Development of a sustainability assessment index for machine tools

摘要

Machining is a wealth generating activity which converts raw materials into finished products by consuming energy and other natural resources. It is also responsible for high environmental emissions. Rising energy costs, new environmental policies with associated environmental emission costs, market competition, and increasing customer awareness have triggered the need to improve sustainability performance of the machine tools. However, an index to quantify the sustainable performance of a machine tool considering economic, environmental and social aspects is lacking. A scientific evaluation index is an important tool to assess the sustainability performance of machine tools. This paper provides a sustainability assessment index for machine tools which is envisaged to help manufacturers and users to objectively investigate the sustainability performance of machine tools, provide clear and effective information to decision makers, and support the transition towards greener machine tools.