Low-Cost Machining Without Cutting Fluids
Creare Inc.
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755
Telephone: (603) 643-3800
http://www. creare. com
Environmental Problem
Cutting fluids decrease the temperature of both the
cutting tool and the part during the machining
process; the coolant fluid is sprayed into the machin-
ing zone during cutting, increasing tool life and im-
proving the quality of the parts produced. Cutting
fluids, however, are expensive, can be toxic, and
produce a significant waste stream. Responsible han-
dling of waste fluid is needed to avoid the contami-
nation of lakes, rivers, and groundwater. Additionally,
dermal exposure to these fluids and inhalation of air-
borne fluid particulates pose health concerns. Be-
cause of these drawbacks, there has been a recent
shift toward dry cutting, but it is not an ideal solu-
tion. Dry cutting increases energy and per part costs
and can require a significant upfront investment that
is too high for many manufacturers.
SBIR Technology Solution
With support from EPA's Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) Program, Creare, Inc. has devel-
oped the Indirect Cooling System (ICS), which indi-
rectly cools the cutting tool without the use of
cutting fluids. Creare's ICS approach is a low-cost
system that prevents the environmental and occupa-
tional health problems caused by cutting fluids, and
has several advantages over both dry cutting and jet
cooling with a synthetic coolant. For tuning opera-
tions with 416 stainless steel, the ICS approach has
resulted in tool life increases of 700 percent at low
and 50 percent at high cutting speeds, and decreases
part production costs by a minimum of 20 percent
while improving final part quality and reduces the
environmental cost of the process by a factor of two
compared to use of a synthetic coolant.
The ICS cools the cutting tool indirectly using an
inert working fluid. This provides several additional
environmental and cost benefits, including zero
toxic emissions. The system produces only inert gas
that can be vented easily into the environment with-
out further treatment, and the gas is produced at a
flow rate 250 times lower than with conventional
direct cooling. Additional environmental benefits in-
clude reduced energy usage, ability to reuse waste
materials, and reduced generation of wastewater.
ICS for lathe turning offers a low-cost option for
cooling because no significant modification of the
cutting tool is needed and cutting fluid-associated
costs can be eliminated. For turning, Creare's ap-
proach uses only 20 liters (L) of working fluid (versus
2,400 L of synthetic coolant required for conven-
tional machining operation) for one machine in
constant operation during an 8-hour shift. Addition-
ally Creare's ICS provides the same clean finished
parts produced by dry cutting, but at a lower cost.
The system has been tested on a range of materials
both at Creare and offsite. During the lathe turning
of a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), the ICS extended
tool life by more than 160 percent, and equaled or
bettered the performance of standard coolants on
tests of Aluminum 6061. A portable version of the
ICS for lathe turning has been developed for use in
small machine shops.
Commercialization Information
Creare received federal non-SBIR funding from the
U.S. Army Armament Research and Development
Center to support development and onsite testing
during Phase II of Creare's project, with the goal of
eliminating the use of machining coolants in its Pro-
totype Manufacturing Center. After the conclusion
of the work with EPA and the U.S. Army, Creare
received a U.S. Navy SBIR award related to the inte-
gration of their ICS approach with milling operations
in 2004. For that program, Creare was teamed with
Bell Helicopter-Textron to improve processing speed
and tool life for the milling of titanium alloys for the
V-22 aircraft. After the completion of the Navy
Phase II project, the company received Phase III
m
I t
al
The Creare ICS Integrated With a Plunge Milling Opera-
tion. Using this technology, substantial increases in the
material removal rate for Ti-6AI-4V and other materials
have been demonstrated for lathe turning, end milling,
and plunge milling.
SBIR Success Stories

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funding from the F-35 program, with the assistance
of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, for technology
transition. The transition effort is focused on the
complete integration and demonstration of Creare's
ICS approach on a production milling machine.
Based on Creare's approach, significant cost savings
can be achieved for titanium machining on the
Joint Strike Fighter Program, enhancing the
affordability of the aircraft. Based on its strong
intellectual property position developed through
this Navy SBIR project, Creare has signed a licensing
agreement with MAG Industrial Automation
System, (IAS), the world's largest U.S.-based
machine tool company. MAC IAS is the global
leader in metal cutting machine tools and
automated composites equipment for the
aerospace industry.
Company History and Awards
Creare, Inc. is an engineering research and develop-
ment firm located in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Founded in 1961 to allow innovative engineers the
freedom to expand the boundaries of their engineer-
ing disciplines, Creare continues this tradition of inno-
vation and exploration today. Its founding objectives
include performing technically excellent work, focus-
ing on results, providing an optimum environment for
creative people, and commercializing innovations by
the creation of autonomous product companies or li-
censing technology to existing organizations. Members
of the senior management team are recognized lead-
ers in their fields, and current areas of research and
development are at the cutting edge of technological
and scientific development.
Creare has been highly successful in the commercializa-
tion of SBIR-developed technology. Creare has com-
mercialized SBIR technology internally via sales of
custom or specialized hardware and software and engi-
neering services contracts as well as externally through
the creation of spin-off organizations and licensing of
technology to third parties. To date, the firm can trace
more than $670 million of revenues at Creare, the
firm's spin-offs, and technology licensees to commer-
cialization of Creare SBIR projects. In the last 12 years,
Creare has averaged about 40% of total revenues from
Phase III commercialization activities related to past
SBIR projects. These activities were primarily in the
form of contract development, fabrication, and testing
of specialized hardware and software.
SBIR Impact
Cutting fluids used during the machining process pose risks to the
environment and human health.
Creare, Inc. has created the Indirect Cooling System (ICS), which is a low-cost
system that indirectly cools the cutting tool without the use of cutting fluids.
ICS increases tool life by up to 700 percent and decreases part production costs
while improving final part quality.
Creare's ICS prevents the environmental and occupational health problems
caused by conventional cutting fluids and reduces the cost of the process com-
pared to both dry cutting and jet cooling with a synthetic coolant.
| Creare has developed its ICS for lathe turning (EPA, Army) and milling
(Navy) and has commercialized its approach by licensing the technology
to MAG IAS, a world leader in machine tool, au-
tomation, and composites manufacturing systems.
SBIR Success Stories

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