Sustainable Development in Manufacturing Systems

Sustainable Development in Manufacturing Systems

Farnaz Ghazi Nezami (Kettering University, USA), Ali Ghazinezami (Wichita State University, USA) and Krishna K. Krishnan (Wichita State University, USA)
Copyright: © 2017 |Pages: 24
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2081-8.ch008

Abstract

This chapter discusses sustainable development (SD) planning in manufacturing facilities. The industrial sector uses half of the world's energy, and manufacturing, as the core of this sector, contributes significantly to energy consumption and environmental footprints. In this chapter, in the first step, energy consumption, as one of the main factors influencing SD in manufacturing, is analyzed from different perspectives, and its impact on SD is studied. Thereafter, several energy-aware operations management approaches are proposed. These approaches integrate energy consumption into classic production planning and scheduling decisions. In the second step, a generic sustainability-based decision-making framework is proposed for maintenance strategy selection problem, considering three pillars of sustainability. For this purpose, various indicators are proposed for each sustainability factor that has an impact on maintenance planning decisions. The maintenance strategy alternatives are evaluated for each indicator and the best alternative is selected using a decision-making method.
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Background: Sustainabie Manufacturing Systems

The industrial sector, consuming approximately half of the world’s energy, is the largest consumer of energy (U.S. Energy Information Administartion). Energy consumption in this sector will increase by 0.7% per year through 2040 (U.S. Energy Information Administartion). Meanwhile, the energy usage mix in this sector will remain stable, with coal and oil being the dominant sources of fuel. Over the same period, the worldwide demand for coal is expected to increase by 15% (International Energy Agency a). Consequently, given the energy mix and the growth in demand, especially in developing countries, more energy will need to be generated, which in turn, will lead to more CO2 emissions and other environmental pollution, as well as resource depletion. Manufacturing is the core of the industrial sector, and a significant number of studies have been conducted to address different aspects of environmentally conscious manufacturing systems, aimed at minimizing energy and material usage. Nonetheless, there is no unique definition for sustainable manufacturing. Among the proposed definitions, the most comprehensive one is proposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce:

Sustainable manufacturing is defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that minimize negative environmental impacts, conserve energy and natural resources, are safe for employees, communities, and consumers and are economically sound.

This definition suggests that environment is a key factor in sustainable manufacturing systems, but not the only criterion to consider while pursuing a sustainable development plan.

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