Minimization of energy consumption of a machine tool: a multi-level approach

Energy efficiency plays an increasingly important role in modern manufacturing systems. Understanding the underlying energy consumption of machines tools and ability to predict it for a new production scenario is critical for designing high efficiency production systems. So far research was mostly focused on a single level of analysis (e.g. at component, machine, production line level). Existing models are either detailed but limited to a single component, technological process or machine or simplified as a set of discrete states, at system level, with an associated constant power use. The paper introduces a novel approach, concentrated on machine tools, which combines machine and process level analysis of energy consumption. The approach is devoted to optimize processing parameters in a multi-machine scenario for energy consumption reduction. Probabilistic production line characteristics (throughput, failure rate, part quality) are taken into consideration. The concept of intermediate energy model, a compact, simplified representation of the machine and its main sub-systems, is introduced. This type of static, direct-form energy model is intended to correlate component physical properties with the parameters which describe production mission: part features, machining strategy and processing setup. The proposed approach is demonstrated by an Experimental intermediate model of a machine tools axis.