As we discussed in our previous article, creating a sustainable manufacturing process is strategic for both environmental and financial reasons. All sustainable manufacturers have a common characteristic: an efficient process. To keep those processes running smoothly day after day, manufacturers need a robust plant maintenance program. Maintenance is an area that is easy to neglect, but it’s actually one of the most crucial pieces of the manufacturing sustainability puzzle.
Optimizing schedules and practices for plant maintenance has been proven to have a positive effect on operations costs and environmental impact. According to Schneider Electric, organizations that establish enterprise preventive and predictive maintenance programs find that maintenance costs can be reduced by more than 40 percent, while energy consumption drops by 10 percent. To discover the methods manufacturers have used to make their plant maintenance more sustainable, continue reading below.
Limit Cleaning Waste
In our current manufacturing environment, cleaning is absolutely essential to meeting industry regulations and creating faultless products. Equipment that isn’t cleaned properly is at risk for producing unreliable products, which is especially important in industries like pharmaceuticals. However, many manufacturing cleaning practices result in excessive water and chemical usage. Some manufacturers still choose to clean equipment by hand, which can be precise, but is also incredibly time-consuming. Other plants may use spray washers, which work quickly, but may not be very precise and tend to use more water than necessary. To conserve the most time and water, try using pressure washers for fine equipment details, and employ water cannons for larger pieces. As for cleaning agents, when possible, use a biodegradable cleaner. Chemical cleaners produce hazardous waste that is difficult to dispose of and harmful to the environment, and they’re typically not any less expensive than biodegradable options.
Repair Equipment
From time to time, your plant will inevitably experience equipment breakdowns. When possible, repair or refurbish equipment rather than purchasing brand-new machinery. Repairs can incur less than half the cost of a brand-new machine, so for smaller issues or solutions that will last for years, repairing is an especially economical decision. Plus, repairs can be done relatively quickly, while ordering new equipment may take weeks, leaving your facility operating at a less-than-optimal level. If you can’t repair the machinery, consider donating it to a trade association or educational facility instead of scrapping it. According to the EPA, repairing or reusing equipment will save nonrenewable resources, conserve energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower pollution.
Plan for Preventive Maintenance
When your manufacturing equipment unexpectedly breaks down in the middle of the production process, your plant is faced with an extensive amount of waste. The unfinished materials may need to be discarded, and subsequent processes will be delayed, resulting in less output and higher changeover times. Every minute spent rectifying the situation creates more waste. To avoid this issue, it’s essential to schedule time for regular preventive maintenance on equipment.
Effective preventive maintenance practices can cut costs and lower your overall plant waste levels. When creating your preventive plan, consult the equipment’s manufacturer to find out which machines will benefit from regular maintenance checks. Be sure to check on the appropriate frequency and find out how long it will take your team will need to perform the maintenance. With these details finalized, you can block out time for regular maintenance in your plant schedule. Ideally, preventive maintenance is best performed when the downtime will present minimal disruption to the rest of your processes.
For further sustainability, your plant may consider optimizing its entire manufacturing schedule to find the most efficient production process and identify the best time to shut down for maintenance. VirtECS manufacturing planning and scheduling software can deliver a wide range of capabilities to address these types of challenging production constraints. To receive more information on our planning & scheduling software, simply fill out the contact form below.
