Managing Automation - June 2008 - (Page 6)

david r. brousell/EIC TAKE 1 With the price of oil hitting $116 per barrel in midApril, it’s not surprising that the idea of energy efficiency is taking on fresh urgency in the industrial market. The unpredictability of oil and other energy prices in recent months has put a sharp point on the need for new ways to deal with costs. Many manufacturers have long tried to become more energy efficient. In July 2006, for example, this magazine published a cover story titled “Getting a Grip on Energy Costs” — oil was $70 a barrel at that time — that reported on manufacturers’ efforts to better manage energy consumption by using technology. Manufacturers were in search of the right hardware to monitor energy usage as well as software to provide metrics associated with consumption. And, the story said, human ingenuity had to be applied to devise ways to reduce usage. That three-step strategy continues today, but much more can be done. A recent report by Mark Halper, executive editor of MA’s new European publication, Manufacturing Executive, points out, for example, that the adoption of energy-saving variable speed drives and high-efficiency motors has been slow in Europe due to higher initial costs than conventional drives and motors. Yet, the newer products can provide cost savings long term. Using such products, which are not new to the market, is an obvious way to improve usage, but other developments in the industrial field are not so obvious. Some may even have a much narrower application than drives and motors. One such development emerged at the Hannover Fair in Germany in April. On the opening day of the fair, the winner of the annual Hermes Award was announced. Zenergy Power plc, formerly known as Trithor GmbH, won top prize for its development of an induction heater used in making metal components Unlocking Energy Efficiency Dbrousell@thomaspublishing.com As manufacturers seek ways to deploy technologies to better control energy usage, they should also look at processes that may yield unexpected gains. for the automotive and aerospace industries. The heater is said to have an energy co-efficient of 80%, nearly double that of conventional heaters. The award carries with it a cash prize of €100,000. Zenergy, based in Rheinbach, Germany, developed the induction heater in conjunction with Bültmann GmbH of Neuenrade, Germany. “The award-winning induction heater represents a revolutionary breakthrough in industrial extrusion,” the award announcement said. “This is the first time that superconducting technology has been applied to a widely used industrial process, offering considerable energy-saving potential compared with conventional induction heaters.” The first application of the heater will be at the Weseralu aluminum profile pressing plant in Minden, Germany. Zenergy’s work shows what can be done for a specific process within an industry. The award got me to thinking about how much headroom must exist to improve energy efficiency throughout an industrial plant. If companies can find ways to attack energy problems in a variety of processes and combine them with more horizontal improvements, such as with drives and motors, much more significant energy efficiency gains than may appear on the surface might just be attainable. It is a question of how we look at the overall energy picture. How much do we really know about energy requirements and usage patterns in the multiple processes that make up a plant or factory? With the right approach, there may just be a gold mine of improvements waiting to be discovered. What are your thoughts on how to become more energy efficient? Write to me at Dbrousell@thomas publishing.com. ■ maonline managingautomation.com For more of David R. Brousell’s views, visit: ❏ The Pols Aren’t Listening www.managingautomation .com/takeone47 ❏ The Modernization Movement www.managingautomation .com/takeone46 ❏ In Search of Perfection www.managingautomation .com/takeone45 ma June 6 2008 Photo: Peter Kolk http://managingautomation.com http://www.managingautomation.com/takeone47 http://www.managingautomation.com/takeone46 http://www.managingautomation.com/takeone45

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - June 2008

Managing Automation - June 2008 Contents Take 1 SAP Cites Functionality, Cost Structure in Modified On-Demand Product Rollout Dassault Exec Predicts More PLM Consolidation The Blackberry Goes Native with SAP CRM QAD Brings MDM In-House with FullTilt Buy Power Experts Look to End Voltage Sags The Progressive Manufacturers Notes Cover Story: Playing the Globalization Game to Win Special Report Integration Transformation Industries Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - June 2008

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