Digraph and matrix method for the selection, identification and comparison of metal-cutting fluids

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology to select a cutting fluid for a given machining application using the digraph and matrix method. A cutting fluid index is proposed which evaluates and ranks cutting fluids for a given machining application. The index is obtained from the cutting fluid function, obtained from the cutting fluid attributes digraph. The digraph is developed considering cutting fluid attributes and their relative importance for the considered operation. Coefficients of similarity and dissimilarity and the identification sets are also proposed. These are obtained from the cutting fluid function and are useful for easy storage and retrieval of the cutting fluid data. An example is included to illustrate the approach.