Optimization of machining economics and energy consumption in face milling operations

Metal cutting (or machining) is one important aspect of the manufacturing system. Selecting optimal cutting conditions for machining is then a crucial process planning task for manufacturing. Traditionally, solving such machining problems was only focused on economic objectives such as maximizing profit or minimizing production time requirement. In the recent decade, however, minimizing energy consumption in manufacturing processes has attracted increased attention due to increasing energy costs and concern with greenhouse gas emissions. Energy loss could be avoided by carefully selecting cutting parameters. This paper develops a multi-objective mathematical model to minimize unit production costs along with energy consumption for face milling operations. In addition, an evolutionary strategy (ES)-based optimization approach is used to identify optimal cutting conditions for the proposed model.