Lifecycle-oriented component selection for machine tools based on multibody simulation and component life prediction

Manufacturers of machine tools face worldwide competition which is tightened by demands for total cost of ownership (TCO) contracts, requiring a guarantee of a certain availability of their products. This availability is naturally affected by wear of machine components. It depends on the use of the machine tool in daily operation and correlates with the occurring load spectrum. The real load spectrum, however, is widely unknown. When designing a machine tool, the future load application is estimated from the designer's experience. The real loading from cutting operations and motion usually highly differs from these assumptions. Hence, multibody simulation in combination with controls and CNC simulation offers the possibility to investigate the realistic load spectra of several machine components when performing the simulated operation of a given CNC program. The load levels can be accounted for, and the overall wear time can be accumulated and allocated to wear regions on the components with respect to the stressing. Thus, the progress of component life consumption can be obtained by simulation, which is useful for the appropriate requirements towards the machine's components at the point of the machine design. This paper will present a practical approach to the estimation of machine tool component life based on simulation.