Manufacturing Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Unitherm Insulation Systems

May 1, 2012 by Kendal White

How to Join the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge

Going green. Saving energy. Encouraging efficiency. Reducing carbon footprints. Promoting eco-friendly practices. Being environmentally conscious. Conserving resources. It goes by many names, but the social movement is undeniable.

I remember seeing for the first time the trendy “Save the Planet” tees cropping up in clothing lines of popular retail stores. Years later, it turns out that going green more than a fashion trend. It is a compilation of personal and political choices that continues to build momentum worldwide.

We can see big impacts, too, when we look at the sum of our efforts. That’s why government and corporate entities promote going green, leading by example and initiating challenges to get others involved.

Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge

Last year, President Obama and former President Clinton issued the Better Buildings Challenge and extended the challenge to industrial plants for an even greater impact. Because buildings consume about 20% of all the energy used in the US, the initiative’s long-term goals include

Updating American buildings to make them 20% more energy efficient
Saving American businesses nearly $40 million in energy costs

With the help of energy efficiency products, services, technologies, and partnerships, several industrial partners have stepped up to the challenge—3M has 78 participating plants, Alcoa has 30, Nissan has 3, and GE has 125 million sq. ft. of plant space (to name a few).

But you don’t have to be a big name with copious plant space to make a difference. Think of it this way—as a little guy, your carbon footprint is already smaller so you don’t have to make such extravagant changes. Every little bit counts.

To join the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge

Assess your building portfolio to determine energy efficiency opportunities and publicly pledge an organization-wide energy savings goal for the next 2-5 years.
Announce and initiate a showcase project on 1 facility (retrofit, retro commissioning) and develop an organization-wide plan to achieve your energy savings goal.
Share your experiences with energy efficiency solutions, your organization-wide energy savings, and the energy performance at individual facilities for recognition.

In return for your commitment, the Department of Energy agrees to support you via expert technical assistance, connect you to a network of allies, and provide you with national recognition. Win-win-win.

What are you doing to green your building? The Better Buildings Challenge is just one way you can contribute to the social movement. Incentives are abundant, and the payoffs reach far and wide. For starters, you can insulate your equipment to conserve energy and maximize efficiency, and when you start seeing the savings, you can move on to other areas like HVAC and lighting for a complete energy-efficient overhaul.

April 27, 2012 by Kendal White

Manufacturing Matters: 4/23 Weekly Wrap Up

It seems there is always so much exciting industry news, so we welcome you to our first of many weekly wrap ups.

The Economist says we have entered a third industrial revolution. With the advent of additive manufacturing and the refinement ofrobots, we can glimpse the future of factories. As manufacturing goes digital, we see new processes emerging that are vastly different from the 20^thcentury assembly lines.

image from economist.com

MIT discusses whether increasing complexity in engineered systems warrants a new approach to safety and testing. MIT professor Nancy Leveson claims that our modern, ever-evolving systems are more vulnerable to accidents, and she advocates a holistic, sum-of-its-parts approach over traditional safety engineering practices.

available at amazon.com

The Huffington Post poses the question, is Obama getting serious about manufacturing? Huff Post says that if the government acknowledges manufacturing as a stable and productive industry—a “uniquely important sector”—that support can benefit the broader economy and build a stronger country.

GE discusses the “robust renaissance” of manufacturing “fueled by new technologies, software, innovation, and lower energy costs” and posts a great infographic highlighting industry growth and the power of insourcing.

Envision Plastics announces the partnership between Alpha Packaging and Arla Foods, a partnership aiming to eliminate landfill waste with a zero-carbon facility. To launch the sustainability strategy, Alpha Packaging will produce milk bottles with 50% recycled material. Arla Foods recruited Alpha to mold and handle the bottles on site with two goals in mind: consuming the lowest amount of energy possible and creating the most environmentally advanced dairy in the world.

image from envisionplastics.com

Metal Architecture says that reducing factory footprints is not only environmentally friendly, but economically smart as well. Building owners who focus on decreasing carbon emissions and reaching LEED standards enjoy numerous benefits: improved image and marketability, greater employee engagement, higher renter rates, and more incentives.

We hope you enjoyed our first edition! Keep checking in for more industry updates from the top news sources.

April 24, 2012 by Kendal White

International Standards for Energy Management: How ISO 50001 Can Help Companies of All Kinds

“Individual organizations cannot control energy prices, government policies, or the global economy. But they can improve the way they manage energy.” –ISO Secretary-General Rob Steele

Energy is one of the largest controllable expenses of your plant, or of any building for that matter. And luckily, as more and more building owners realize remarkable ROI in energy-saving strategies, the amount of related information continues to grow.

In fact, a quick Google search for energy management returns about 54,800,000 results, which gives us about 78 pages to wade through. Of course, no one has time for that, so we usually just collect tidbits of advice we hear about going green and put them to use as best we can.

For example, at home I know to keep the thermostat under 68° in the winter and over 72° in the summer for better energy savings. I know to run the dishwasher only when it’s full to maximize water use. I know to open the shades during the day to let in natural light. I’m sure you’ve heard similar rules of thumb.

So we’ve got the basics down, but managing energy in an entire plant requires a bit more forethought than simply turning off the lights when we leave the house.

download avaiable at iso.org

Fortunately, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) launched an energy management standard last summer. According to ISO, the energy standard—ISO 50001—will provide industrial plants, commercial, businesses, government facilities, and entire organizations with “access to a single, harmonized standard for implementation across the organization with a logical and consistent methodology for identifying and implementing improvements.”

Twenty-six US facilities, including 3M, Cook Composites, Dow Chemical, Nissan, and Volvo, participated in ISO 50001 pilot programs. In addition, the Department of Energy endorses ISO 50001 as a “proven approach for US industrial commercial facilities to plan, manage, measure, and continually improve energy performance.”

Companies implement these energy standards to reduce their energy consumption and environmental footprint, but they can become ISO 50001 certified as well. On March 8^th of this year, Volvo’s Dublin plant was the first US facility to achieve certification. This third-party verification can afford companies a competitive edge and greater confidence in their supply chain.

For those that utilize it, the energy standard will be hugely helpful as it takes the guesswork out of energy management. Instead of the trial and error strategy I use at home, haphazardly turning the thermostat up or down, ISO 50001 provides an explicit framework applicable in any company—public or private, large or small. Companies worldwide can now adopt best practices in energy management.

Have you begun working towards your ISO 50001 certification? What other energy management tools—software, audits, etc.—do you use at your facility? If you’re kicking off a new energy management program or you’re working to keep your energy output in check, get a customized energy report today.

March 20, 2012 by Kendal White

Less is More and Lean is Better: Managing Inventory in Manufacturing

The concept of lean manufacturing is simple. Much like a diet for your facility, the goal is to reduce your waste (like you would your waist) for healthier operations. It’s not about starving your business because, let’s face it, you can’t run a marathon or outlast competitors without proper sustenance. Lean strategies are about taking in only what you need and making the most of it—kind of like politely pushing away a plate of food when you’re full rather than stockpiling calories for a later date.

Now I know by March many of our weight loss resolutions have run their short-lived and often unfulfilled courses, but it’s always a good time of year to take on a new style of inventory management.

How manufacturers manage inventory
Many manufacturers produce products in large runs, even when the demand for that product is low. Products are stored or kept in inventory until they are eventually sold, which often leads the manufacturer to overspend on storage. When production runs are too large, manufacturers run the risk of filling inventory with products that might become outdated and remain unsold.

Why lean strategies are more efficient
A crucial component of lean manufacturing involves controlling inventory by reducing excess production. This means implementing a system for monitoring inventory and producing products in smaller runs rather than keeping excess inventory in storage.

Wait, it takes time and money to modify the way you manage inventory and thin out the production line. But just like dropping a few pounds, the payoff doesn’t occur overnight. Soon enough, the savings from storage costs and unnecessary waste will find their way to the bottom line. It’s well worth the change—just ask Toyota, Boeing, Caterpillar, and Xerox.

Not only will lean strategies lower your overhead costs, but they will also challenge your employees to think critically to improve existing procedures. No reason to keep things the way they are just because—hopefully your facility is always on the look out for more efficient ways to operate. Plus, you won’t have to feel that little pang of guilt as you throw away perfectly good products because of bad timing.

March 15, 2012 by Kendal White

Solutions for Secondary Containment

In response government regulations and eco friendly incentives, more and more facilities are finding new ways to go green. It’s always a good idea to stay in line with Uncle Sam, but facility owners and operators often discover that protecting the environment also delivers worthwhile ROI. Win win.

Back in 2007, the EPA introduced the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Regulations that require facilities with large amount of oil storage (1,320+ gallons aboveground, 42,000+ gallons underground) to have a written plan addressing how it will prevent and/or respond to oil spills.

This makes sense. Oil products pose a threat to the environment and our safety if accidentally spilled or leaked into soil, ground water, or surface water.

SPCC regulations apply to facilities that handle “petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, oil mixed with wastes, fats, greases, and vegetable oils,” and I’m sure these preventative measures come as no surprise to those involved in oil-related industries.

The good news—the EPA doesn’t specify the means by which facilities must control spills. Rather, the regulations afford facility owners and operators the autonomy to decide how they will comply and to determine the best methods for their facility.

The bad news—the EPA doesn’t specify the means by which facilities must control spills, which means owners and operators are on their own in devising a plan. All the EPA asks is that the methods align with accepted “good engineering practices,” and in some cases be certified by a Professional Engineer (PE). Pretty vague.

The SPCC report does suggest using containers suitable for flammable liquids, installing overflow alarms or vents, and constructing secondary containment areas.

Secondary containment areas are common solutions in the oil industry as they connect to bulk storage and can handle any accidental overflow. They are not infallible, however. The EPA recommends that pipes and containers be periodically inspected.

For additional spill protection, facilities should reinforce containment walls. SolarShell fiberglass laminate does just that—soft SolarShell sheets conform to the shape of the containment area, bonds with steel or concrete walls, and cures into an impenetrable shell that will prevent potential leaks and spills.

If secondary containment is a part of your facility’s spill prevention plan, consider reinforcing the area with laminate. In the oil industry, owners and operators can never be too careful. According to the EPA, a single gallon of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water, damaging both the environment and a company’s pocketbook.

What else can your facility do to enhance existing preventative measures?

March 13, 2012 by Kendal White

See it to Believe it: The Benefits of Thermal Imaging

When thinking about energy output in a manufacturing plant, it’s natural to go to the lights and the HVAC. This makes sense since these are typically the top energy expenditures, but it’s a plant’s machines that devour more energy than all other utilities combined. That’s right, machines consume about 60% of total energy costs. How do we know this? Well, government agencies and other entities provide plenty of studies and statistics for us to read over, but why not see the energy output for yourself?

Thermography is more than fancy spy gear for secret agents to expose hidden enemies—it has a wide range of commercial and industrial applications for those of us in the real world as well. For manufacturers, thermal imaging allows you to visually track the amount and consistency of heat emitted by your equipment. With a thermal camera, you can compare the output of the different heat sources (even those not-so-easy-to-access heat sources) in your facility from a comfortable distance. This way you can find defects in shafts and pipes and locate deteriorating components before they fail.

Equipped with a thermal picture (a thermogram, in case you want to sound technical), you can easily spot the energy hogs highlighted in yellow, orange, and red—so you know exactly what areas to target as you take steps to reduce your energy costs.

Thermal Imaging

Immediately you’ll see your machines light up hot—as they should, that’s how they work. But most likely they don’t need to be operating that hot or emitting as much heat as they do.

The good news? Machines represent your greatest opportunity to conserve energy. Instead of idling, consider powering down equipment during non-peak hours, make sure motors are working as efficiently as possible, and insulate, insulate, insulate. The ROI is remarkable—insulation saves an average of $164 per machine per month. See what thermal imaging reveals so you can start saving.

February 28, 2012 by Kendal White

Why Induction Heat is Super Efficient

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! It’s not up in the sky, it’s…unbelievably efficient induction heat technology!

Ok, maybe I sound a little fanatical, but if you’ve never seen induction heaters in action, I seriously recommended you watch some induction heating demos. These videos will blow your mind. You’ll see metal wires melt, aluminum cans explode, and ice cubes set ablaze—before they even have a chance to melt!

What is induction heat?
Induction is a heating method, but unlike conduction or convection heating methods, it doesn’t require a transfer medium. The inductor itself can be a simple-looking strip of coiled metal (precisely designed to optimize the magnetic field and alternating currents), and the magic is, the inductor never touches what it’s heating, and it never gets too hot to handle with bare hands. I won’t get into the physics of it all, but if you’re interested in how induction heating works, see inductionatmostpheres.com. Basically, induction heat uses radio frequencies, and that’s how it can work sans transfer medium—heat is “induced” by the circulating electrical currents.

The shift toward lean manufacturing and the emphasis on better quality control have led to the rebirth of induction technology and the development of precisely controlled, solid-state induction power supplies.

How can induction heat benefit manufacturers?
For most industrial applications, induction heating offers significant advantages over traditional heating methods—the fast, accurate, and consistent heat transfer reduces energy consumption and creates a safer working environment.

Companies like Ford, John Deere, GM, Cat, Volkswagen, and BMW have already implemented induction heat into their manufacturing processes. Most manufacturers that switch over to induction technology report a decrease in their utility bills. Why is this? Because induction is a highly efficient means of heating that requires less energy to do the same job as, say, a heater band, which is constantly losing energy and reheating.

In fact, uninsulated heater bands are only 30-70% efficient and have a limited lifespan because they must stay hot to operate. Induction heaters, on the other hand, are typically 95% efficient and don’t emit excess energy. Even better, insulated induction heaters can reduce ambient energy loss by 98%.

How can you use induction heat to make your manufacturing process more efficient? If you haven’t already, start thinking about this innovative heating method, and stay tuned for the latest in energy efficient technology.

February 21, 2012 by Kendal White

The Best Ways for Manufacturers to Save Energy: Surveying the Site

Who doesn’t want to save energy? Now more than ever, we are all looking for ways to cut back—we turn down the lights and turn off the thermostat, we run the dishwasher less and take shorter showers—hoping to save some money on the monthly energy bill.

But when you run a large manufacturing plant, the task of saving energy may be a bit more daunting. Before you can start conserving energy, you have to know where the most energy is being consumed and what the best opportunities are for reducing high-energy output.

Knowledge is power, so we’ve put together a simple site survey checklist to help managers get well acquainted with their plant’s energy output. According to the Energy in Plastics Good Practice Guide, you should carry out an initial survey immediately because “if energy is being wasted, it is costing money.” A 20% cut in energy costs can equal the same bottom line benefit as a 5% increase in sales.

It’s also a good idea to take an unannounced walk around the site at about mid-shift to see how things are running during normal working hours.

What to look for during an initial walk through
Keep a close eye on the machines. Machines consume about 60% of energy costs. Yikes. But think of it this way—here lies your greatest opportunity for energy savings.

As you survey the site, keep these questions in mind:

Which areas have the largest energy load? Look for the largest machines; they will have the largest motors and consume the most energy.
Which motors are running? Would smaller motors be more efficient? Could they be turned off during non-peak hours?
Are machines well insulated? Is the insulation in good condition?
Are hot and cold pipes insulated? Is the insulation in good condition?
Which cooling water pumps and vacuum pumps are running?
Does compressed air pressure need to be so high, or the vacuum so low? Can you hear steam and compressed air leaks?
Are lights and machine heaters left on? What is running during lunch breaks and and after working hours?

With a better understanding of where unnecessary energy output occurs, you can now take productive steps to decrease it. Don’t wait—conduct your site survey today to start saving energy and increase that bottom line!

*Statistics from European Best Practice Guide.

February 14, 2012 by Kendal White

More Energy Rebates for More States

We recently wrote about energy rebates and incentive programs offered in Michigan to manufacturers who take action to save energy. Well, we have more good news. Duke Energy’s Smart $aver Incentive Program now offers businesses in Kentucky, Ohio, and North and South Carolina energy rebates for installing equipment such as high-efficiency lighting and HVAC pumps.

Energy rebates in Kentucky, Ohio, North and South Carolina
Duke Energy’s Super $aver program is designed to help businesses offset up-front costs, shorten payback periods, and improve their bottom line by reducing energy output. Companies can qualify for different Super $aver incentives based on their type of equipment—Duke Energy offers incentives for lighting, thermal storage, premium motors, process equipment, and many more.

In addition to providing a list of prescriptive incentives, Duke Energy also offers a Smart $aver Custom Incentive Program to its commercial and industrial energy customers.

Ask your account manager about how to enroll in a Smart $aver Program. And remember, UniTherm offers insulation jackets to keep your equipment insulated and efficient. Be sure to explore all avenues of energy efficiency.

Live in one of the other 46 states?
EnergySavvy.com is a great resource that lets you search for energy rebates and incentive programs in your area.

Check back soon for more energy incentive updates.

October 19, 2011 by Kendal White

Machine Safety: There is a Return on Your Investment

According to OSHA six million workers suffer non-fatal injuries every year in the US – costing businesses over $125 billion. Despite this number, some safety professionals and risk managers still struggle to justify investments in safety programs, training, and assets.

Calculating the ROI (return on investment) for safety is possible, and Liberty Mutual and the American Society of Safety Engineers calculate that on average the ROI for for safety programs is between $3 – $5 for every $1 spent. For most safety personnel the question is not so much is there a true ROI – but how to calculate it. Rockwell Automation’s Proving the Value of Safety whitepaper by Lyle Masimore details the steps to follow to create a safety investment analysis for your organization. [Read more…]

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