Bea Green

The Influence of Metalworking Fluid Additives on the Tribological Behaviour of Composite Machining

Supervised by: Dr Thawid Khan, Prof. Rob Dwyer-Joyce, Dr Jack Secker, Dr Kevin Kerrigan, Dr Ed Jones 

Sponsored by: Hangsterfer's Laboratories

The concept of an EngD appealed to me as it combined many of the benefits of working in industry; project management experience, collaboration, high-value projects, all while allowing me to gain in-depth technical knowledge and be at the forefront of engineering development. 

I am hoping to gain a better understanding of how composites behave during machining processes to allow for more effective machining. Hopefully, correct lubrication strategies will result in increased tool life, higher quality finishes and better machining efficiency. 

Composites are unique, high-performance materials with the potential to have an extensive impact across a range of sectors. However, they have limitations when being machined due to their high abrasiveness and non-uniform properties. I am excited to link the well-established use of cutting fluids with these novel materials and analyse the outcomes.

Achieving a better machining efficiency should reduce costs and increase tool life making the process of machining composites more financially viable and sustainable. Making processes more efficient allows for the adoption of materials in more industries, extending the reach of these high-performance materials.