Energy optimisation for the combination of turning and drilling features using differential evolution

Cutting parameter optimisation is an effective way to realise energy-efficient machining. In previous studies, the cutting parameters of machining features of turning, milling, grinding, drilling, hobbing, and threading were optimised to decrease energy consumed by machine tools, and considerable energy savings were achieved. However, the energy consumption (EC) for each feature was separately optimised without systematic consideration of the negative effects on the EC for other features. The total EC for all features together probably increases. Hence, the trade-off amongst the reductions of EC for each feature needs to be jointly optimised. In our study, the external turning and drilling features are selected as examples to be combined. As a key novel contribution, we propose the integrated dimensional and cutting parameter optimisation problem about minimising the EC of Machine Tools for the combination of Turning and Drilling features (EMT-TD). In terms of optimisation, differential evolution (DE) is adopted to minimise the EMT-TD. According to case studies, DE obtained the optimal solutions within a computation time of 1 second. The optimal solutions achieved savings of 5.41%, 10.85%, and 7.19% of EMT-TD and savings of 2.23%, 5.90%, and 2.73% of machining time for three typical cases, respectively.