Going green. This is a common phrase these days, and Decimet Sales takes green manufacturing very seriously. There are many benefits to creating a green facility, such as: identifying waste, reducing energy consumption and recycling materials. Small changes in the way we do things can have a profound impact on our overall carbon footprint. We are continually searching for new ways to improve our green initiatives, and always welcome new ideas from both inside and outside the company.
Current green activities:
- Installed new low energy consumption fluorescent lighting throughout our production facility. These lamps offer many benefits, including: lower burn temperature resulting in less heat output, 8-15 times the lifespan of conventional bulbs and a significantly lower energy consumption. For more information on energy efficient lighting, visit:
http://www.mntap.umn.edu/energy/lighting.htm - Installed a new high efficiency air compressor. Compressed air is essential to manufacturing companies, yet it is one of the most expensive uses of energy in the production environment. To learn more about the benefits of auditing your company’s air system, please visit:
http://www.mntap.umn.edu/energy/compair.htm - Installed a V-Blox AutoTune Automatic Power Factor Correction Capacitor. The power factor of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to the apparent power, and is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 (frequently expressed as a percentage, e.g. 0.5 pf = 50% pf). Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time. Apparent power is the product of the current and voltage of the circuit. Due to energy stored in the load and returned to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the current drawn from the source, the apparent power can be greater than the real power. We were operating at a subpar power factor until we installed the V-Blox. We now consistently operate at 98-99% pf. For more information on power factor and V-Blox, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_factor
http://www.v-blox.com/ - Cleanse and reuse machine coolant
- Reuse packaging supplies, such as: pallets, boxes, plastic wrap, paper and wood
- Recycle oils, metal chips and shavings, light bulbs, and all common recyclables
- Save all usable excess material for future use in prototypes and small run jobs
- Xcel Energy also offers valuable resources for businesses looking to become more energy efficient:
http://www.xcelenergy.com/Minnesota/Business/saveenergy_money/Pages/Save_Energy_and_Money.aspx