The hypotheses were tested at α=0.05 significance level using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The decision rule was that, the smaller the mean value obtained the more effective the cutting fluid and the higher the mean value, the less effective the cutting fluid. The data collected from the study was analyzed using mean and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

In this study, some aspects of the turning process on mild steel using HSS cutting tool at variety of spindle speed, feed rate and constant depth of cut were observed using neem seed oil, soluble oil and straight oil in comparison. The growing demand for biodegradable materials has opened an avenue for using vegetable oils such as neem seed oil, castor oil and water melon seed oil as an alternative to conventional cutting fluids. The theoretical frame work for the study was hinged on experiential learning theory as propounded by Rogers (1969). Two specific objectives guided the study, two corresponding research questions were poised and two null hypotheses were formulated. The study investigated the effects cutting fluids on tool wearing on high speed steel (HSS) using mild steel workpiece for teaching machining operation. Based on the study, it can be concluded that neem seed oil cutting fluid facilitates a better surface finish and substantial reduction in tool wear when compared with dry and soluble oil machining. It was established from the results that the neem seed oil cutting fluid reduced the flank wear by 72% and 56% as compared to dry turning and soluble oil cutting respectively. The results indicated that the neem seed oil cutting fluid reduced the surface roughness by 39% and 22% as compared to dry turning and soluble oil cutting respectively.

The results were obtained in terms of the average surface roughness of the machined workpiece and flank wear under different cutting parameters (spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut). The research aimed to evaluate the performance of neem seed oil as a cutting fluid in orthogonal machining of aluminium-manganese alloy 3003, carbide cutting tool insert was used as a cutting tool under different machining parameters of spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut with different types of cutting fluids (neem seed oil and soluble oil) as well as dry machining. The viscosity of the developed cutting fluids is better at higher temperatures standing at values of 233.76/227.35cp and 205.83/141.80cp at 40 o C/80 o C and that of the control sample at 111.34/46cp at 40 o C/80 o C. In term of acidic values, the minerals oil base cutting fluid contains more acid of 8.4g/dm 3 relative to the two fluids developed from the fixed oils. This shows that Shea butter based cutting fluid was far better than the control sample and Neem seed oil based cutting fluids in term of temperature dissipation. The result shows that a minimum temperature of 31.5 o C was obtained when turning at 530rpm/1.0mm and a maximum of 37 o C was obtained when turning at 1060rpm/2.0mm using Shea butter based cutting fluid. A thermocouple was used to record the temperature of the tool-work interface at every point. Each experiment was observed for at least 10mimutes and the cutting oils were fed automatically at the tool-work interface. The turning was done at different spindle speeds (530rpm, 750rpm, 1060rpm) and depth of cuts (1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm) at a constant feed rate of 0.25mm/rev for the mineral oil, formulated cutting fluids and dry turning operation. Generally, mineral oils are costly, not environmentally friendly and so pose a serious problem of disposal since they are not biodegradable. The performance and characteristics of the cutting fluids developed were compared with mineral oil-based cutting fluid-USA metal cutting oil CA2000 (Model 2317 4200 N) as the control sample. This research –formulation and performance assessment of fixed oils based cutting fluids in machining operation was done to examine the performance of cutting fluids developed from Shea butter and Neem seed oils (fixed oils) in the straight turning of AISI 1027 steel bar using high-speed steel (HSS) tool.

Lilac mineral oil viscosity