Five steps to improving manufacturing efficiency


July 25, 2018

Many manufacturers still lack visibility of the energy performance of devices and equipment running in their plants.

If you want to make efficiency improvements and save costs but don't know where to start, a recent blog post from UK energy provider Centrica Business Solutions sets out five steps for manufacturers to follow:

Step 1: Get buy-in from the rest of the business

This is a critical first step and must involve everyone from the top executives to the shop technicians. Set out the problem and business need, supported by statistics and data, and involve the whole team in creating a resolution that improves processes and shows sustainable ROI.

Step 2: Set achievable goals

Employees will lose their motivation if you set a target that's impossible to reach.

To improve manufacturing operations and cut costs, companies must set realistic, measurable goals, Centrica Business Solutions says. These goals should be based on real data from systems and devices used within the manufacturing process.

Step 3: Monitor devices

Smart sensors on machinery and equipment can help manufacturers to monitor their operations and understand energy consumption at each stage of the manufacturing process.

With capabilities such as real-time notifications that alert users to a system fault or potential downtime, manufacturers can make informed decisions about management and consumption. Up-to-date information from smart monitoring also enables system-wide improvements to be made.

Step 4: Improve maintenance schedules

Aggregated energy data can be used to identify systemic issues relevant to energy-intensive production assets. Optimise maintenance schedules with heavy energy consumption to take advantage of lower energy costs during off-peak hours.

Manufacturers can also realise efficiency gains by transitioning from preventative maintenance of equipment to predictive maintenance. This saves costs as equipment is less likely to fail and any issues are identified ahead of time.

Step 5: Empower employees

Engage your employees in the effort to improve operational efficiency and reduce energy consumption by arming them with information about the negative impacts of poor energy efficiency, and the positive effects of their behaviour.

There are multiple ways to make your manufacturing operations more energy efficient, but this five-step plan will put you on a path to success!

To learn more about preparing industrial plants for energy management, click HERE

.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crisis presents opportunity for manufacturers to reassess their digitalisation

Image
A crisis is a defining moment, and it can take a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic for people -- and companies -- to find the courage to make significant changes to the way they do things. In the manufacturing industry, the pandemic represents an opportunity for firms to reassess their digital strategy, writes Paul Hogendoorn in an article for Manufacturing Automation. The current crisis is of sufficient magnitude that the trajectories of many businesses will be altered, Hogendoorn explains. How they fare will be to a large extent affected by the decisions and choices they make. Hogendoorn goes on to discuss the three most common conversations he had with manufacturers before the pandemic struck: - the challenge of digitising their work flow; - gaining visibility into their production condition in real time; and - the need to make their factories and jobs more attractive to a younger work force. When it comes to attracting the next generation into manufacturing, we need t
Read more

Will COVID-19 accelerate the shift to Industry 4.0?

Image
The current global health crisis is also a business and economic crisis and will change the way we work, with a greater focus on technology. That's according to Nigel Green, CEO of financial advisory firm deVere Group, who says that a recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a "fundamental shift" in how we live, do business and invest. In particular, Green expects to see an acceleration in the adoption and development of Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution, reports technology and business news provider Verdict. "The coronavirus outbreak can be expected to speed up the so-called fourth revolution, which is fuelled by new technologies such as artificial intelligence and mobile supercomputing," he said. The physical distancing and self-isolation measures currently in place around the world are likely to help reinforce the adoption of digital technologies, Green added. "Enforced social distancing will highligh
Read more

Manufacturers turn to automation and smart tech as coronavirus hits production

Image
The coronavirus pandemic is likely to hasten the rollout of automation and smart technology in the manufacturing industry. Government rules aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 have kept employees at home and disrupted supply chains. As a result, manufacturers around the world have been forced to chose their factories and radically rethink how they operate.   In a recent article for CNBC.com, Rebecca Fannin looked at how the virus has impacted manufacturers based in China, the first country to be hit by the virus. The biggest impact was seen in sectors with large assembly operations such as auto manufacturers and electronic component makers. Resuming production "has been a struggle" at many factories, but highly automated plants such as Cadillac's new Shanghai facility had a head start, Fannin explained.  The Cadillac factory, opened in 2016, has 386 robots and two fully automated production lines that do welding and painting.   One clear, long-term imp
Read more