Impact of feed axis on electrical energy demand in mechanical machining processes

To reduce energy demand in manufacturing, it is important to make products using the most energy efficient process plan and resources. In machining, understanding the factors that influence the electrical energy demand for CNC toolpaths is vital in order to determine the optimum machining conditions to minimise energy demand. In this study, a new model for estimating the electrical energy demand of machine tool feed axes which incorporates the weights of feed axes and weights of the materials placed on the machine table is presented. This was achieved by studying the electrical energy demand for machine tools when air cutting in defined axis directions, carrying a range of masses, and in actual cutting, while the electrical current was measured. The newly proposed model was validated on milling CNC toolpaths. The information enabled the development of suggestions for reducing energy demand. The energy reduction hypothesis developed was explored and validated by machining components in defined orientations on the machine table. The results are important for manufacturers in industry when process planning. The information is also valuable for the range of machine tool design and manufacturing companies in the development of energy efficient machine tools.