Green Manufacturing

{draw:frame} By: Latasha Jenkins March 10, 2009 Operations and Production Management (MGMT 403) Dr. Garsombke Abstract Green Manufacturing is a method of manufacturing that minimizes waste and pollution achieved through product and process design. It is also a method that supports and sustains a renewable way of producing products and/or services that do no harm to you or the environment. Green Manufacturing goals are to conserve natural resources for future generations. The benefit of Green Manufacturing is to create a great reputation to the public, saves useless cost, and promotes research and design. Green manufacturing has several processes to go through to keep our environment clean. Companies move from traditional end-of-pipe control new technologies. There are many manufactures that are continuously competing against each other. The manufacturing industry has become a very competitive industry. Because of increasing competition, the manufacturing companies have begun to create different ways to produce products. One of the “new and improved” methods of manufacturing is called green manufacturing. Green Manufacturing “involves the smart design of products, processes, systems, organizations, and the implementation of smart management strategies, that effectively harness technology and ideas, to avoid environmental problems before they arise” (National Academy of Engineering, 1997). In other words, companies are making “cleaner processes and products” to better the environment (Cattanach, 1995). The different hazards and wastes that are produced during manufacturing represent money that is lost and liability risks that are unnecessary. The elimination of these two factors will, in turn, increase consumer demand for green products, and the corporation will gain an advantage in the competing market because of your cleaner products. Introduction Green manufacturing is the name given to the process of reducing the consumption of energy and using

Cited: Hazardous Waste Minimization Actions Percent of All Actions Waste Minimization Action Changed to aqueous cleaners (N = 81,547 waste minimization actions)_ Source: Tabulations from 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1995 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Biennial Reporting System databases. Choosing Green Manufacturing Options The third step is generating options to reduce these non-product outputs at their origin. These options fall into five general categories: product changes, process changes, input changes, increased internal re-use of wastes, and better housekeeping. The fourth step is to pragmatically evaluate the options for their environmental advantage, technical feasibility, economic sufficiency, and employee acceptability. (Makower 1993) Potential Green Manufacturing Options Many major production process changes fall into the following categories: (1) changing dependence on human intervention, (2) use of a continuous instead of a batch process, (3) changing the nature of the steps in the production process, (4) eliminating steps in the production process, and (5) changing cleaning processes. (Makower 1993) Production dependent on active human intervention has a significant failure rate. This may lead to various problems, ranging from off-specification products to major accidents. A strategy that can reduce the dependence of production processes on active human intervention is having machines take over parts of what humans used to do. Automated process control, robots used for welding purposes, and numerically controlled cutting tools all may reduce wastes. (Makower 1993) With respect to using a continuous, rather than batch, process, the former consistently causes less environmental impact than the latter. This is due to the reduction of residuals in the production machinery and thus the reduced need for cleaning, and better opportunities for process control, allowing for improved resource and energy efficiency and decreasing off-specification products. There are, however, opportunities for environmentally improved technology in batch processes. For chemical batch processes, for instance, the main waste prevention methods are (1) eliminate or minimize unwanted byproducts, possibly by changing reactants, processes, or equipment; (2) recycle the solvents used in reactions and extractions; and (3) recycle excess reactants. Furthermore, careful design and well-planned use can also minimize residuals to be cleaned away when batch processes are involved. (Todd 1994) Eliminating steps in the production process may prevent wastes because each step typically creates wastes. For example, facilities have developed processes that eliminated several painting steps. These cut costs and reduce the paint used and thus emissions and waste. In the chemical industry, there is a trend to eliminate neutralization steps which generate waste salts as byproducts. This is mainly achieved by using a more selective type of synthesis. (Lawerence 1995) Go Green. What does going Green mean? The concept derives from using eco-friendly products that help reduce or eliminate waste and harmful discharges. Green is EVERYWHERE; both in our homes and within our businesses (Holjeron 1). Increased awareness has reached mesmerizing heights. Energy saving and green products representing all sectors have been infinite through TV campaigns, radio spots, newspapers and magazines and are being proudly displayed at many industry shows and trade conferences. Three R 's of Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Improving the environment and your health using Three R 's of Going Green, Reduce or prevent waste to reduce greenhouse gases by using less and throwing away less. Reuse productsby giving them to other people who want or need them instead of throwing them away. Recycle items made of materials such as glass, metal, plastic, or paper. (Todd 1994) What It Means to "Go Green" and "Live Green" Reducing or preventing waste, reusing products, and recycling items are important ways to go green and live green. Going green and living green means changing our lifestyles to protect the environment in ways that also protect our health. (Todd 1994) Going green, global climate change and healthy community design are all linked to having a healthier life. Going green reduces greenhouse gases released into the environment from burning fossil fuels and decomposing waste. Scientists think greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are a primary contributor to global climate change, which can harm people 's health. For example, climate change can produce severe weather, floods, and heat waves that injure people or make them sick. (Todd 1994) Also, greenhouse gases in the air we breathe can interact with sunlight and create ozone. Ozone along with soot particles from burning fossil fuels, which is called "particulate matter," are two of the main things in polluted air that can cause people to have breathing problems such as asthma. So when we go green to reduce greenhouse gases released into the environment, we are helping avoid health effects related to climate change and air pollution. Green Manufacturing Product Lifecycle Management: (Green Vivotek 2008) {draw:frame} Manufacturing: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Distribution: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Customer: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} End of Life: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Companies Going Green Toyota Dell Dell has decided to become the first company to announce their plans of fighting global warming. Dell’s CEO Michael Dell introduces a new green product call Dell’s greenest PC. The unnamed mini-desktop is the smallest and most eco-friendly consumer desktop the company has yet released. Earth2Tech has few pictures of the bamboo covered PC, which is said to be 80 percent smaller than a standard mini-tower desktop, and 70 percent less energy consuming too. The company said the green PC will be shipped in recycled and recyclable packaging when it goes on sale later this year. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but is likely to range between $500 and $700. (DHCG 2008) Wal-Mart Wal-Mart has introduced a new way of going green, they going to use reusable bag. The world 's largest retailer has unveiled numerous "green" products over the last few years, and now the company is trying to cut down on the use of plastic bags. "As a company, we 've actually made a commitment to reduce our plastic bag waste by a third by 2013", said Matt Kistler, Wal-Mart 's Senior Vice President for Sustainability. (Nexstar Green 2008) The company plans to achieve its goal by selling reusable bags. Thousands are already on display in stores cross the country. They only cost one dollar a piece and a new cheaper model is expected to be released next month in Arkansas. "Hopefully this will give the consumer a more affordable way to get involved in becoming more sustainable and reduce that bag waste, that as shoppers and people on the earth, we deal with today", Kistler added. (Nexstar Green 2008) Conclusions Green manufacturing changes are not easy and they may not represent an economic benefit in the beginning but as shown they do represent a good long-term investment. (Cimalore 2007) Green manufacturing also looks for the conservation of resources and reduction of waste. Thus, PLM can support green manufacturing procedures by tightly integrating such practices into the lifecycle of a product and yielding environmentally friendly productions. (Cimalore 2007) The environmentally-friendly practices seen in companies indicate green manufacturing is already a very actively pursued objective. However, to compete in a global world and to comply with the many environmental protection regulations and standards is not easy. The information core of the PLM cycle helps to lessen this burden by capturing information and storing it for use by all stages of a product’s life. This simultaneously leads to competitive advantages and environmental friendliness. 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