A hybrid approach to energy consumption modelling based on cutting power: a milling case

Soaring energy price, increasing environmental concerns, and stringent legislations have forced enterprises to reduce energy consumption in discrete parts manufacturing. In order to achieve this reduction, accurate estimation of energy consumption at the manufacturing planning stage is needed. In this paper, a new model for energy consumption prediction in machining processes is proposed and validated in experiments. Using the established cutting force model, cutting power at the tool tip is obtained analytically. Further, the relationship between total power consumed by the machine tool and cutting power at the tool tip is empirically characterized. To demonstrate the new model, this hybrid approach has been applied for machine power prediction in a slot milling process. A comparison study has also been conducted between the proposed model and existing models under various cutting conditions. The results show that the proposed model could achieve better prediction accuracy than other models. Moreover, a major limitation of the existing models is successfully addressed. By considering cutting power at the tool tip, the proposed hybrid model could reflect the nature of material removal and is able to provide valuable information regarding the impact of specific cutting parameters on power consumption. This knowledge is important in evaluating operation parameters, process plans, and even production schedule in terms of energy efficiency.