Energy efficient supply of cutting fluids in machining by utilizing flow rate control

To reduce the ecological impact of machining, it becomes more and more urgent to identify and implement energy saving measures in machine tools. Especially, process cooling offers considerable savings potential due to its high share in the total energy demand of machine tools. This article presents the development and experimental analysis of a flow rate control for cutting fluid supply in machine tools. By using the developed approach, the total energy demand of the machine tool during machining could be reduced by up to 45 % without negatively affecting workpiece quality nor tool life.