Development and assessment of African star seed (Chrysophyllum albidum) oil-based cutting fluid in turning AA6061 using Taguchi grey relational approach

The conventional cutting fluid which is mineral oil-based has been used in numerous cutting operations which require the removal of materials. The negative effect of mineral-based oil is of great concern. This includes skin irritation and respiratory problems for machine operators, and contamination of soil and water when poorly discharged into the environment. A viable alternative must be developed which will be human and environmentally friendly. The introduction of vegetable oil can be a good alternative. Moreover, this will give room for the mixture which will result in obtaining oil that will be performed efficiently in machining and be environmentally friendly. Oils for these operations can be extracted from non-edible vegetable seeds that are deemed unfit for human consumption and refined into metalworking oil for machining. Because the demand for vegetable oils for food has risen in recent years, it is no longer viable to justify their use in machining. As a result, the current research focuses on the use of non-edible oilseeds for machining. African star oil was used as a coolant in the machining of 6061 aluminum alloy at various spindle speeds, feed rates, and cut depths. Parameters such as surface roughness and cutting temperature were measured in the evaluation for the developed African star oil, mineral oil, and dry machining environments. African star oil has demonstrated by its functionality that it can machine AA6061 with the same efficiency as a conventional cutting fluid and much better than dry machining. African star oil as cutting fluid improved surface quality and demonstrated efficient cooling behavior at the workpiece-tool interface.