Saving energy is a priority objective in modern life. Be it saving energy on behalf of the benefit of mankind and our environment or trying to bring down your monthly power bill, just about everyone wants to use energy more efficiently. Technological advancements can lead to improvements in energy efficiency. However, such improvements also can lead to increased energy demand. For example, high-power computers require higher power consumptions.
When it comes to engineering, one of the first considerations is sustainability, but what does it mean? The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987) defines sustainable development as:
To this end, sustainability has three main components: environmental impact; societal impact; and economic impact. So, it is important to note that if something is not economically beneficial, then it can be expected that the overall sacrifice may be too great to accomplish its overall goal. If it benefits the environment, but in doing so does not benefit overall society, then it fails to meet a sustainable accomplishment. It’s only when something is economically beneficial or neutral, as well as a societal and environmental benefit, that it can truly be categorized as sustainable.
Reliability is important to consider with sustainability. A sustainable system that is economically efficient can still fail overall to be useful due to its unreliability. This topic is common when it comes to renewable energy sources. Can hospitals and care facilities depend on energy sources to provide consistent energy? This is where the societal aspect comes into play.
So how do we design systems, infrastructure, and manufacturing processes in a sustainable way that meets the criteria laid out?
Heat loss and recovery methods, advanced filtration and water recovery, chemical waste treatment and minimization, and air pollution controls are all functions of sustainability that can be accomplished through evaluation and innovative design.
Consider a water reclamation facility, or as I like to call them “Purple Water Manufacturers.” These facilities process wastewater to produce reclaimed water that can be used as water coolants or irrigation water. They often use augmentation wells to supplement the supply when it is low. Designing the augmentation well to incorporate demand-hour flows, as well as ideal tank storage during lags or storm events, leads to more sustainable energy practices and augmented water supply consumption.
One powerful strategy that can be incorporated when designing manufacturing processes is to design the product to last a lifetime. The longer the time period, the more use and thus less manufacturing waste, including replacement shipping emissions produced. In your design process, consider the machining of complex geometries such as any cavities, limbs, notches, and undercuts. Every one of the product’s additional features increases the amount of time, energy, and material needed to create it. Simpler parts typically mean lower energy and material consumption and less floor time. Incorporate future considerations into your design and processes.
Also factor the scale, material composition, and energy consumption through pump usage, machine and tool time, being able to plan adjustments to allow for a seamless transition to more efficient, environmental methodology. Plan to invest in pumps that are more energy efficient with different viscosity fluids. Consider setting a time frame in which existing systems and machinery are reviewed and compared with the latest energy-efficient models.
It is critical to remember that sustainability is about being able to ensure future generations and environments are not depleted of their opportunity or integrity. Thus, clean does not always mean sustainable. As we design sustainable processes, we must address the ability to improve quality of life in society while not just preserving natural resources. Engineers and manufacturers have an amazing opportunity through our shared societal, environmental, and economic interests in sustainability to cooperate in ways that have yet to be brought to fruition. SME is not just a platform to enable these partnerships, it’s also a friendly community to foster sustainable coalitions.
SME has developed and will now offer the Robotics in Manufacturing Fundamentals (RMF) credential. The new certification, focused on assessing a candidate’s comprehension of fundamental robotics concepts, may be used by those currently looking to upskill or reskill into manufacturing careers before pursuing equipment-specific or career pathway-specific training in robotics. The credential can help individuals begin a lifelong career in an industry where there is opportunity for advancement and well-paying jobs.
The industry-recognized RMF credential was developed by SME with two leading organizations in the robotics education area: Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation and FIRST (For inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).
The RMF credential, focused on the fundamentals of manufacturing robotics, provides a starting point for any career path a candidate may pursue in the field of robotics.
With an RMF credential and the fundamental knowledge it represents, a candidate has many options available, including:
The RMF credential is ideal for high school and college students, dislocated workers, under-employed individuals, veterans, at-risk youth, and others seeking new employment in high-demand manufacturing jobs.
SME has led the manufacturing industry in providing industry-recognized certifications for more than 50 years, including Lean Certification, Additive Manufacturing Certification, Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA), Certified Manufacturing Technologist (CMfgT), and Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE).
Candidates may pursue the RMF credential on their own, work with a local training provider, or access Tooling U-SME resources to prepare for the exam.
Tooling U-SME offers an optional preparatory program of 22 online classes covering foundational manufacturing topics such as an introduction to manufacturing, applied mathematics, robotic applications, robot systems and components, robot programming concepts, and more topics agreed upon by manufacturing experts as being relevant for foundational robotics knowledge across a wide range of industries. Following completion of the training program, passing the certification exam validates knowledge gained.
With each class lasting about 60 minutes, the training program can be completed in just a few weeks (typically less than a month) or in one semester as part of an Introduction to Robotics course at school, offering short-term, but comprehensive, preparation for the certification exam.
With the prospect of some 2 million jobs expected to be left open due to a lack of trained workers, there is plenty of opportunity for career advancement.
Additionally, employees are more open to the field than ever before.
According to the ARM Institute (Pittsburgh), 77 percent of workers say that they would be happy to work alongside robots in manufacturing if it meant having to perform fewer manual processes.
Learn more at sme.org/RMF.
Connect With Us
