A case study analysis of energy savings achieved through behavioural change and social feedback on manufacturing machines

John Cosgrove, Frank Doyle, Bart van den Broek

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Energy consumption in industry, particularly in manufacturing SMEs, continues to be inefficient with identifiable waste electrical consumption in machines and associated technical services. Holistic approaches to energy management that engage both the owners and the operators of a process are needed to drive progress. This research shows that there is value in energy and resource optimisation and productivity to be gained in a manufacturing company through engaging with machine operators, providing live performance feedback and authorising local control of machine operations. This research investigated visible feedback mechanisms, including factual and social displays, in a limited industrial experiment in a manufacturing SME to demonstrate potential energy savings from changes in practice. Factual feedback on a set of milling machines is shown to provide savings of 2.9% of total energy consumption, and social feedback based on machine threshold levels is shown to deliver savings of 5.1% of total energy consumption. An additional non-energy benefit (NEB) of a 7.9% improvement in productivity was also observed. The research highlights the importance of identifying auxiliary (non-value added) energy use within production, such as idle energy consumption in machines, as an area with potential for significant reductions through low-cost changes in operational behaviour and procedures.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSustainable Design and Manufacturing 2019 - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing KES-SDM 19
EditorsPeter Ball, Luisa Huaccho Huatuco, Robert J. Howlett, Rossi Setchi
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages323-337
Number of pages15
ISBN (Print)9789811392702
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019
Event6th KES International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing, KES-SDM 2019 - Budapest, Hungary
Duration: 4 Jun 20195 Jun 2019

Publication series

NameSmart Innovation, Systems and Technologies
Volume155
ISSN (Print)2190-3018
ISSN (Electronic)2190-3026

Conference

Conference6th KES International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing, KES-SDM 2019
Country/TerritoryHungary
CityBudapest
Period4/06/195/06/19

Keywords

  • Auxiliary energy reduction
  • Industrial energy efficiency
  • Machine operators
  • Manufacturing machines
  • Social feedback

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