Machinability analysis from energy footprint considerations

Recent global developments have heightened the need to choose the best sustainable manufacturing methods in order to mitigate the effects of industrial processes on the environment. Energy consumption is seen as one of the key performance indices for assessment of the environmental credentials of an enterprise. It is through energy consumption that the carbon emission penalty (amount of carbon emitted in generating the energy) can be estimated. Machining remains one of the key discrete-parts manufacturing processes and its mechanics has received considerable attention in research and development. However, energy analysis for machining processes is a relatively new area. In this paper the environmental impacts of machine utilisation are assessed through energy consumption. The paper considers the energy requirements in machining of a number of alloys according to recommended cutting conditions. The energy is accessed through electrical power requirements of the machining process. The results illustrate the impact that high speed machining could have on energy consumption and hence a more sustainable machining industry.