In a global push to go green, the race to leave a smaller carbon footprint is on, and physical products are at the forefront of the discussion. Engineers are designing cars and planes that are lighter, more aerodynamic, and more efficient than ever before. However, even if they are more visible, it is not just end-user products that make a difference. The behind-the-scenes manufacturing practices are just as important in sustainability.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the industrial sector accounted for 32% of all the energy consumption in the United States in 2019. While that number may seem high, without smart factories and automated processes, that percentage would be significantly higher.
Implementing Data Collection
The first step to increasing sustainability is discovering where the inefficiencies lie within a company’s manufacturing processes. Implementing data collection into already existing systems allows companies to have real-time information on the performance of machines and steps within production. These critical data points can assist management in making quick business decisions, but the information can also play a large role in identifying those inefficiencies and increasing sustainability.
For example, implementing data collection allows manufacturers to pinpoint wasted raw materials. This information alone can help a company drastically reduce waste and save money.
In addition, manufactures can also use real-time data to adjust systems to maximize efficiency and production output and reduce wasted energy output. When the amount of energy required to create a specific product is cut down, so is the overall environmental footprint.
Optimizing the performance of a machine used to be a difficult task, but collecting real-time data has never been easier. Complete Automation Resource specializes in acquiring production data from industrial machines regardless of the manufacturer. Our resources allow you to extract the critical data points that matter most to your business. Those data points can then be viewed from anywhere you need to be.
Long-Term Benefits to Sustainability
Sometimes becoming environmentally friendly is viewed as an expensive step to take in manufacturing, but implementing automated systems and creating smart factories doesn’t have to hurt the bottom line. When companies have a long-term focus, most sustainability efforts actually reduce costs and positively impact savings due to their nature of increasing efficiencies. An investment now can have a greater return in the future.
And while a long-term financial savings is a convincing reason to invest, energy savings and sustainability also look good to the public eye. By investing in your company and the environment, you can gain a competitive advantage to reaching new customers, and you may even increase your sales.
Your company doesn’t have to manage this alone. Complete Automation Resource is a leading integrator of automation solutions in Michigan, and they are ready to help your company create custom solutions for data collection, automations, and sustainability. Contact Complete Automation Resource to discover how your manufacturing can be made more sustainable.