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Sustainable Manufacturing: A Practical Approach to Responsible and Efficient Production
In today's world, the need for sustainable manufacturing practices is more pressing than ever. Whether driven by cost-saving measures or the desire to minimize environmental impact, businesses increasingly seek ways to make their manufacturing processes more responsible. This article explores practical strategies that can help manufacturers achieve these goals, starting with their own production process and extending to ensure that their end users are set up to operate more sustainably. The result is that the entire supply chain - from manufacturing suppliers to equipment manufacturers to end users, is collectively meeting financial, environmental, and social responsibilities.
Efficient and Sustainable Manufacturing
Modern industrial automation products are designed to optimize energy usage throughout the manufacturing process. This results in energy savings during the asset's lifecycle and enhances resource efficiency and longevity, leading to significant cost savings for the manufacturers and end users alike.
Here are 3 steps that manufacturers could follow when designing their equipment to get started on this journey.
- 1.Adopt modern technology
Industrial, commercial, and home fan manufacturer Hunter Fan wanted to use direct drive motors in their industrial fans because of their advantages over conventional HVLS fans - such as lighter weight, greater energy efficiency, and elimination of high-maintenance components. To control the new, energy-efficient motors, Mitsubishi Electric developed a variable frequency drive (VFD) firmware solution to optimize performance with various combinations of fan type, blade length, and motors. Another goal Hunter Fan aimed to achieve was to replace the operator interface, which sits on the wall and contains the fan controls. Querían una variedad de pantallas táctiles de vidrio, lo que requeriría una fuente de alimentación. Sin embargo, puede ser difícil encontrar tomacorrientes de 110 voltios en los grandes almacenes, y no siempre están donde uno los quiere. Mitsubishi Electric provided Power over Ethernet (PoE), which meant the operator interfaces could be placed anywhere in the warehouse because they would receive their power directly from the fan's VFD. Podrían conectar un cable Ethernet al VFD y conectarlo a la interfaz del operador. By combining power and data transmission over a single cable, PoE reduces the need for separate power infrastructure. It allows for easy reconfiguration and expansion of networked fans, which can lead to lower installation costs and reduced material usage. - 2.Right-size components challenge the one-size-fits-all mentality
Hunter Fan added that different customers might also want different functionality: “Cada cliente tiene pequeños ajustes específicos que necesitan hacer... Cuando cambiamos a Mitsubishi Electric, no estábamos al tanto de lo frecuentes que eran esas necesidades de red individualizadas. Habíamos optado originalmente por una solución universal, y hemos tenido que trabajar con Mitsubishi Electric para refinarla y convertirla en una solución más personalizable.” Mitsubishi Electric preloads all the necessary parameters and tuning for the specified motor. All the drives and other components are mounted into the assembly enclosure, packed up, and shipped out. All Hunter Fan must do on their end is download a few parameters for the blade length and place them into the shipping crate along with the other materials being shipped to the customer. One-size-fits-all usually equates to oversizing and inefficiencies, which leads to unnecessary energy consumption. By right-sizing the VFD and the motor, we can help the end customers reduce their utility bills for the entire equipment lifecycle. "At installing Hunter HVLS fans resulted in notable improvements in temperature control and pest management within their airplane hangars. The installation led to nearly 30% energy savings, underscoring the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of using Hunter HVLS fans in large, open environments."
Fuente: - 3.Use data to identify more areas for improvement
Once the operations were going well, Hunter Fan looked for ways to add new features and functionalities. For instance, they wanted to group fans together and power them on and off instead of individually. They also wanted to be able to control the fans through various building automation systems so they could program on and off times and vary fan speeds based on current temperatures. Once connected to a building system, end users can implement a reporting system for energy usage that may identify areas for improvement and track progress.
In the Hunter Fan example, besides the immediate energy savings targets we initially set out to achieve by incorporating more energy-efficient motors, additional savings and sustainability improvements could be accomplished by working together. These are practical ways to contribute to a company's sustainability goals.
Precision means less failure and less material waste
Modern technology offers the ability to produce more accurately, reducing material waste without compromising throughput. Manufacturers can strive for higher precision in their machine controls to operate in line with today's sustainability standards and showcase a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Reducing Carbon Footprint with components built for precision - Balpack Case Study
A customer asked Balpack, an OEM for packaging machinery, for an application to cap small bottles. They wanted something that could deliver the pre-programmed precision to easily handle the capping of delicate containers filled with pills, liquids, or powders. The slightest error in torque or positioning could destroy multiple caps and bottles or cause the product to leak. In older machines with analog controls, you could get only 16 speeds for torque. Ahora, la cantidad de velocidades es ilimitada. And torque control is adjustable to one-tenth of a percent. Through collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric and their distributor, HPE Automation, Balpack was able to get very precise torque control that reduces failures and, in turn, material waste. As a result, they are helping their end customer reduce their carbon footprint.
Stop the "throw-away" disposable mentality in manufacturing
Electronic waste (e-waste) has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. In 2022, approximately 62 million metric tons of e-waste were generated globally, nearly doubling since 2010. Despite this growth, waste management remains inadequate, with over three-quarters of e-waste still going undocumented. By 2030, the global total is expected to exceed 80 million metric tons. The growing consumption of electronic products with shorter life cycles and fewer repair options drives this rapid increase. Only 17,4% of e-waste is properly collected, treated, and recycled, highlighting the urgent need for improved recycling and recovery infrastructure.
Fuente:
When it comes to quality, do not settle.
Investing in quality components ensures that the products you use do not fail prematurely and have a longer lifespan. This reduces the need for frequent repair and replacements, which minimizes electronic waste and the environmental impact of manufacturing new components.
In critical applications such as wastewater treatment, where failure can have significant consequences, it is common for the operations team to replace a failed component with a new one without troubleshooting first. While the criticality of the application may justify this practice, manufacturers should invest in quality products that are built to last. Most electronic components are designed to have a lifespan of 10 years. If you are experiencing frequent failures prematurely, it is important to investigate the root cause to minimize e-waste generation. Manufacturing equipment should not be disposable but meet the promised quality and value.
Upgrade Responsibly to Reduce e-Waste.
Rip-and-replace is not always a viable option due to budget, functional, and labor constraints. Gradual upgrades to newer technology can extend the useful life of equipment and postpone end-of-life disposal, all while reaping the benefits of next-generation solutions. This approach reduces capital costs, minimizes disruptions, and lowers the environmental impact.
Benefits of Forward Compatibility and Longer Useful Life
Forward compatibility allows businesses to maintain continuity with legacy systems while integrating new technologies incrementally. Companies can use new technologies to monitor and enhance old equipment and upgrade different parts of machines over time without needing to upgrade the entire machine simultaneously.
Ensuring that new technologies are compatible with older systems allows businesses to extend the value of equipment that is still operating reliably and efficiently. This significantly contributes to reducing the amount of e-waste generated. Longer-lasting products mean fewer resources are needed for manufacturing new devices, including raw materials, energy, and water. By extending the lifespan of existing products, the demand for new raw materials decreases, thereby reducing the environmental impact as well.
Estudio de casos: Yupo
Yupo, a synthetic paper manufacturer, has used Mitsubishi Electric A Series PLCs since 1989. After more than 30 years of reliable operations, the company migrated to Mitsubishi Electric Q Series PLCs because they offered seamless forward compatibility with the facility's existing automation systems. Compatibility across the network was vital, according to Yupo's electrical control engineer, "because we didn't have the time to change out every piece of I/O in the plant." By only upgrading the PLC and reusing the I/O, the company was saving on cost, shortening the upgrade time, and, more importantly, extending the useful life of existing I/Os to delay their eventual retirement as e-waste. La instalación se completó durante una breve parada de una semana y la producción se reanudó sin incidentes.
Conclusión
Sustainable manufacturing transcends mere environmental responsibility; it embodies the essence of making financially prudent decisions that benefit both the business and the broader community. It necessitates a collaborative effort among manufacturers, machine makers, and end users to identify and implement practical steps that foster sustainable practices throughout the entire value chain to achieve a circular economy.
References
[1] Case Studies | Mitsubishi Electric Americas
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Contributors
Deana Fu
Senior Director of Strategic Marketing
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.
