Proposed Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Vehicle Manufacturing Processes

Energy Efficiency 1
PROPOSED ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPPORTUNITIES IN VEHICLE MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES
A Proposal Paper on Energy By
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Energy Efficiency 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In Australia, the motor vehicle industry consumes approximately %3.6 billion on energy
yearly. In the assembly plant, the expenditure of energy is a relatively low-cost factor in the
overall process of production. Nevertheless, this sector faces an increasingly competitive
environment, hence the improvement in energy efficiency can ensure a way of reducing the costs
without adversely affecting the quality and yield of the vehicle production. The reduction of
energy costs reduces the unpredictability involved with the variations of energy prices in the
current marketplace, which could adversely impact the earnings that are predictable. The
technologies of energy efficiency normally include extra benefits and increased the productivity
of the assembly plant.
The vehicle body is made up of sheet steel, however, there has been a trend towards
moving to aluminium and plastic parts bodies. In some parts of the vehicle body, reinforced
plastic, fibreglass, and aluminium are used due to their special properties. Handling plastic
components normally cost less and need less duration to develop compared to the components of
steel, making the plastic components very attractive to the vehicle manufacturers. The chassis is
the major structure of the vehicle and is made of pressed-steel frame in the majority of designs.
The parts such as suspension member, brakes, steering mechanism, transmission, axle
assemblies, wheels, and engine are mounted on the chassis. Special painting and priming are
used to protect the vehicle bodies from corrosion.

Energy Efficiency 3
INTRODUCTION
This energy efficiency opportunity is a significant component of the environmental
strategy of any assembly plant. This proposal paper seeks to evaluate the process of motor
vehicle assembly and the energy use in every stage. This is then followed by proposal on the
energy efficiency opportunities for the assembly plant. The process of vehicle manufacturing
includes engine and parts manufacture, vehicle body production, chassis, painting, and assembly.
The vehicle assembly plant generates numerous components by itself, while other components
are supplied to the company. Metal casting used in the manufacture of engines is a production
process that is very energy intensive. This can be reduced through recycling of these parts by the
metal casting industry so as to ensure energy efficiency in their materials used in their
manufacture.
Energy is applied in numerous different ways during the vehicle assembly process. Fuels
are majorly used during curing ovens of painting lines, steam application, and source heating.
Electricity is used in the entire facility for numerous purposes such as welding, materials
handling, painting by use of infrared curing or fans, air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, metal
forming, and compressed air (Abraham, 2017).
LITERATURE REVIEW
The assembly of motor vehicles uses energy in the entire plants for numerous end-users.
The major types of energies required during assembly process include compressed air, gas,
steam, and electricity. Energy is applied to diverse categories of user-users in the facilities of
vehicle assembly. Fuels are majorly used during curing of ovens for painting lines, steam
applications, and space heating.

Energy Efficiency 4
General Utilities
These are energy used during the general operations of the facility such as in lighting or shutting
down machines when not using. There is a need for changing the behaviour of staff such as
switching off lights when not using so as to save energy. There is need of changing how energy
is managed through incorporating an energy management program that is organization-wide so
as to ensure cost-effective and successful was of improving energy efficiency. There is need of
the evaluating the specifications and conditions of motor systems that are used in the facility in
cooling, refrigeration compressed air, and air conditioning (Agugliaro, 2011).
Motor Systems
These motor systems should be repaired and upgraded to ensure optimum performance and
enable improvements in energy efficiency. This efficiency can be considered by taking the
systems approach which strives to optimize the efficiency of the whole of the motor system such
as driven systems like compressors, fans, and pumps, or in motors and drives. Constant
maintenance of these motor systems ensure that there is unexpected downtime of the motors,
these measures include lubrication, alignment, motor ventilation, load consideration, and voltage
imbalance reduction (Anderson, 2003).
Compressed Air Systems
This the most expensive energy form used in the facility due to its poor efficiency. Insufficient
maintenance of the compressed air systems calm reduce the efficiency of compression and
increase pressure variability or air leakage, and result to increased temperatures of operation,
excessive contamination, and poor control of moisture (Arthur, 2014).