Cleaner machining: how coolant airborne emissions affect manufacturing costs

What is it about?

Industrial machining often uses coolants and lubricants to keep tools and materials from overheating, reduce wear, and improve cutting performance. But these substances can produce airborne emissions (tiny droplets or aerosols) that may pose environmental, health, and cost issues. In this study, we measured and analyzed how coolant and lubricant emissions during machining affect the overall cost of manufacturing. We looked at particle emissions, their concentration and mass, and how different coolant/lubricant conditions influence those emissions. Using this data, we evaluated how airborne emissions could increase costs or lead time by requiring additional ventilation, protective measures, maintenance, or waste disposal. The goal is to understand the hidden environmental and economic burden of traditional machining practices, and to highlight the trade-offs between machining efficiency and sustainability.

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Photo by Aakash Dhage on Unsplash

Photo by Aakash Dhage on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Machining remains a backbone of modern manufacturing, from aerospace to automotive to everyday hardware. If the use of coolants and lubricants leads to harmful emissions, this impacts worker health, environmental footprint, and production economics. By quantifying the costs linked to emissions, our work makes visible an often-overlooked burden of conventional manufacturing. This encourages engineers, managers, and policymakers to rethink machining strategies: cleaner alternatives, better ventilation, or revised safety protocols. Ultimately, shedding light on these hidden costs supports more sustainable, healthier, and economically efficient manufacturing practices across industries.

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