Path through the jungle This is how the CO2 footprint of machine tools is calculated much more easily

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Verein Deutscher Werkzeug- maschinenfabriken e. V. (VDW)

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

SIMTOS (Seoul International Machine Tool Show)

Mechanical engineering experts are considering ahead of the EMO Hannover 2025 how to come up with a practical guide for a more transparent supply chain to protect the environment.

How big is the CO₂ footprint of a machine tool, mechanical engineers must ask themselves today. Anyone who wants to create the sustainability report for a manufacturing company or document progress in greenhouse gas emissions will likely pass this question on to the supply chain. Because the answer is not easy. After all, a machine tool often consists of several tens of thousands of individual parts—including purchased materials and preliminary products. So there is a huge variety of products, ranging from the compact milling machine for delicate clockwork to the press for aircraft parts. And almost every machine is also a unique piece. So how can one confidently arrive at a figure that is valid for auditors and also comparable? Some experts aim to help answer this question here.

Experienced specialists are developing a guideline for CO2 calculation

"The CO₂ assessment itself is already complex," notes Prof. Felix Hackelöer from the Institute for Automation and Industrial IT at TH Köln (Germany). For machine tools, however, it is even more difficult. Hackelöer is part of an expert group formed at the initiative of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association). The group was tasked with developing so-called Product Category Rules (PCR) for machine tools. This involved an e-calculation approach to determine the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), i.e., the CO₂ footprint of a machine tool. The team also included experts from six VDW member companies, specifically Chiron, DMG Mori, Grob-Werke, Heller, Schuler, and United Grinding. Additionally, the technical departments of VDW and VDMA, dealing with standardization and standard-setting, were involved. The goal was to create a guideline with a VDMA standard sheet that ideally could be further developed into an ISO standard.

Calculate Product Carbon Footprint in one day

The project group first met in February 2024. There was a short orientation phase during which various experiences were reported and possible approaches were discussed. Some central points were quickly agreed upon, recalls Jörg Süßdorf, Global Quality Manager at Schuler Presses. Süßdorf continues, "Many companies long for a simple, well-structured document." Therefore, the team agreed that the rules should be implementable for SMEs without much bureaucratic effort. The results should be comparable and internationally adaptable. They should also provide the possibility to recalculate or verify them if market participants appear untrustworthy. Finally, the goal was set that the PCF should be calculable within a single day using the method to be developed. Previously, three months were considered realistic at best, as Süßdorf notes. Once all these requirements are met, companies can expect a significant benefit.