Feature Energy management Stay ahead with shop floor efficiency


Mark Ashurst, business development manager at Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies, urges UK manufacturers to look at the potential savings achievable on their factory floors to help them remain competitive


uring challenging times, cutting costs will be at the fore for most businesses. For those in the manufacturing and process industries, there are some simple mea- sures that should be investigated to ensure optimum energy and opera- tional efficiency during processes. It is also worth considering that recent research from energy company npower, revealed major energy users including manufacturers, place energy as the greatest business risk they face. This highlights just how important it is to ensure energy is managed effec- tively throughout a business.


D Transparency


The starting point for any energy effi- ciency improvements is transparency. Manufacturers should ensure they know where energy is being used and how? Only with an accurate picture of exact consumption, can areas for sav- ings be identified.


Once this information has been col- lated, it is important for manufacturers to evaluate the cost-savings achievable through potential improvements. This will allow realistic parameters to be established in terms of enhancements and will also ensure the correct infor- mation can be delivered to the board to sign-off any investment required.


Maximising motor efficiency The introduction of a raft of govern- ment directives has sparked a marked shift in the low voltage AC motor industry over the last 10 years. As the mandatory efficiency levels for motors have increased, all industries can ben- efit from improved motor efficiency leading to a reduction in energy costs.


There are around 20 million indus- trial motors in service around the world, and these are responsible for two-thirds of the power consumed by industry. It is clear there are signifi- cant savings to be had from ensuring maximum efficiency of motors. It is essential that manufacturers do not overlook the energy consumption reductions and therefore cost reduc- tions, achievable through the motors on site. By ensuring sites use motors of IE2 and above, manufacturers can have a tangible effect on reducing their energy consumption.


Siemens motor scrappage scheme, which ran until the end of 2011 aimed to aid industry in achieving energy savings by upgrading motors.


Driving up savings


Manufacturers should also pay atten- tion to the complete drive train on site. We have estimated that manufacturers can achieve savings of around 60 per cent by utilising variable speed drives on certain applications, particularly where regenerative loads are present such as winders and high bay racking systems. Our most recent research sug- gests that optimising all drive-trains globally to use less power, could cut carbon emissions by as much as 57 million tonnes a year in addition to boosting productivity. For manufactur- ers looking to keep a tight rein on costs and boost their reputation by becom- ing more energy efficient, this is an area that warrants significant focus due to the benefits they stand to gain on a financial and reputational basis. Many manufacturing sites have extraction fans or pumps that are direct online. These often run at a


Mark Ashurst of Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies is urging UK manufac- turers to make savings on the shop floor


Maximising motor efficiency is one way to achieve savings on the factory floor


fixed speed with 100 per cent power, the flow rate being controlled by mechanical means. However,


by


removing the existing DOL contactor and replacing it with a variable speed drive, manufacturers can control the speed of the motor on the pump or fan. This means they can improve their con- trol of the flow of either air or water, for example, and adjust it to meet the needs of the application. Many applica- tions of pumps and fans can run effec- tively at 80 per cent speed, achieving significant energy savings, since the power required/ utilised falls off with the cube of the speed.


Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies T: 0845 7705070 www.siemens.co.uk/ automation Enter 301


Online and mobile application energy-saving calculators A


new tool from Rockwell Automation allows manufacturers to use mobile devices or computers to calculate potential savings derived from variable frequency drives to power pumps and fans. Manufacturers can use the online energy savings calculator or download the free mobile application to their iPad, iPhone, Blackberry or Android systems. With this new tool, users can compare conventional methods, such as valves for pump control and dampers for fan


control, to variable frequency drives and see estimated cost savings of installing an Allen-Bradley PowerFlex drive. The tool offers two ways to calculate energy consumption. Users can enter the minimum pump or flow percentages, annual operating hours, cost per kilowatt and other information about their own factory, or use the sample data provided by Rockwell Automation built into the tool. Doug Weber, Rockwell Automation business development manager, says: “Now manufacturers can quickly and easily plug in information about their own systems to discover energy-saving opportunities, often the first step in pursuing them.” Rockwell Automation T: 0870 242 5000


www.rockwellenergycalc.com 6 Enter 302


Streamlining for savings The most tangible energy savings are achieved when the process is viewed holistically. Individual improvements of components will provide savings, but for comprehensive and noticeable energy and operational efficiency sav- ings, streamlining processes and adopting a totally integrated auto- mated approach, will make a real dif- ference. The process must include identification of the areas for savings, evaluation of the amounts that can be achieved, and realisation using innov- ative automation products. Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) available from Siemens IA&DT ensures manufacturers can analyse energy flows effectively throughout processes, accurately determine cost-saving potential at all levels of production and process automation and access prod- ucts and systems which actually reduce energy demand.


Remaining competitive


In these challenging economic times, manufacturers would be well-advised to look to measures they can imple- ment on the production line and factory floor to reduce their energy consumption, increase their opera- tional efficiency and ultimately, remain competitive.


JANUARY 2012 Factory Equipment


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