An energy consumption optimization strategy for CNC milling

Energy saving is a problem of growing importance due to the low-energy utilization and increasing environmental awareness. However, the challenge of energy optimization is to assure the accuracy of the energy forecast model. As a full understanding of material-cutting energy is a key aspect of machining process, energy modeling is essential for its optimization. This study proposes a specific energy calculation model and an optimization model to predict and optimize the electrical energy consumed by a three-axis milling machine. In this model, the impacts of cutting parameters on energy are fully considered and the MATLAB optimization toolbox is used for the solution. To assess the usefulness and practicality of the proposed method, an experimental study with a CNC milling machine is presented. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of energy improvement of this method based on optimizing the spindle speed in milling process. Additionally, the predictive accuracy of the energy model is above 90 %, which offers a viable approach for achieving higher machining efficiency.