Development of real-time indicators to assess and improve the energy efficiency of machine tools

Nowadays, the energy consumption of machines is becoming increasingly important in production areas. This is mainly due to rising energy costs, but sustainability and energy savings also play an important role. While important, the development of energy consumption indicators has not been considered in previous research. This article aims to carry out a study on defining an indicator to improve the energy efficiency of machine tools through the acquisition of energy data in real time. The proposed methodology is based on Patterson's definition of energy efficiency to analyse the energy consumption of the tools and evaluate its possible improvement through the development of productive, economic and environmental indicators. As a result of this study, the methodology developed is implemented in a machine tool for which the visualisation of these indicators is obtained in real time so that they can be used to help in decision-making to improve the energy efficiency of the machine tool. In short, this research seeks to provide a solution to one of the great challenges facing industry today due to the increase in energy costs, which is directly reflected in the cost of manufacturing.