Comprehensive sustainability assessment of hybrid production processes by the application of ultrasonic vibrations and plasma heat source
摘要
Different techniques can be integrated into traditional production processes (hybridization) to improve efficiency and capabilities. But, there is a fundamental question; which technique(s) is the best choice? Many articles answer only with attention to the technical characteristics. A comprehensive sustainably assessment presents a comprehensive solution. A comprehensive sustainability assessment of a hybrid manufacturing process can be divided into environmental (energy consumption and carbon emission), social (Health and safety), and economic (cost and production rate) aspects. Current research compares conventional milling, Ultrasonic assisted milling (UAM), thermally enhanced milling (TEM), and thermally enhanced ultrasonic assisted milling (TEUAM) as hybrid processes to determine the most efficient associated technology. TEUAM as the most complicated process with significant technical achievements necessitated some harmful aspects. The total sum of evaluated sustainability indicators demonstrated that UAM, with a total Sustainability Index (SI) of 47.55, presented the most efficiency in terms of sustainable factors.
Graphical abstract