Environmental measures are urgently required to realize a society with a low environmental load. In response, various undertakings are being carried out in the field of machine tools, which is most critical in terms of requirement of energy-saving measures. The energy consumed when a machine tool is used to machine can be broadly divided into three categories: the “standby energy” to maintain the electrical devices operational when the machine is not operational; the “steady-state energy,” which is the fixed amount of energy required when the machine is in operation; and the “dynamic energy,” which varies with the machining conditions and other factors. Measures are necessary for each of these energy categories to reduce energy consumption. This paper describes an example of an energy-saving study undertaken for a machine tool used for machining gears; a new processing method called skiving was developed to consolidate work processes.

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