Comparison of Energy Efficiency of the Redundant Actuation of Positioning Axes

Abstract

Presently, production machines and mainly contemporary machining centers are subjected to ever increasing pressure to enhance energy efficiency, both from the side of customers and also in terms of legislative regulations. A selection of drives for the individual axes is primarily a compromise between achievable dynamics, precision and price. The electrical efficiency and energy consumption is not usually taken into consideration during the design of the axis. In this paper, the electricity consumption of single drive axis actuator and redundant actuation through two drives is compared under various operating conditions. The measurement results are used to assess the benefits of redundant actuation of positioning axes with emphasis on energy efficiency, which is consistent with the current trend of the so-called Ecodesign.