UKM-AUT23-PG06+07_Layout 1 17/08/2023 13:50 Page 6


COVER STORY


QUICK WINS TO REDUCE COMPRESSED AIR USE


Andy Macpherson from Festo, looks at quick sustainability wins that can be easily implemented to help quickly reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency on a plant floor.


manufacturers advocate that the way to


achieve CO2 reduction and hit sustainability goals is a simple matter of replacing pneumatics with electric drives, but this is an over-simplification of the reality facing machine builders and operators. Achieving carbon neutrality is a complex process, but investing time in the optimal selection and operation of pneumatic systems can deliver significant sustainability wins, reducing energy consumption, reducing waste, and driving down costs. Working for Festo, a manufacturer with roots in pneumatics but today focusing more and more on electric drive technology, I can take a step back and take a balanced view of improving energy efficiency in production machinery.


D


espite years of publicity, many manufacturers still waste so much money through the poor use of compressed air. Some electric drive


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Autumn 2023 UKManufacturing


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