Sustainable Practices in Manufacturing

The assignment delves into the implementation of sustainable practices within manufacturing processes. It examines strategies for reducing carbon emissions by enhancing energy efficiency, incorporating renewable energy technologies, and minimizing waste. The document also discusses the impact of lean manufacturing principles on low-energy production and the role of technological advancements in promoting sustainable manufacturing.

Low Impact
Manufacturing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................1
Five most significant energy using processes........................................................................1
Sankey diagram with flows, conversion and losses...............................................................3
Renewable energy technologies with cost reduction methods...............................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Today with development of technologies and innovations, global warming also increases
rapidly. Due to industrialisation, chemical and production wastages, usage of more and more
energy, environment has become more polluted. Therefore, concerning on these factors, it is
essential for companies, dealing in manufacturing industry to focus more towards low-impact
production (Chen, Luo and Wang, 2017). For modifying manufacturing processes, The
Federation of Bakers which is headquartered in UK is taken in this assignment. It is one of the
biggest organisation that produces sliced and wrapped bread. Here, some significant energy
efficient process within manufacturing industry are described. In addition to this, a Sankey
diagram is designed which explain the procedure of energy transmission. Furthermore, to reduce
the cost of energy usage, some suggestions are also highlighted for this bakery.
Main Body
Five most significant energy using processes
Product life cycle in context with organisation is considered as business activities, which
cradle to grave perspective. It starts by concerning on the impact of raw material extraction to
disposal as well as other inputs used for production. In food manufacturing industries like The
Federation Bakers, which produces sliced and other types of breads, cradle to grave include
transformation of energy for baking and cooking process (Ball, 2015). Here, each step of
manufactured bread, product life cycle features a specific concern on inputs and outputs, such as
transferring energy for heating, cooking, cooling, baking, refrigeration etc. which starts from raw
material extraction to disposal. An example of this product life cycle is bread baking process,
where to manufacturing this unit- raw ingredients, water and electricity is used. As Federation
Bakers used to sale near about 11 million of loaves each day in UK. Therefore, it requires large
amount of energy for manufacturing this huge quantity of bread sliced. This would affect energy
resources and increases production cost as well. Here, waste is also generated in the
manufacturing process of producing bread loaves, that ultimately leads to generate pollution
(MacDonald and et. al., 2017). It includes emission of carbon dioxide and different forms of air
pollution, as per depended on type of power plant, which is used under factories of respective
company for generating and transforming electricity.
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Bread baking process mainly includes four type of ingredients- Flour, yeast, salt and
water with including key steps as mixing, fermenting, baking and cooling. Under this process, it
takes near about four hours to manufacture ready to sale product (Luo, Chen and Wang, 2016).
Therefore, to reduce energy consumption for producing bread loaves, some significant energy
using processes are mentioned below. Here, explanation for quantifying energy is also made
under each process as:-
 Bulk fermentation process (BFP): It is a traditional method under which raw materials
are mixed together to form a dough. After then, it left for fermentation for near about two
to three hours at comfortable room temperature, that change short dense mass dough to
elastic. Here, carbon dioxide is trapped using gluten protein flour for fermentation
process. But it takes long time for manufacturing bread which is not applicable to use
under The Federation Bakers.
 Chloreywood Bread process (CBP): It is also modern commercial process which is
mostly used in large bakeries and developed by Flour Milling and Baking Research
Association (BBIRA) at Chorleywood. It also known as mechanical dough development
process, which improves manufacturing process and decreases wastages, even of plant
breakdown. This system uses high speed mixing in the form of mechanical energy for
developing the dough and further process of manufacturing. For this process, it required a
rapid form of kneading that helps to develop the protein or structure within dough.
Therefore, lengthy process of bulk fermentation like in traditional processes is not
required (Robayo-Salazar, Mejía-Arcila and de Gutiérrez, 2017). Here, ascorbic acid as a
flour treatment agent and an emulsifier is added for fragmentation.
 Straight dough bulk fermentation process: Here, all ingredients are mixed to form
homogenous dough, then fermentation is done by speed mixers, which requires electrical
energy. Under this process, developing dough through mixing and fermenting process
takes minimum two and half hours, then 55 min for punching. After then, dividing and
proofing require 25 minute and final 15 minutes baking. Therefore, throughout all stages
electrical energy transform into mechanical energy for manufacturing bread.
 Frozen dough process (FDP): It is generally used in retail and household sectors for
baking breads and pasteries. Here, cost could be maintained by method of production,
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because this process requires longer proof time during freezing cycle due to less yeast
cells.
 Microwave process: It is very fast method because heat is generated rapidly which
depends on dielectric properties, mass and moisture. The processing cost could be
reduced under this method by increasing capacity of manufacturing. Frequency of
microwave starts from 300 MH to 300 GHz. Here, heating is caused by dipole movement
and ionic induction. But it is quite expensive and takes large energy to manufacture large
amount of bread cloves.
Sankey diagram with flows, conversion and losses
It refers to a specific type of flow picture, that entails overall flow of energy under
manufacturing process. Here, width of bands depends on energy production, optimum utilisation
or conversion and losses (Park and Kremer, 2015). Along with this, primary sources of energy
include electricity, gas, coal and more. Within this Sankey diagram, left side denotes the energy
input while further part emphasises more on- transfer of energy or flows within a system.
Therefore, entire figure helps in visualising the energy efficiency of a steam engine which is used
under factories. With respect to bread manufacturing process, given Sankey Diagram entails
entire process of energy flow.
Figure 1: Sankey diagram for bread manufacturing, 2019.
Under this given diagram, study majorly highlights the thermodynamic procedures of three
production chains dealing under bread manufacturing sector (Yi and et. al., 2015). It includes
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industry which generates food waste, second one that avoids food waste generation and the last
one, who reworks the same for producing new bread loaves. In this process, chemical energy
flows much more than physical energy for transforming bread baking process. From this
illustrated diagram, it has evaluated that par-baked bread production chain process is considered
as the best thermodynamic performance. As here, highest rational energy efficiency which is
near about 71.2% is measured. While, in other industries, lowest specific energy losses under
dough process is counted as 4768 MJ/1000 kg. Apart from this, although recycling of wastages
of bread is also termed as energy efficient in case of utilising the total fermented surplus (Lu and
Yang, 2015). Therefore, by utilising raw materials more and preventing losses of the same, bread
maker companies like The Federation Bakers can improve its energy efficiency related to
industrial bread chains. Along with this, as mostly energy losses at each stages of manufacturing
like baking, cooling and freezing. Therefore, for more improvement in energy efficiency,
respective company needs to focus on developing design of thermodynamically efficient baking
and cooling processes. Furthermore, by using latest technologies and techniques throughout
entire flow chain, consumption of minimum possible physical energy can be ascertained.
Moreover, Sankey diagram also highlights the below possible outcomes of bakery manufacturing
system:
 For enhancing energy efficiency, it is better to prevent or minimize raw material
extraction.
 Here, physical energy mostly losses at each stage of production i.e. at mixing,
fermenting, baking, cooling and freezing steps.
 Along with this, Par-baking system helps in saving chemical exergy but also intakes
equal amount of physical energy.
Renewable energy technologies with cost reduction methods
In order to save energy, companies dealing under food industries like The Federation Bakers
needs to create some sustainable design features. It includes usage of more natural light in
production factories, adopt best practices for minimizing compressed air losses to decrease
consumption of energy (Rehman, Seth and Shrivastava, 2016). Along with this, under
microwave dough process, they can gain the heat back from ovens and design ventilation within
production areas, for minimising possible contamination. Therefore, in this regard, some
renewable energy technologies are given below, which helps in saving energy as:-
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 Multilevel oven: By using this technologies, bakers can get product flexibility in more
efficient manner. It has potential for baking multiple products simultaneously, that
increases the diversity of a bakery as well. The main feature of multilevel ovens is that it
can be controlled easily, through which different levels within bread manufacturing can
set to different temperatures and also control air flows and humidity levels. Since
production demand has changed the number of levels set for baking a single product.
Therefore, it becomes essential for bakers to adopt this technology. Along with this, such
type of ovens also has a potential to work for minimum five or ten years. Therefore, one-
time investment will maximize the product flexibility, which will aid bakers to easily
transform energy to new products in highly efficient manner.
 Slicing and Packaging: These operations considered to be a bottleneck in manufacturing
and production process. Therefore, to reduce chance of plant breakdown, such operations
are needed to run in smooth and consistent manner. In addition to this, due to increase
plant throughput as well as decrease wastage, slicing and packaging also indirectly leads
to reduce energy consumption.
 Heat pump: This technology is also known as reversed refrigerator that cools the content
as well heat which is lost via condenser of refrigerator. Therefore, in manufacturing
bread, a heat pump helps in cooling down the condenser and waste heat source. This
would lead to increase in temperature and will bring heat energy from useless
temperature to usable one, in more optimum manner.
Furthermore, for improving energy efficiency as well reduce production costs of a baking
facility, The Federation Bakers can adopt several methods. It includes installing baking plants,
which consists a number of cross-cutting equipment like air-compressors, motors and boilers. All
such equipment helps in utilising resources as it consumes a significant amount of energy.
Therefore, this seems to be more efficient for manufacturing bread loaves and properly
maintained the entire process (Dehning and et. al., 2017). Similarly, another method which also
helps in reducing energy wastage and losses is optimization of production processes. This would
lead to gain significant cost saving by utilising efficient equipment.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from this assignment that for reducing low impact of manufacturing,
companies dealing in production sector, are needed to concern on various factors. It includes
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optimisation of resources, reducing the extraction of raw materials in excessive quantity, recycle
or reuse wastages and more. Along with this, by implementing best practices within production,
they can reduce the energy consumption. This would also help in reducing carbon foot print
under manufacturing industries. Furthermore, with the help of latest renewable energy
technologies, bakeries and other manufacturing companies can reuse heat in production process.
They can also develop strategies for reducing cost of production by making one-time investment
in purchasing best technologies.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ball, P., 2015. Low energy production impact on lean flow. Journal of Manufacturing
Technology Management. 26(3). pp.412-428.
Chen, X., Luo, Z. and Wang, X., 2017. Impact of efficiency, investment, and competition on low
carbon manufacturing. Journal of cleaner production. 143. pp.388-400.
Dehning, P. and et. al., 2017. Factors influencing the energy intensity of automotive
manufacturing plants. Journal of cleaner production. 142. pp.2305-2314.
Lu, J. C. and Yang, T., 2015. Implementing lean standard work to solve a low work-in-process
buffer problem in a highly automated manufacturing environment. International Journal
of Production Research. 53(8). pp.2285-2305.
Luo, Z., Chen, X. and Wang, X., 2016. The role of co-opetition in low carbon
manufacturing. European Journal of Operational Research. 253(2). pp.392-403.
MacDonald, D. and et. al., 2017. Cold spraying of Armstrong process titanium powder for
additive manufacturing. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology. 26(4). pp.598-609.
Park, K. and Kremer, G. E. O., 2015. Assessment of static complexity in design and
manufacturing of a product family and its impact on manufacturing
performance. International Journal of Production Economics. 169. pp.215-232.
Rehman, M. A., Seth, D. and Shrivastava, R. L., 2016. Impact of green manufacturing practices
on organisational performance in Indian context: an empirical study. Journal of cleaner
production. 137. pp.427-448.
Robayo-Salazar, R. A., Mejía-Arcila, J. M. and de Gutiérrez, R. M., 2017. Eco-efficient alkali-
activated cement based on red clay brick wastes suitable for the manufacturing of
building materials. Journal of cleaner production. 166. pp.242-252.
Yi, Q. and et. al., 2015. An optimization model of machining process route for low carbon
manufacturing. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing
Technology. 80(5-8). pp.1181-1196.
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