In high-value manufacturing sectors like aerospace and medical devices, grade 5 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) is a material of choice for its exceptional strength, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. But its low thermal conductivity and high reactivity make milling grade 5 titanium one of the most challenging tasks in precision machining. Excessive heat, rapid tool wear, and inconsistent surface finishes are common pain points with conventional coolants.
Fusion Coolant’s Pure-Cut® system delivers a breakthrough: combining supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) with oil-on-water minimum quantity lubrication (OoW-MQL) to provide unmatched cooling, lubrication, and chip evacuation—without the mess or drawbacks of traditional fluids.
The Challenges of Milling Grade 5 Titanium
Even with optimized tooling, grade 5 titanium machining presents significant hurdles:
- Excessive Heat
Titanium’s poor thermal conductivity means heat builds rapidly at the cutting zone, softening tools and causing thermal distortion in parts. - Short Tool Life
Cutting edges wear quickly under high loads, driving up tooling costs and downtime. - Surface Finish Issues
Poor chip evacuation and heat retention often lead to burr formation and rough finishes that require costly secondary operations. - Conservative Parameters
To manage heat and wear, manufacturers must run slower speeds and feeds—limiting throughput and profitability.
Traditional flood coolants or straight MQL can’t adequately address all of these factors, especially at higher performance levels.
Pure-Cut®: The scCO₂-OoW-MQL Advantage
Pure-Cut® combines supercritical CO₂ cooling with a fine mist of oil-on-water MQL to maximize heat removal and reduce friction at the tool–workpiece interface.
- Superior Cooling and Lubrication
Supercritical CO₂ reaches confined geometries and instantly cools the cutting edge, while the ultra-thin OoW-MQL film ensures consistent lubrication without excess residue. - Enhanced Chip Evacuation
High-velocity scCO₂ flow clears chips before they can be re-cut, preventing damage to the surface and tool. - Dry, Clean Process
scCO₂ evaporates on contact, leaving parts dry and eliminating the need for post-machining cleaning. - Sustainability Built-In
Using recycled CO₂, Pure-Cut® reduces environmental impact and eliminates oil waste streams—aligning with green manufacturing initiatives.
Real-World Results: Study on Grade 5 Titanium
In a recent comparative study of milling grade 5 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), scCO₂-OoW-MQL outperformed both flood coolant and traditional MQL:
- Lower Cutting Forces
- Reduced tool load improves accuracy and prolongs edge sharpness.
- Cooler Tool Temperatures
- Prevents thermal damage and maintains coating integrity.
- Better Surface Quality
- Reduced burr formation and smoother finishes minimize rework.
- Improved Dimensional Control
- Consistent tolerances even under aggressive parameters.
The Bottom-Line Impact
Switching to scCO₂-OoW-MQL allows manufacturers to:
- Run higher spindle speeds and feeds without loss of precision.
- Extend tool life dramatically, lowering consumable costs.
- Eliminate post-machining washes, speeding up production flow.
- Meet environmental and safety goals with a clean, dry, non-toxic process.
Why It Matters
For industries machining grade 5 titanium daily, even modest gains translate into significant savings and competitive advantage. With Fusion Coolant’s Pure-Cut®, shops can increase output, reduce downtime, and meet the highest quality standards—while eliminating the waste, mess, and hazards of traditional coolants.
Ready to see what Pure-Cut® can do for your titanium milling operations?
Contact us today or explore our technical resources to learn more.
