The road to sustainability in industry is evolving towards industry 4.0. And towards competitiveness. The conjunction of both processes underpin the main business strategy for the future.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) linked to the UN 2030 Agenda show that improving business competitiveness while ignoring sustainability is no longer a feasible proposition.
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But what does sustainability in industry actually mean?
Industrial production is one of the main driving forces of the economy in the 21st century. But it is also responsible for 22% of the world’s CO2 emissions, according to the report The role of CCUS in low-carbon power systems de la Agencia Internacional de la Energía (IEA).
The concepts of sustainability and reduced emission of pollutants have historically been linked. This means in theory that it would be enough to replace energy consumption from non-renewable sources with renewable ones to improve sustainability. However, that will only take us halfway there.
Additionally, this “sustainability”, that was little more than voluntary until very recently, has now become law in the European Union (EU).
Under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), major European corporations and exporters to the EU will have to reveal their carbon footprint and make commitments to reduce it. It will be a legal requirement for more than 50,000 companies in 2027.
We need to be efficient in order to be sustainable
If we go beyond reducing energy consumption, rethink our processes and focus on efficiency, then we’ll be on the right track. That’s because the underlying idea with efficiency is to consume the fewest resources to gain the most benefits.
So, if we optimise efficiency in all our processes, we’ll be heading in the right direction towards sustainability. And that evidently makes us more competitive.
First measures to take to boost efficiency and sustainability in industry 4.0
The focal point behind any basic measures to improve energy efficiency is on making infrastructures better, with a view to:
- Improving HVAC systems.
- Controlling lighting. And making the maximum use of daylight.
- Checking electricity and plumbing to detect leaks.
- Replacing windows and doors for better insulation.
These measures should be accompanied by an energy monitoring system that takes measurements automatically to detect inefficient consumption patterns and apply corrective measures.
Awareness raising campaigns for all the workforce should also be put in place to show them how to rationalise the use of their equipment.
This first stage will take us to the next level of sustainability: process reviews to seek efficiency.
IIoT : the platform that guides you towards sustainability
All our digitalisation projects seek efficiency in processes and sustainability in industrial activities in the short, medium and long term. An added plus of all these changes is a more competitive company.
Practically all these projects are backed up by IIoT platform, which includes specific functionalities designed to make energy savings. It monitors consumption, detects trends, uncovers inefficiencies, establishes patterns and helps taking informed decisions based on data analysis. And it does all this in the simplest way possible.
However, it’s much, much more than that… it’s the software that enables you to convert any plant into a smart factory.
The augmented reality solution for sustainable growth
The benefits of using solutions based on augmented reality (AR) to improve efficiency are often so self-evident that we often propose a first intervention based on this technology.
Reducing training time, enabling modular design, optimising quality control systems and empowering workers on the front line at all skill levels all have a positive effect on overall efficiency. And any improvement in efficiency takes us that much closer to sustainability.
Vuforia enables you to generate specific AR solutions for each and every need. For more details, take a look at the article ‘How augmented reality can help me with my business’
SDG 9: Sustainable industrialisation
We mentioned the SDGs of the United Nations. They may all be related in some way with what your company does, so take a look at the 17 SDGs and their associated targets.
The one that has the most direct effect on industry is Goal 9.
SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
This SDG specifies two targets that companies should use to achieve sustainability:
- Target 9.4: The aim with this target for 2030 is to upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.
- Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
How do we move towards sustainability? Fostering Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is characterised by interconnected systems associated with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and advanced data analysis that uses technologies based on machine learning and business intelligence.
What all that means is that it makes the maximum use of the information that your systems generate, and uses it for your benefit. And it often does all this automatically.
Smart and sustainable manufacturing
So, although the concept might sound very complicated, it’s actually quite simple. Once the sustainability policies that guide a company’s evolution are fully embraced, the only thing left to be done is to develop an IIoT implementation project that identifies areas for improvement and processes that require optimising, with a pre-calculated ROI. One that draws up a plan to convert a plant into a smart factory.
Ultimately, a smart factory is managed by software that interconnects all the systems (from MES to ERP), analyses the data coming from all the devices and provides precise information to enable effective decisions to be made. Interconnecting all the devices and IT systems in any production plant and letting them be managed by IIoT platform, is the only thing you need to take your first steps towards efficiency and sustainability
Sustainability and the Circular Economy
Energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint need to be maximised throughout a product’s life cycle. Right from the design phase, governed by Design for Sustainability (DfS) principles, we need to take into account not only the energy costs of production but also how to extend the service life of our assets.
And this is where the next stage on the road to sustainability comes in: the Circular Economy. The aim is to change from a linear production model based on “take, make, use, throw” to a circular one that enables resources to be reused as much as possible.
The remanufacturing of products now moves 30,000 million euros in Europe, according to the European Remanufacturing Council (ERN), with a potential for growth of up to 90,000 million by 2030.
To see if you’re on the right track in this regard, ask yourself the following questions:
- Can my asset be repaired in a modular way to prolong its service life?
- Am I avoiding excess stock of spare parts to meet my service levels?
- Am I using service options with the lowest cost/impact to maintain my asset?
- Are my spare parts and productions being recovered at the end of their useful life at the highest levels of the value chain?
If the answer is NO, your company’s competitiveness could be compromised in just a few years. For more guidance about the future, contact the Aritex technical team and we’ll do everything we can to help you.
And even if you said yes to the 4 questions, we’re sure we can contribute towards optimising processes that make the maximum use of digitalisation as you evolve towards sustainability.
