UWE Bristol Engineering showcase 2015

Fabian, Tze Fung Ang
BENG (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
Project Supervisor
Jason Matthews
Green manufacturing
Introduction
In the latest global trend, due to the limited availability of non-renewable resources, global warming, several
improvements in government regulation about the environment status due to the manufacturing process on
compliance and non-compliance cost, public concern and social responsibility have been a big issue toward out
new generation challenge. These are all the general reasons why organizations have recently encouraged on the
campaigns to adopt a green and sustainable practice in the manufacturing industries. In this project, Fused
Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D-printing has been used as a case study and have been address with a green
manufacturing prospect to point out the problems and solutions have been suggested using the 5 strategies.
Biodegradable material
Fused deposition modelling 3D-printer relies heavily
on using thermoplastic to produce printed products
that are beneficial towards others. Almost all plastics
are non-biodegradable in nature. Non-biodegradable
plastic thrown off in land mines stays right there since
it is not degraded. It cannot be used for other
purposes like biogas production. By choosing the
usage of Polyactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene (ABS) as the thermoplastic material
for the FDM printer will help enhancing the solutions
of substituting the materials as it brings great benefits
towards the ecosystem and better quality productions
can be produced using biodegradable material
Stronger structure product by using same material
Through studying the knowledge from material
science, it has shown that each substance consist of
molecules in it no matter if it is in any state of matter.
By understanding that, it can also show that the
material breaks easily when the material have a higher
air gap between the molecules.
The concept for the solution is to reduce the air gap
between the induced material that can be shown in
the diagram. By doing so, the products that can be
produced are stronger in structure strength and will
solve the problem for not being able to replace other
material for FDM besides thermoplastics.
Energy consumption
Using a fused deposition modelling
3D-printer consumes a big portion
of energy power mainly through
heating of the thermoplastic. Even
though energy conservation
reduces energy services, it can
result in increased environmental
quality, personal financial security
and higher savings. It is at the top of
the sustainable energy hierarchy. It
also lowers energy costs by
preventing future resource
depletion. Two solutions that can be
introduced to solve the problem.
5 strategy for green manufacturing
1) Reduce consumption of material and energy
2) Substitution of input materials
3) Reduce unwanted outputs
4) Convert outputs to inputs
5) Well modelled supply chain structure
Conserving energy
The lack of technology to reduce the
energy consumption of FDM have left
installing sensors to keep track to the
energy usage and having a routine
maintenance on the machine will help
conserve the energy
Solar power generator
Installing solar power generator will
help the FDM to transform into a
self sustaining manufacturing
industries and will save up the cost
of energy since it can generates
own power.
Increasing efficiency
Efficiency is the extent to which time, effort, or cost is well-used for the
intended task or function. The solution to increase the efficiency of the FDM
process is as follow.
Reusing the waste of the products
By reusing the waste products in the
finishing stage will reduce the input
material and improve the output
materials of the whole
manufacturing process. This will
save the cost of the production line.
Reducing error of production
Understanding the cause of the
error is the key towards this study
field. By solving the problem and
minimizing the error, it will result in
an improve quality quicker
production as it is essential to have
a minimum error in the
manufacturing industry.
Project summary
This project strive to seek out the solutions for
addressing the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D
printing technology in an extend to green
manufacturing prospect by using the 5 strategies for
green manufacturing to imply on the solutions. Study
and understanding of the ways to examine the
sustainability of the green manufacturing process is
required in order to justify the problems and
generate a conceptual solutions to the technology.
Project Objectives
• Studying the basic product cycle of the
manufacturing process.
• Studying the methods and outcome of the green
manufacturing process that are applicable to the
current market status.
• Study the challenges of the green manufacturing
process.
• Understanding the technical sustainability of the
technology process.
• Understanding the effects that will help out the
eco-environment
• Study the effects of the market sustainability of
the technology.
• Research of the market and environment needs
globally.
• Learning the adaptation on the possibilities of
improvements and the actual application for the
manufacturing industries.
Project Conclusion
In conclusion, this project have meet its aim
by studying various fields of green
manufacturing and have provide a better
knowledge in solving the problems that are
impose through the 5 strategies of green
manufacturing.