Unit Process Energy Consumption Models for Material Addition Processes: A Case of the Injection Molding Process

Energy efficiency has become a critical concern for manufacturing industries due to increased energy cost and associated environmental impact. A reliable prediction of unit process energy consumption will enable manufacturers to develop energy-saving strategies during product-design, process-planning as well as during production stages. However, energy consumption models for material addition processes are currently absent. This paper presents an empirical approach to characterize the relationship between energy consumption and process variables. This methodology has been tested and validated for an injection molding machine. The model presented predicts the energy consumption of manufacturing processes with an accuracy of more than 90%.

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