Fine energy consumption allowance of workpieces in the mechanical manufacturing industry

The Energy Consumption Allowance (ECA) has been recognized as an effective analytical methodology and management tool that helps to improve efficiency and performance. With wide distribution and great energy consumption in low efficiency, the mechanical manufacturing industry has considerable energy-saving potential. This paper illustrates the concept and connotation of traditional ECA and has systematically analysed the deficiencies of the traditional ECA in the mechanical manufacturing industry. To overcome the deficiencies in the application process, a new concept of fine energy consumption allowance (FECA) for workpieces has been proposed contributing to strengthening energy monitoring and management and improving energy efficiency in the mechanical manufacturing industry. Based on establishing a framework for the FECA of the workpiece, a method for developing the FECA of the workpiece was proposed including five steps: (i) analysis of energy consumption in the machining process; (ii) establishment of a basic energy consumption database; (iii) determination of time parameters; (iv) determination of the ECA of each procedure and acquirement of the FECA; and (v) application of the fine energy consumption allowance card (FECA-card). Furthermore, a case study illustrates the practicability of the proposed method by establishing a primary FECA for the workpiece in a real machining plant.