Services Three-Phase CNC Power Measurement

Three-phase power measurement

Energy is a hot topic in manufacturing currently as costs rise and outsourcing increases. Often it is not clear where the energy is used in a factory. We were asked to provide a system to help in a project where the customer was looking at achieving global energy maps of their facility. Part of this was to drill down into the machining production lines to try to achieve full energy transparency. So the goal was to achieve a model of the plants’ consumption and also to assess where the main energy consumption was occurring. The aim was to provide full energy consumption transparency of the machining processes while also using the generated data to assess the production itself. If the energy data could be used for online process monitoring this would add to the value of the energy management system and the processes could be improved providing further savings from the production line.

We designed a full system to carry out three-phase power measurement during a sample production process on a Hurco VM2 CNC milling machine. The aim of the project was to characterise the machine states and behaviour by measuring the three-phase power entering the machine.

Three current measurement transducers were applied to the three live feeds into the machine and voltage clips were connected to the terminals in the Hucro’s control cabinet.

A full data acquisition system and associated analysis software were designed and implemented to allow the electrical signals to be captured during all states of machining operations.

Power management system analysis

Tests were run using a 10mm diameter carbide tool in the Hurco VM2 CNC milling machine. A series of standard machining runs were carried out in (60826T) Aluminium. A 100mm square profile cut of depth 2mm, is an example of one of the cutting strategies carried out during the analysis.

During the tests, the data acquisition system and associated software were used to record all the power management data from the live feeds. The end result was current and voltage waveforms from the three-phase supply to the machine during the machining process.

Further software was developed to extract the frequency harmonics and power data from the raw current and voltage waveforms. A sample result is shown below. Ongoing work is hoping to apply the post-processing algorithms in real-time to offer on-line process monitoring using power management. The system was able to identify machine states such as tool changes, rapid movements, spindle spin up, machine engagement with the workpiece and the different machining states. Work is ongoing and we are still working on the power management system. The system is being used in the field and work is ongoing.

About Our Three Phase CNC Power Measurement Tools

Our advanced three-phase CNC power measurement service makes use of high-precision instruments to measure real-time energy usage and electrical behaviour across all phases. Using a multi-channel power meter, we can accurately log and display current, voltage, phase angles, and power factor data for connected machines, motors and spindle systems. These readings help us to show a detailed electrical profile for each CNC product, from light-duty bench-top routers to industrial rated machining centres.

The system is ideal for diagnosing problems in motor control circuits or understanding the load balance across three-phase supplies. The measurement tools are especially helpful during CNC retrofit projects or machine tuning, where understanding the current draw under different conditions can help guide setup.

We can provide this service as part of a system consultation or supply a preconfigured unit ready for integration. Every measurement account includes exportable data and interpretive information to help you understand energy efficiency and operational performance. The setup is compact, mounts neatly within your electrical cabinet, and connects close to the main distribution block, with options for top-entry or bottom-entry wiring based on enclosure layout.