As every business owner or manufacturer knows, efficiency is the key to higher profits and lower costs. Working to make your manufacturing process more efficient can save you money, time, and energy. Besides saving money, this can also help you to promote your eco-friendly business practices. Here are some of the areas to work on when you want to create a more streamlined manufacturing process.
Made to Order
First, you’ll need to determine where you can cut costs and energy waste, and one way to start is to analyze the best way to go about making products. Use software programs to help you with your efforts and cut down on the amount of waste that’s generated. For example, you may be able to run one line and create two products at the same time. This can be achieved through optimization metrics. What this means is that each product is designed with a reduced waste output in mind while still fulfilling the requirements of your clients.
Focus on Recyclables
Discarding all materials is wasteful and could be cutting into your profit margin. Reusing or reworking these discarded pieces is another way to improve your efficiency rating. By implementing an in-plant recycling schedule and plan, you’ll need to order less raw materials to create even more goods than was stated in your original budget forecast. Another source of recyclables could come from the waste products of other manufacturers. It’s cheaper and more efficient to develop a system that can be self-sustaining.
Be Energy Smart
There are always ways that you can work towards being more energy conscious. For example, installing industrial brick refractory coating could reduce your energy usage in your kilns and other manufacturing equipment by cutting the amount of heat that’s lost. Other solutions include looking to more green sources of energy or installing an energy converter that can work to reduce your electrical waste. Installing solar panels can be one of the solutions to energy loss that can help you reduce your energy consumption.
Fine-tune Machinery
Manufacturing machinery that’s been serviced and follows a maintenance schedule is more likely to run efficiently than equipment that’s only replaced when it breaks. Replacing parts that have a high degree of wear will also eliminate some of the unnecessary sources of friction that could be causing your machinery to work harder. Look into software upgrades that will function to improve your efficiency rating. The design of your equipment and your manufacturing floor could be contributing to the majority of your waste problems. Having each step of the process be more systematic in nature can work to improve how well you operate on a daily basis.
Efficiency is an objective metric, but can require some thought to achieve. Use these strategies to work towards a more efficient manufacturing environment while maintaining sustainability goals. You will both save money and improve efficiency and quality in the work you produce.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
