutting-tool refrigeration are not adjusted for machining dry wood. The application of refrigeration process for cutting-tool based on liquid fluid makes impracticable to machined wood, because wood absorbs liquid fluids that implies in its physical modification. The application of system with minimum amount of cutting-fluid shows inefficacious, because the applied fluid increases processes of chemical reaction between the wood in process and the applied fluid. The lack of cutting-fluid for wood machining also presents inconveniences, such as the premature consuming of the cutting-tool, processed wood with inadequate superficial finishing and excess of extra-working activities. This project intends to evaluate the hypothesis that the adoption of the carbon dioxide in fog form, applied directly in the machining region, is adjusted to the cutting-tool refrigeration during the machining processes of the wood. This hypothesis lays on the fact that the carbon dioxide evaporates, after its contact with the cutting-tool. This causes no damages to the processed material at the same time that it removes the heat generated during the wood machining. Also it prevents damages carried through dry machining, improving, in this way, the machining processes of wood in several aspects as quality and productivity. To evaluate the hypothesis, species of wood employed for furniture and packing industries will be use, because these sectors employ an ample gamma of woods with different densities, and need a finished material with high surface quality. (AU)