Manufacturing Matters: 5/11 Weekly Wrap Up

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The New York Times reports that manufacturing is “one of the few bright spot of the recovery, restoring 489,000 jobs since the beginning of 2010.” The article also describes geographic distinctions in growth, with half of the most manufacturing-specialized metropolitans now located in the Midwest.

Plastics News reports that in California a controversial pro-plastics lesson has been removed from a new statewide curriculum on the environment. After the EPA looked over the proposed curriculum, the section titled “Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags” was replaced with recycling statistics in an 11th grade textbook.

image from flickr


ICIS News announces that researchers at technology company Siemens have developed an alternative to ABS plastic. The new material—made with 70% renewable content—is the result of a three-year project funded by the German Research Ministry and was successfully used to make a vacuum cleaner cover.

image from icis.com


GreenBiz examines the Sustainability Leadership List, which recognizes environmentally-conscious companies each year. But because some criticize the results, they also discuss plans for the Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings that would develop a standardized method of measuring and ranking sustainability performance.

Plastics Today recognizes Dignity Health, the founding sponsor of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, as one of the first hospital groups in the country to start using pigment-free patient plastics. This California-based healthcare organization is a leader in sustainability efforts to reduce hospitals’ impact on the environment by adopting innovative alternatives.

 

Filed Under: Manufacturing, Plastics Industry Tagged With: , , ,

Smart Grids: Bringing Utility Systems into the 21st Century.

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What is a smart grid?
Just as smart phones have evolved into multi-purpose devices that support a wide range of applications, smart grids have become a way to computerize the electric utility grid and better manage the increasing energy needs of 21st century consumers.

The “grid” encompasses all the networks that carry electricity from the plant where it is generated to the homes and office buildings where we consume it. Smartgrid.gov refers to our current grid as an “aging infrastructure” set up to handle only simple energy demands.

For the past 100 years, utility workers have had to go out to gather much of the data needed to provide electricity — reading meters, looking for broken equipment, measuring voltage, and so on. And most of the devices utilities use to deliver and manage electricity rely on manual or analog systems. Now, the electricity industry is taking great strides to modernize the process.

A smart grid system digitizes data collection and also acts on information about consumer behavior — similar to the way Google learns your online searching habits and Netflix knows your movie preferences. Each device on the network has hi-tech sensors to gather data and automation technology that allows the utility company to adjust and control each individual device or millions of devices from a central location.

In addition, a smart grid system can

  • Detect faults and isolate outages
  • Restore electricity quickly and strategically after power disturbances
  • Reduce management costs for utilities, lowering power costs for consumers
  • Reduce peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates
  • Enable active participation by consumers in demand response
  • Integrate large-scale renewable energy systems
  • Integrate customer-owner power generation systems
  • Operate resiliently against physical and cyber attack

Who supports the smart grid?
In 2007, Congress passes the Energy Independence and Security Act, which supports the DOE in leading and coordinating a national grid system. Such a system would involve upgrading the current system or replacing it altogether. Smartgrid.gov advocates that a modern grid be constructed “from the bottom up to handle the groundswell of digital and computerized equipment and technology dependent on it.”

In 2009, the Obama administration allocated $3.4 billion in grants as part of a stimulus package to help utilities develop and implement technologies such as smart meters, digital transformers, and automated power monitoring and management systems.

We have seen smart grids deployed on a smaller scale in cities like Austin (2003) and Boulder (2008), and several areas in Europe and Canada are currently working towards large-scale smart grid systems.

Smart grids are designed to give consumers more control over their energy use. Imagine monitoring and managing electricity just as you do your bank account. Smart grids will provide a clear and timely picture of how much electricity you use and when it costs the most to run.

To learn more, download the DOE’s Smart Grid System Report, and check out unitherm.com for more ways to take control over your energy expenses.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Evolution of Insulation

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As we grow more aware of our environmental impact—and as utility bills grow more costly—energy efficiency becomes a central concern in construction projects and building updates. LEED certifications set efficient buildings apart from the rest. Pink attic insulation doesn’t quite cut it anymore.

Natural Insulation
Although it’s a hot topic now, energy efficiency—insulation in particular—is nothing new. Since the beginning of time, the Earth and its inhabitants have found remarkable ways to regulate temperature. Atmospheric gases gather in the ozone layer, water surrounds land, mammals grow fur and store body fat, birds are born with feathers, and early on, humans discovered heat-trapping material like wool.

We have always put extra effort into shielding ourselves from the elements. Early humans built their homes out of natural insulators like grass, leaves, straw, mud, ice, and mountainsides. And landscaping wasn’t always about aesthetics—trees planted near houses provided precious shade and insulation.

While keeping extreme temperatures out, people also came up with ways to generate heat within. Some buildings in the Roman Empire and ancient Korea used empty spaces in floors and walls to conduct air heated by furnaces. By 1700, Russian engineers began developing water-based systems to circulate heat.

Synthetic Insulation
With the advent of modern heating systems came the need for better insulators. After all, gas and electric systems don’t come cheap like heat from a wood-burning furnace, and they create conditions that need to be regulated in order to work properly.

In 1930, Dale Kleist, a researcher at the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, made one of those lucky mistakes that so often leads to a monumental discovery. While trying to seal two plates of glass together, he accidentally shredded the glass into tiny fibers with a high-pressure air hose. Thus, fiberglass was born and soon found its most common form in blanket insulation.

Meanwhile, manufacturers began to realize the benefit of insulating not just their buildings but their heat sources as well. This helped protect workers and equipment, save energy, and improve overall efficiency.

Custom Insulation
We’ve come a long way since adobe huts and igloos. Today, engineers use R-values (the measure of thermal resistance) to quantify and compare the insulating capability of different materials. In this way, they can combine the most effective insulators and create premium insulation.

Visit unitherm.com to learn more about custom insulation systems.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Manufacturing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Opportunities for Greater Efficiency in Custom Molding

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As more and more manufacturers see significant energy savings after insulating their machines, insulation jackets are becoming priority number one in many energy management strategies.

UniTherm has been supplying insulation jackets in the plastics industry for over 30 years, and with each new product and custom service, UniTherm strives to address a specific processing need. With this innovative mentality, UniTherm can provide opportunities for greater efficiency, as it has with its new product called QuickCool.

QuickCool is an insulation jacket with an additional feature—it is designed to open easily so that machines can quickly cool as they are prepared for different processes. QuickCool wraps completely around the barrel and insulates as well as UniTherm’s other jackets, but it has high-temperature straps on the inside to hold it in place while the top flap opens to release heat when necessary. Otherwise, the top flap velcros tightly to the rest of the jacket to keep machines working at high efficiency with minimal heat loss. This way, barrels and heater bands are always easily accessible without having to remove the entire jacket, and machines can reach and maintain different desired temperatures as needed.

QuickCool closed to insulate

QuickCool open to release heat

 

Barbara Arnold-Feret, custom molding expert and new addition to UniTherm’s sales team, calls QuickCool a “flexibility enhancer.” QuickCool, she explains, “offers all the advantages of insulation along with the ability to change temperatures quickly. It allows great flexibility for molders looking to cool their machines for whatever reason, including material changes.” No longer do custom molders need to worry about insulation encumbering their access to the machines or their ability to switch processes involving different materials. “It is especially convenient when working with polyolefins and perfect for molders that make a little of everything,” says Barbara.

In fact, a custom molder with 3,000 molds running short runs with PolyPro and ABS installed QuickCool blankets on its machines and found that the product allowed them to cool from 550˚F to 350˚F in the time it took to change the mold.

UniTherm has been supplying insulation for over 30 years, and the Research and Development team continues to explore new energy-efficient solutions. They are excited to offer a product that will not only save energy but also adapt to the alternating processes in custom molding.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Plastics Industry Tagged With: , , , , ,

Manufacturing Matters: 5/4 Weekly Wrap Up

May 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Another great week ripe with industry news. Here are the highlights:

Plastics News reports that the shortage of nylon 12 has led the auto industry to seek alternatives resins to use in fuel lines, connectors, tubes, and other key components. Molders and resin makers have offered a variety of possible alternatives, and automakers have established a system to begin testing.

The Huffington Post addresses the current the job market as US Congressional Candidate Stacey Lawson proposes a plan for creating jobs and rebuilding our middle class. Lawson stresses that we can by reclaim the American dream by “restoring the high-wage jobs that are the foundation of a sustainable economic recovery,” and she lays out 7 priorities to help us get there.

Clean Technica overviews the Department of Energy’s voluntary energy savings specifications designed to help building owners, operators, and manufacturers develop minimum performance requirements. The DOE recently released new specifications for lighting troffers and parking lot lighting, which could reduce energy use by 40%.

fluorescent-lights

image from cleantechnica.com

Industry Intelligence announces a new compostable bioplastic film that extends the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by up to five days. The new film, developed by Sira-Flex Resolve, creates an ideal atmosphere to better preserve stored food.

fruits and vegetables in produce isle

image from flickr, courtesy of I-5 Design & Manufacture

And in a free webinar, Design World discusses how Design for Manufacturability (DDM) eliminates many restraints associated with conventional manufacturing. The webinar examines how DDM can create plastic parts, layer-by-layer without machining, molding, or casting.

If you like the Weekly Wrap Up, follow our blog to receive more updates and industry news every Friday.

Filed Under: Manufacturing, Plastics Industry Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

How to Conduct an Energy Study at your Facility

May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

It’s true. We offer a lot of general advice about how manufactures can save energy, and we have a great deal of data showing the results of different energy-saving strategies, but each facility operates differently, and in most cases, energy plans must be tailored to fit the facility. Your measurements govern how you manage and guide your strategic course of action.

That’s why DIY approaches are so beneficial for facility owners and managers—they offer adaptable tools that bring you closer to remedying a problem or operating more efficiently.

We can all agree that energy prices are high and machines consume huge amounts of energy, ergo operating machines is an enormous expense (the third largest, behind materials and labor, to be exact). But let’s take a step back. Before you seek out solutions, it’s important to know exactly how much energy the machines in your facility are consuming.

That’s where the Power Sight PS 2500 comes in to play. Experts at your energy company use this handheld meter to measure and log energy output. But if you don’t want to hire a professional, you can easily do it yourself. Here’s how:

  1. Connect the PS2500 to your computer via Bluetooth. This will allow you connect wirelessly, install Power Sight software, and sync the PS2500 with your computer.
  2. Check the settings in the electrical panel. Identify the relays, the power source supplying them, and the direction of power to ensure accurate measurements.
  3. Connect the PS2500 to the machine using the voltage, amperage, and natural clamps. When all three are attached, the machine will connect to the computer.
  4. Run the test. Initiate the test using the keys on the PS2500. Data logging parameters can be set within the software. The meter will measure and log energy output until you discontinue the study. You can use the Remote Control option and control the meter completely from your computer.
  5. Create a report. Save the data uploaded your computer, and the Power Sight software will generate a report. From there you can compare, summarize or compile the data as you like.

image from summittechnology.com

 

Armed with facility-specific data about energy consumption, you can take an active approach to managing your energy costs. Like the idea, but bogged down with a countless other to-dos? Click here for a customized energy report from UniTherm.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Join the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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 Challenge

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

  1. Assess your building portfolio to determine energy efficiency opportunities and publicly pledge an organization-wide energy savings goal for the next 2-5 years.
  2. Announce and initiate a showcase project on 1 facility (retrofit, retro commissioning) and develop an organization-wide plan to achieve your energy savings goal.
  3. 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.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Manufacturing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Manufacturing Matters: 4/23 Weekly Wrap Up

April 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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 20thcentury assembly lines.

The third industrial revolution

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.

Engineering a Safer World

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.

milk bottles

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.

Filed Under: Manufacturing, Plastics Industry Tagged With: , , , ,

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

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“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 8th 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.

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Manufacturing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Exciting Awards at NPE 2012

April 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every three years, the world’s largest plastics expo, NPE, brings together the industry’s biggest names and brightest minds. This year’s  week-long event  featured 2,000 plastics suppliers on a one million square foot showroom floor and hosted design competitions, conferences, award ceremonies, and other exciting events.

A well-known organization for industry members, the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), gives annual mold maker awards to innovators who stand out in plastics processing, and this year’s honorees were announced at NPE 2012 during the exposition’s premier technical conference ANTEC.

UniTherm’s own Barbara Arnold-Feret of Fort Worth received the Mold Designer of the Year award, and Robert Novak of Milwaukee received the Mold Maker of the Year award.

image from moldmakingtechnology.com

 

Barbara’s award is especially noteworthy because she is the first honoree whose career did not focus entirely on injection molding. A lifelong veteran of the plastics industry, Barbara has worked extensively in the design and manufacture of rotational molds and related tooling, and she continues to consult with processors to help improve operations throughout the industry.

UniTherm brought Barbara on board earlier this year to cover its expanding sales territory and is proud to announce her award. Her extensive industry experience and widespread network enable UniTherm to better serve plastics processors with energy-saving solutions.

We’ll be looking forward to next year’s innovators. Until then, follow our blog for other exciting industry news.

Filed Under: Plastics Industry, UniTherm News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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