As the global manufacturing industry moves toward carbon neutrality, improving energy efficiency of machine tools has become essential. Although machine tools contribute significantly to industrial energy consumption, systematic methods for evaluating their energy consumption remain insufficient. To address this issue, this study developed an energy consumption evaluation system based on ISO 14955, the international standard for machine tool energy efficiency. The proposed system enabled a detailed analysis of energy usage patterns in different operating states, identifying key areas for energy reduction. The developed system could measure energy consumption of individual machine tool components in various operating states using power meters and automatically generates reports. This allows users to identify which components and operating states consume the most energy. We tested and validated this system on three different machine tools and analyzed strategies for reducing energy consumption. The developed evaluation system can help machine tool manufacturers integrate it into their equipment, develop energy-efficient technologies, and contribute to sustainable manufacturing.

This paper presents the development of a design optimization module for achieving the best performance of hydrostatic bearings. The design optimization module consists of two components: a bearing performance analysis module and an optimization module that utilizes optimization algorithms. Widely recognized global search methods, genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, were employed as the optimization algorithms. The design optimization problem was defined for hydrostatic bearings. Optimization design processes were carried out to improve load capacity, stiffness, and flow rate. Subsequent experimental validation was conducted through the fabrication of a practical experimental setup. The design optimization model demonstrated superior performance compared to the initial model while satisfying design conditions and constraints. This confirms the practical applicability of the design optimization module developed in this study.

We propose the measurement method for location errors in a horizontal 4-axis machine tool using a touch trigger probe and a sphere artifact. Location errors (type of geometric errors), are values that do not change with the position of each feed axis because these errors are usually fixed in an assembly procedure. There are seven location errors in a horizontal 4-axis machine tool; three squareness errors in three linear axes and two squareness and two offset errors in a rotary axis. The positions of center point of sphere artifact on a rotary axis are measured by a touch trigger probe mounted on a tool axis. Because measured center points are expressed by seven location errors via the homogeneous transformation matrix, location errors can be separated by analyzing measured data. To validate the proposed method, measurement experiments were performed on a horizontal 4-axis machine tool. Measurement results were verified by comparing before and after compensation.

Temperature characteristics of supply oil in an ultra-precision hydrostatic table are largely influenced by parameter setting in an oil cooler such as the location of reference sensor and cooling temperature. In this paper, influences of the parameter setting on the temperature variation in the hydrostatic table are experimentally analyzed to suggest the guidelines for practical application. In case of using temperature of inlet oil as a reference sensor in the oil cooler, temperature rise of the supply oil is smaller and thermal settling time is faster than that of using temperature of outlet oil as a reference sensor. The experimental results also show that temperatures of table, rail and return oil can be made almost same, and thermal settling time can be decreased by setting cooling temperature in the oil cooler to be lower than atmospheric temperature.

This paper presents the motion accuracy simulation considering loads such as workpiece weight, cutting force, cogging force of a linear motor, and force caused by misalignment and runout error of a ballscrew in linear motion units. The transfer function method is basically utilized to estimate 5-DOF motion errors, together with the equilibrium equations of force and moment on the table. The transfer function method is modified in order to consider clearance changed according to the loads in the double sided hydrostatic/aerostatic bearings. Then, the analytic model for predicting the 5-DOF motion errors is proposed with the modified transfer function method. Motion errors were simulated under different loading conditions in the linear motion units using hydrostatic, aerostatic, and linear motion bearings, respectively. And the proposed analytic model was verified by comparing the estimated and measured motion errors.

Ballscrews are important motion transfer and positioning units of industrial machinery and precision machines. Positioning accuracy of the feed drive system depends upon axial stiffness of ballscrew systems. As the nut stiffness depends upon preload and operating conditions, analytical modeling of the stiffness is performed through the contact and body deformation analysis. For accurate contact analysis, the contact angle variation between balls and grooves is incorporated in the developed model. To verify the developed mathematical stiffness model, experiments are conducted on the test-rig. Through the uncertainty analysis according to GUM (Guide to the expression of Uncertainty in Measurement), it is confirmed that the formulated stiffness model has over 85% estimation accuracy. After constructing the ballscrew DB, a quick turnaround system for the nut stiffness estimation has been developed in this research.

Linear motion (LM) ball guides have good accuracy and high efficiency. They are widely applied for precision machinery such as machine tools, semiconductor fabrication machines and robots. However, friction force incurs heat between the balls and grooves. Thermal expansion due to the heat deteriorates stiffness and accuracy of the LM ball guides. For accurate estimation of stiffness and accuracy during the linear motion, friction models of LM ball guides are required. To formulate accurate frictional models of LM ball guides according to load and preload conditions, rolling and viscous frictional analyses have been performed in this paper. Contact loads between balls and grooves are derived from Hertzian contact analysis. Contact angle variation is incorporated for the precision modeling. Viscous friction model is formulated from the shear stress of lubricant and the contact area between balls and grooves. Experiments confirm validity of the developed friction model for various external load and feedrate conditions.

This paper introduces a system to machine micro-sized patterns effectively on surface based on micro-milling process using tools with simultaneous rotation and oscillation, oscillation micro milling. To review the effectiveness of proposed concept, we integrated a micro-spindle supported by active magnetic bearings with a precision 3-axis air bearing stage using double-wedge mechanism, and tested this oscillation milling. Two types of oscillation milling were tested, which are linear oscillation milling with a flat end mill and elliptical oscillation milling with a ball end mill with 0.3 mm of diameter. The spindle was rotating 110 krpm and workpiece was moving constant speed of 2~8 mm/sec during the oscillation milling. As the results, multiple oval shape dimples were generated in regular spacing, and the variation of elliptical motion made different shapes of patterns. The results showed that proposed oscillation milling can be successfully used for machining repeated micro-patterns.

Air bearings are widely used in precision stages because of low friction and high motion accuracy, however, they suffer from low stiffness in comparison with rolling bearings or hydrostatic bearings. So, several preloading methods using weight, magnet and vacuum force, and opposing pads have been used to increase the stiffness of the air bearings. In this paper, pressure distributions of the vacuum preloaded porous air bearings are calculated using the proposed method. And then, the load capacity and stiffness are analyzed. For the vacuum preloaded air bearings, the stiffness is increased owing to reduced bearing clearance by vacuum force. The simulation results indicate that variation of vacuum pressure with clearance in the vacuum pocket gives rise to low stiffness, so the vacuum pocket should be designed for pressure to be constantly maintained regardless of the bearing clearance by means of large effective pumping speed.

This paper describes a novel method to surface large optics mirror with an extremely high hardness, which could replace the high cost of the repetitive off-line measurement steps and the large ultraprecision grinding machine with ultra-positioning control of 10 nm resolution. A lot of diamond pellet to be attached on the convex aluminum base consists of a grinding tool for the concave large mirror, and the tool was pressured down on the large mirror blank. The tool motion at an interval on the spiral path was controlled with each feed rate as the dwell time in the conventional computer-controlled polishing. The shape to be surfaced was measured directly by a touch probe on the machine without any separation of the mirror blank. Total 40 iterative steps of the surfacing and measurement could demonstrate the form error of RMS 7.8 μm, surface roughness of Ra 0.2 μm for the mirror blank with diameter of 1 m and spherical radius of curvature of 5400 mm.

The accuracy simulation technology of linear motion system is introduced in this paper. Motion errors and positioning errors are simulated using informations on the design parameters of elements of linear motion system. 5 Degree-of-freedom motion error analysis algorithm utilizing the transfer function method and positioning error analysis algorithm which are main frame of accuracy simulation are introduced. Simulated motion errors are compared with experimental results for verifying the effectiveness. Then, using the proposed algorithms, simulation is performed to investigate the effects of ballscrew and linear motor on the motion errors. Finally, the influence of feedback sensor position on the positioning error is also discussed.

A pressure rise is generated while air bearing stages are moving in high vacuum environment. This study analyzed this pressure rise phenomenon theoretically and verified it experimentally using two different kinds of stages - linear and rotary air bearing stages. Results indicate that the pressure rise was caused by additional leakage resulting from stage velocity, along with adsorption and outgassing of gas molecules from the guide rail surface. Though tilting of the stage due to acceleration and deceleration reached several micrometers, it had a negligible effect on pressure rise because the tilting time was very short. Therefore, a rotary air bearing stage showed much less pressure rise than a linear stage because the rotary stage theoretically has nothing to do with the above causes. Additional leakage caused by stage velocity was inevitable if the stage had movements, but pressure rise caused by adsorption and outgassing could be suppressed by improving the surface quality to reduce real surface area, and by coating the guide rail surface with titanium nitride (TiN) which has less adhesion probability of gas molecules. The results also indicate that the pressure rise increased when the air bearing stage operated under high vacuum conditions.

Recently, mastering processes for high density optical disc such as Blu-ray disc rely on electron beams, which are operable in only vacuum. In the mastering process, one of the most important tasks is to design precision stages for providing precise positioning of the works with respect to the source in a high vacuum environment. In this paper, we have developed a precision rotation table usable in the electron beam mastering. The rotation table adopted air bearings for a high positioning repeatability and velocity stability. The air leakage from the air bearings has been minimized by employing the differential exhaust scheme using three steps of air drain. The design parameters such as diameters of exhaust lines, seal lengths, and pumping speeds were decided according to the optimization method using genetic algorithm. The performance on the vacuum level of the rotation table was evaluated experimentally and theoretically. The results indicate that a vacuum level of 10?⁴ ㎩ is achieved with operation of air bearings in a vacuum chamber, which is sufficient for the electron beam mastering.

This paper presents the optimal design of an exhaust system of a vacuum-compatible air bearing using a genetic algorithm. To use the air bearings in vacuum conditions, the differential exhaust method is adopted to minimize the air leakage, which prevents air from leaking into a vacuum chamber by recovering air through several successive seal stages in advance. Therefore, the design of the differential exhaust system is very important because several design parameters such as the number of seals, diameter and length of an exhaust tube, pumping speed and ultimate pressure of a vacuum pump, seal length and gap(bearing clearance) influence on the air leakage, that is, chamber's degree of vacuum. In this paper, we used a genetic algorithm to optimize the design parameters of the exhaust system of a vacuum-compatible air bearing under the several constraint conditions. The results indicate that chamber's degree of vacuum after optimization improved dramatically compared to the initial design, and that the distribution of the spatial design parameters, such as exhaust tube diameter and seal length, was well achieved, and that technical limit of the pumping speed was well determined.