SYSTEM DESIGN AND PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURING FOR THE RECOVERY OF LUBRICANT POWDER USED IN WIRE DRAWING PROCESS

Abstract

Recycling processes have gained great importance for both environmental and economic sustainability and development. A prototype system was developed using physical separations including size sieving and magnetic separation for the recycling of solid die soaps used as lubricants in industrial wire drawing processes. The chemical composition of the waste obtained after the wire drawing process was elucidated by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis and extraction methods. The results showed that there was 67% reusable soap in the waste, and most of the remaining waste was made up of metals. Parameters such as particle size, sieve pore diameters, shaking time and magnetic field strength were optimized and an industrial scale prototype recycling system was designed. Finally, a prototype recovery system was established. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyzes (TGA/DTA), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for the characterization. 88% of the soap in the waste was recovered, and the soap obtained was successfully used in wire drawing process without causing any deformation in the wire. These findings clearly demonstrate that offered system design engineered solution has a great potential to become a way out point for the waste recycling gain in the recovery and reuse of lubricant powder