Energy efficiency analysis for a casting production system

A growing number of manufacturing industries are initiating efforts to address sustainability issues. A study by the National Association of Manufacturers indicated that the manufacturing sector currently accounts for over a third of all energy consumed in the United States. There are many areas and opportunities to reduce energy costs and pollution emissions within a manufacturing facility. One way to achieve an energy efficient manufacturing system is to measure and evaluate the combined impact of process energy from manufacturing operations, their resources (e.g., plant floor equipment), and facility energy from building services (e.g., ventilation, lighting). In this paper, issues associated with integrating production system, process energy, and facility energy to improve manufacturing sustainability are explored. A modeling and simulation case study of analyzing energy consumption in a precision casting operation is discussed.