Implementation of various cooling strategies for machining in the dies and molds industry

Machining of dies and molds requires continuous improvement for higher performance, higher efficiency, also respecting environmental phenomena. One of the main parameters influencing the cutting process is the use of different coolants and flushing strategies along with and in accordance with the design of new cutting tools and machine tool components. Using hybrid cooling strategies combining, for example high pressure flushing, or cryogenic cooling, or aerosol and MQL offers the potential to extend profitability and energy efficiency, achieving high performance and improved surface integrity. The paper presents two main problems during machining of dies and molds - drilling and high efficiency in micro machining. Machining results during drilling are compared with results from finite element models, taking into account the different properties of cryogenic flushing, tool geometry and the position of the cooling channels. In order to achieve higher efficiency in micro machining and drilling on large CNC machines the development and application of the coolant flow of the coolant-driven spindle is used at the same time for tool rotation, for cooling and for chip evacuation.