G-Code Based Toolpath Simulation for Predicting CNC Energy Consumption

Machining is an energy intensive process, and being able to model the energy consumption of machining would allow manufacturers to consider how to reduce their energy footprint. While many models have been developed for estimating energy consumption, they are not easily applicable or accessible to CNC machining, where the material removal rate is variable. This thesis develops a G-code based simulation that uses a voxel mesh to virtually recreate material removal, approximating the material removal rate at discretized points in the machining process. Using an energy consumption model and machine power data, material removal rates are related to the power consumption of machining the part. The simulation pipeline was validated using power data collected from literature, and for a constant material removal rate the model has shown average absolute error of 3.17% predicting power and 2.89% predicting specific energy consumption for simulated test geometries.

Name thesis:degree_name

Bachelor

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Anziani, Jonathan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hart, A. John

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
• Copyright retained by author(s)

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/162446

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/162446