This paper describes our work on analyzing and modeling energy consumption in CNC machining with an emphasis on the geometric aspects of toolpaths. We address effects of geometric and other aspects of toolpaths on energy consumed in machining by providing an advanced energy consumption model for CNC machining. We performed several controlled machining experiments to isolate, identify, and analyze the effects of various aspects of toolpaths (such as path parameters, angular change, etc.) on energy consumption. Based on our analyses, we developed an analytical energy consumption model for CNC machining that, along with the commonly used input of material removal rate (MRR), incorporates the effects of geometric toolpath parameters as well as effects of machine construction when estimating energy requirements for a toolpath. We also developed a simple web-based software interface to our model, that, once customized for a particular CNC machine, provides energy requirement estimates for a toolpath given its G/M code. Such feedback can help process planners and CNC machine operators make informed choices when generating/selecting toolpath alternatives using commercial CAM software.

This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.