Metrics-Based Sustainability Assessment of a Drilling Process

Results from a preliminary investigation of a drilling process using a metrics-based sustainability assessment method are presented in this paper. The proposed metrics aim at addressing the impacts of a manufacturing process, from the economical, environmental and societal points of view. This study includes a total-life-cycle approach for all identified inputs and outputs of the process, and is carried out according to the different sustainability elements such as cost, energy consumption, waste management, environmental impact, personnel health and operator safety. A crankshaft oil-hole drilling process is taken as the target, which was optimized using machining performance criteria. The process is evaluated based on the metrics proposed, comparing its sustainability behavior before and after the optimization. The impacts of the changes to the process are addressed with a more comprehensive scope of sustainable manufacturing.