Environmentally compliant manufacturing. Project accomplishment summary

The metal working industry needs to reduce the waste associated with scrap, worn tools, degradation of metal working fluids, and etc. One task in this project concerned metal working fluids (MWF), which typically consists of surfactants, anti-microbial agents, lubricating agents, complexing agents, and a number of other components. The waste stream volume from the MWF can be reduced by judiciously (1) recycling, (2) selective replacement of expended components, and (3) protecting against microbial contamination. This activity consists of developing an analytical method, amenable to automation, which addresses all three of the methods of extending the MWF lifetime, thereby reducing the waste stream. The technology for determining key components in MWF on-line (at the machine tool) did not exist. The Y-12 Plant's collaboration was selected for this particular endeavor because of its ongoing machining operations and expertise in automation. In addition, concerns have been raised regarding chronic exposure of machine shop personnel to metal working fluid mists generated during routine machining operations. The chemical composition of metal working fluids is fairly well known, however, the chemical and physical characteristics of the resulting aerosols (mists) are not as well known. Machinists exposed to these aerosols by inhalation and skin contact sometimes develop unpleasant reactions. The second task involved efforts to characterize mists generated from candidate cutting fluids