Environmental analysis of mechanical engineering workshop conventional manufacuturing processes

Abstract

The challenge for manufacturing is to be able to produce manufactured parts in an environmental and sustainable manner without increasing the costs. There is now broad consensus on the basic steps to sustainable manufacturing. The first step includes the identification and accounting for materials, energy and wastes in compliance with the regulations as well as reduction of toxics. The next phase involves improving the efficiency in the use of materials and energy in an attempt to reduce on the input, operational and output costs. The project conducted a system level environmental analysis of conventional manufacturing at the mechanical work shop in the School of Engineering. The analysis identified and accounted the present processes being practiced at the work shop. Then improvements were thereby suggested and implemented. The proposed new developments showed elevated the environmental performance of the work shop and a reduction in the input and output costs.An alternative process was proposed to mitigate problems. This involved dry machining using compressed air as the cooling medium. This showed further improvements in environmental performance and presented the least input as well as output related costs.