A simulation approach for predicting energy use during general milling operations

Manufacturing processes have a high impact on global energy consumption. Machine tool’s environmental impact is typically dominated by the energy absorbed during the use phase. Energy efficiency is progressively considered as an additional performance index in comparing alternative machines, process planning, and machining strategies. For this purpose, this paper proposes a simulation approach that estimates the energy used by a machine tool in producing a generic workpiece by general milling operations. The developed tool simulates the execution of a standard ISO part program, basing on an explicit geometric and mechanistic representation of the cutting process, coupled with an energy model of the machine tool reproducing the power consumption of spindle, axes, and auxiliary units. Energy models were identified by an experimental characterization procedure that can be easily adopted in industrial contexts. The simulator was validated comparing the estimated energy with measurements performed on different cutting tests, evaluating also its computational effort. Moreover, the simulator performances were compared to alternative energy evaluation methods proposed in the literature.