Energy-efficiency at the METAV 2012: it’s the components that count

Frankfurt am Main, 26 January 2012. – Procuring energy-efficient production equipment is meanwhile a well-nigh ubiquitous must in the specifications issued by most automakers. Machinery vendors are given binding stipulations on the criteria and components involved, like energy-efficient motors or machining spindles. The subject of “efficient production” is accordingly among the major focuses at the METAV 2012 in Düsseldorf.

“Half drew him in, half lured him in” – machine tool manufactures are no longer so reluctant in bowing to the more or less gentle pressure from the automakers: energy-efficiency is increasingly cogent as a marketing argument. In practice, though, there is still a problem in that the anticipated energy consumption cannot be quantified by the manufacturers concerned. This frequently results in over-dimensioned machinery or component control and operation that are suboptimal in terms of energy utilisation. To enable the overall cost-efficiency of machine tools to be assessed, the joint “e-Sim-Pro” project has been launched under the aegis of the “Efficiency Factory” innovation platform – a shared initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Education and research (BMBF) and the VDMA. It is tasked with developing examples of energy-optimised machinery and component concepts.

Component dimensioning geared to actual needs
Christian Eisele, from the academic staff of the Institute for Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools (PTW) at Darmstadt University of Applied Science, explains how the insights thus gained are incorporated into actual product development work: “In the joint e-Sim-Pro project, a methodology has been developed that enables the energy requirement of a machine tool’s various assemblies to be computed with the aid of simulation models. This means the machinery manufacturers can already assess different design solutions during the development process, in terms of the anticipated energy consumption, and thus ensure that they can offer the market a machine optimised for cost-efficiency and energy-economy.”

So far, says Christian Eisele, “there are no objective, standardised comparison options for the energy consumption of metal-cutting machine tools”. The simulation software developed in the project, he adds, thus enable the energy consumption of a specific machining job to be computed in the various machine states involved. This provides machinery manufacturers with a methodology for matching their machines optimally to the particular machining job profile concerned, and thus avoiding any overdimensioning of components.

These efforts are precisely in line with the thinking adopted by the principal user grouping, since “it’s the automotive industry that’s demanding a way to assess the benefits of energy-efficiency measures to adequate and transparent effect”. This, say industry spokespersons, has hitherto been impossible or nearly so. To quote Eisele: “The e-Sim-Pro software enables the anticipated energy savings to be quantified, and also renders the cost-efficiency clearly identifiable.” Moreover, this enables the manufacturer to compare any additional costs incurred with the financial benefits achieved, and to communicate this to his customers. Volkswagen’s involvement in the project, by the way, ensures that the requirements from the automotive industry are taken properly on board.

With the simulation models developed, users of machine tools can identify and commercially evaluate optimisation potentials in regard to increasing energy-efficiency for the machines in their facilities, e.g. within the framework of retrofit jobs. Basically, says Eisele, “it’s conceivable that improvements thus determined will in their turn lead to changes in the specifications laid down by the automotive industry”.

The Darmstadt-based efficiency expert outlines his expectations for the METAV 2012 in regard to the efficiency efforts of the machine tool manufacturers as follows: “From my viewpoint, there has been an increasing level of awareness among machine tool manufactured in the past few years, and many good solutions are already being offered. During this joint project, I have seen that mutual feedback between the machinery and component manufacturers and the users of machine tools had led to numerous improvements. I would like to see this mutual feedback continuing in future outside these projects as well – the Efficiency Factory Innovation Platform provides valuable assistance here.”

Turning out more efficiency – optimising core components
The importance of efficiency and the influence exerted by components on the sector’s success are demonstrated by another joint project under the aegis of the Efficiency Factory Innovation Platform: “Energy MSP – Efficient Motor Spindles for Machine Tools”. The project’s starting point is the proposition that “an average lathe, milling or grinding machine produces annual indirect emissions equivalent to those from ten cars”. For this significant consumption, it is not only the main spindle as the core component of machine tools that’s responsible, but also its peripheral systems like cooling, lubrication and hydraulics. The energy consumed while using the machine will depend closely on the construction of the spindle motor and the concept adopted for the power supply to the drives. There is still plenty of potential concealed here for increasing efficiency levels.

The joint project is now tasked with reducing the energy consumption of the system comprising “main spindle and peripherals” by 25 per cent. How large a proportion of a machine tool’s total energy consumption is accounted for by this system is something for which in the estimation of the joint project coordinator Johannes Gelbke, Development Manager at Franz Kessler GmbH, Bad Buchau, “there is no single valid answer”. The proportion accounted for by the motor spindle in the total energy consumption of the machine as a whole, he continues, depends on the size of the machine tool itself and on the machining process involved. In one case, a proportion amounting to 47 per cent of a machine tool’s total energy consumption was determined.

With reference to the basic assumption that an average machine tool nowadays produces average annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those of 10 cars, then in this example the spindle alone is currently producing annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those of 4.7 cars. Now the “Energy MSP” project addresses only the main spindle and the peripherals, and “it’s difficult to use this to arrive at a statement on the machine tool as a whole”. Nonetheless, he adds, the energy savings of 25 per cent targeted in this calculation the result is “annual savings of CO2 emissions equivalent to those generated at present by 1.17 cars”. This in turn means that following spindle optimisation an average machine tool will emit only as much CO2 as 8.83 cars – which would then correspond to total energy savings of a rather impressive 11.7 per cent.

However, as the joint project’s coordinator Johannes Gelbke points out, the energy consumption of the machine tool considered as a holistic system is being examined and optimised in parallel projects: “We can accordingly assume that the savings in terms of indirect CO2 emissions from the entire machine tool will be higher.”

His expectations for the Metav 2012, where the “Efficiency Factory” Innovation Platform will be represented on the NRW joint stand (Hall 16 / Stand B14), are summarised by Johannes Gelbke as follows: “We’re delighted that the METAV will provide such a prestigious platform enabling us to spotlight the issue of energy consumption in machine tools considered as a holistic system, and raise awareness of its vital importance among manufacturers and users alike.”

Author: Walter Frick, specialist journalist from Weikersheim

Pictures in a printable version are available at www.metav.de/photos

Overview pictures

Background

Joint NRW stand: “Efficient Production – Technology Competence from NRW”

Under the motto of “Efficient Production – Technology Competence from NRW”, North Rhine-Westphalia will be showcasing its competence on the field of efficient production with a joint NRW stand at the METAV 2012 (Hall 16 / Stand B14). It will be spotlighting various facets of efficient production in the fields of surface treatment technology, production technology, energy and material-efficiency, and the automotive industry. The stand at the fair is being organised by the following clusters: Production NRW (a joint project of the VDMA and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia), Autocluster NRW, Nano-Micro+Materials NRW, Energy Research NRW, Energy Region NRW, the NRW Energy Agency and the NRW Efficiency Agency together with the State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Construction, Housing and Transportation.

In addition, the Cluster Production NRW will at the METAV 2012 (29 February from 2.00 to approximately 6.00 p.m. in the Congress Centre Düsseldorf CCD) be holding a symposium entitled “Production Technology as the Key to Electromobility”. Companies from NRW will be presenting technologies and products for manufacturing equipment. The VDMA will be showcasing its relevant initiatives and research platforms.

METAV 2012 in Düsseldorf

The next METAV will be held from 28 February to 3 March 2012 in Düsseldorf. In the even years, it has firmly established itself as an important technology shop window for the entire gamut of manufacturing technology and automation in Germany for manufacturers and customers from Europe. The METAV will be showcasing the entire spectrum of manufacturing technology, focusing on machine tools, production systems, high-precision tools, automated material flows, computer technology, industrial electronics and accessories. The METAV’s visitor target group includes all major industrial sectors, particularly plant and machinery manufacturers, the automotive industry and its component suppliers, aerospace, the electrical engineering industry, the metalworking sector, medical technology and the craft sector. Approximately 620 exhibitors from 26 different countries have meanwhile registered for the METAV 2012, on over 35,500 m2 of net exhibition area, aiming to showcase their products, solutions and services for the European trade public. The last METAV in 2010 attracted approximately 45,000 trade visitors from 26 different countries.

Your contact persons:

Institute for Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools (PTW)
Darmstadt University of Applied Science
Dipl.-Ing. Christian Eisele
Petersenstr. 30
64287 Darmstadt
GERMANY
Tel. +49 6151 16 64536
Fax +49 6151 16 3356
eisele@ptw.tu-darmstadt.de
www.ptw.tu-darmstadt.de

Franz Kessler GmbH
Johannes Gelbke
Development Manager
Franz-Kessler-Str.2
D-88422 Bad Buchau
GERMANY
Tel. +49 7582 809-366
Fax +49 7582 809-5366
jgelbke@franz-kessler.de
www.franz-kessler.de

Rubicondo –Agency for Communication and Project Management
Dr.-Ing. Claudia Weise
Hainbuchenstr. 6
65817 Eppstein
GERMANY
Tel. +49 6198 58 56 11
Fax +49 6198 58 56 12
weise@rubicondo.de
www.rubicondo.de

Production NRW
Cluster Mechanical Engineering /Production Technology
c/o VDMA NRW
Ina Grothof
Mörsenbroicher Weg 200
40470 Düsseldorf
GERMANY
Tel. +49 211 687748-25
Fax +49 211 687748-50
ina.grothof@vdma.org
ina.grothof@produktion.nrw.de
www.vdma.org
www.produktion.nrw.de
www.twitter.com/vdmaonline
www.facebook.com/vdmaonline

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