Towards higher machine-tool eco-efficiency with an Information Sharing Platform

Poor information exchange between machine-tool manufacturers and the end users of machines imposes severe limitations on the optimized production of many manufactured goods and drastically increases the ecological impact of their production. An Information Sharing Platform is proposed as a suitable tool to overcome this limitation. The Platform processes information from an online data-acquisition system monitoring working machines and from the ERP system of the machine-tool manufacturer. It can automatically perform several programmed tasks to provide useful outputs, in order to improve the eco-efficiency of the machine-tools. The operation of this Information Sharing Platform has been tested on a milling machine manufacturer. A case study outlines various 3D representations and useful conclusions that can improve the eco-efficiency of present and future machines.