Light machine tools for productive machining

This chapter presents an integrated 'machine and process' approach that is based onstability lobe diagrams for designing large-volume milling machines, bearing in mindtheir productivity, reliability and accuracy as well as their eco-efficiency. In fact, ecoefficiencyof machining processes is an issue of increasing concern among both machinetool builders and manufacturers. Thus, this chapter introduces a global modeling of thedynamics of milling machines and of milling processes with a goal of supportingengineers in the design of machine tools that result in optimal machining productivity atminimized environmental impacts and costs. This is a result of reducing the machines'material content, and consequently resulting in lowered energy consumption. Thisapproach has been applied to the design of an actual milling machine, upon whichmachining tests have been conducted, that have shown an increase of 100% inproductivity while consuming 15% less energy. This result is due to a weight reduction ofover 20% in structural components, thus integrating highly productive machiningprocesses and eco-efficient milling machines in one unique system.