Recent advances in precision, sustainability and safety of machine tools

Machine tools are the main driver of economic, environmental and social sustainability in industrial production. The ongoing shift from mass production to highly individualized, small batch manufacturing requires machine tools to be more flexible to changing needs while maintaining at least the same level of productivity. However, flexibility and productivity are at odds with the necessity for resource and energy efficiency. At the same time, more sophisticated workpiece specifications are pushing the boundaries regarding precision and dynamics of machine tools. In such a high-performance context, machine safety plays a major role and is becoming increasingly challenging due to higher kinetic energies of moving components. This paper examines recent advances in machine tool precision, sustainability, and safety. Six comprehensive case studies are provided to illustrate how these improvements contribute to an increased productivity. Hardware and software solutions for pose-controlled robotic manufacturing and thermoelectrically tempered high-performance spindles will be presented. Modular machine tool frames based on building blocks and an adaptive cooling system with thermoelectric generators for linear direct drives demonstrate their major impact on resource and energy efficiency. Machine safety is addressed through an analysis of potential hazards as well as improved protective measures. Model-based predictions precisely identify critical process parameters that lead to unbalance-induced failure of slim tool extensions, while on the protection side, new statistical models are applied to assess the protective performance of safeguards much more accurately. The cutting-edge technologies for machine tools presented in this paper will help manufacturers to cope with current and future challenges in industrial production.