Energy-efficient manufacturing with smart technology
Smart manufacturing can help manufacturers reduce energy consumption, waste and pollution while improving operational efficiency and product quality.
Learning Objectives
- Learn the role of smart manufacturing in improving energy efficiency.
- Understand the impact of manufacturing on energy consumption in thSe
- See the benefits of smart manufacturing for overall operational performance.
Energy insights
- This will review how smart manufacturing is revolutionizing energy efficiency in the industrial sector, driving sustainability while enhancing operational performance.
- Plant managers can learn how advanced technologies and data-driven insights empower manufacturers to reduce waste, optimize energy use and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
Global energy consumption continues to grow at a steady rate of a few percentage points annually. Compounded over time, this trend has led to an explosion of energy use over the past several decades. One of the primary drivers of this consumption is the industrial sector.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the industrial sector accounted for 37% of global energy consumption this past year. This qualifies the industry as one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Given the manufacturing sector’s central role within the industrial sector, its energy-intensive processes significantly contribute to overall energy consumption.
To address these trends, regulatory bodies and the federal government have enacted policies targeted at reducing emissions and waste across various industries. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act aims to reduce the United States’ production of carbon emissions by 40% ahead of 2030 while the Federal Buy Clean Initiative prioritizes the purchase of lower-carbon construction materials in federally funded projects. The shift to carbon-conscious production is evident through these overarching policies and places increased pressure on manufacturers to enact reduced energy consumption practices throughout production.
As manufacturers refocus their initiatives to prioritize reduced energy consumption and increased control over greenhouse gas emissions, they must work simultaneously to maintain output and quality. This means that manufacturers will likely explore innovative solutions to better manage and monitor their industrial ecosystems. This includes investing in energy-efficient equipment, optimizing production processes and adopting renewable energy sources.
Additionally, organizations may consider implementing robust energy management systems to identify and address areas of inefficiency. By prioritizing energy efficiency, manufacturers can contribute to a more sustainable future while ensuring their products meet the highest quality standards.
Smart manufacturing for energy use monitoring and reduction
Smart manufacturing connects machines, equipment and systems to enable real-time data collection, analysis and decision making that provide significant benefits in terms of energy efficiency and operational output. Specifically, when it comes to the reduction of energy consumption, smart manufacturing is instrumental in improving:
- Waste reduction: Achieving zero-waste manufacturing requires a level of data analysis that traditional methods cannot While advanced equipment is essential, it’s only part of the solution. By combining new technology with precise process monitoring and control, manufacturers can make significant strides toward minimizing waste. However, this requires the advanced digital tools of smart manufacturing software.

Figure 1: Plex programming can be easily accessed on the plant floor. Courtesy: Plex, by Rockwell Automation
Energy consumption: Traditional manufacturing often assumes a consistent energy consumption pattern. However, smart manufacturing software reveals fluctuations in energy use throughout the day. By identifying energy-intensive processes, manufacturers can optimize operations and reduce their overall energy consumption by having smart manufacturing manage heating, ventilation and air conditioning and environmental conditions more efficiently with real-time monitoring and automated adjustments.
- Pollution control: Sensors and advanced analytics play a crucial role in smart manufacturing, enabling automation, optimization and pollution control. By monitoring and analyzing production processes, these technologies can identify and address issues related to wastewater, carbon emissions and other sustainability metrics. This proactive approach helps reduce pollution and energy usage. Providing real-time data and alerts allows manufacturers to identify potential problems early on and take steps to prevent more significant damage or delays.
Dual benefits: energy use reduction and improved performance
Just as these smart manufacturing capabilities benefit energy consumption monitoring and reduction, they also increase operational efficiencies to deliver a competitive edge. Digital data plays a central role in mitigating waste and emissions but also reveals new opportunities for increased productivity.
While smart manufacturing software tracks production, inventory, waste and labor, the data outputs can be two-fold. These results often provide a clear picture of where manufacturing efficiencies can improve. With improved data sources connecting the entire enterprise, organizations can make improved decisions that minimize waste and material usage. Ultimately, this leads to a more agile, profitable and competitive company.
Various aspects of smart manufacturing technology can be leveraged to track energy use but also improve performance. For example, the following technologies serve both overall operational performance measurements but can also reveal potential opportunities for waste reduction:
- Manufacturing execution systems: Monitor and document the transformation of raw materials into finished products, providing real-time production oversight to enhance enterprise-wide compliance, quality and efficiency. With insight into production data, organizations can optimize processes, reduce waste and minimize energy consumption.
- Production monitoring: Offers direct communication with factory equipment, providing real-time insights into operational performance, such as overall equipment effectiveness. This data can help identify underused or inefficient equipment that may be consuming unnecessary energy.
- Supply chain planning: Integrates data from various departments to align demand and supply planning, enhancing inventory accuracy and production management. Ensures that inventory levels are aligned with demand, reducing the need for excessive storage, which can consume energy.
- Asset performance management: Integrates process, operational and machine-level data to provide comprehensive insights into machine and plant performance. Provides insights into the energy consumption of individual machines and equipment. This data can help identify inefficient assets that may be consuming excessive energy.
A recent report revealed that the overwhelming majority (98%) of manufacturing organizations maintain some form of environmental, social and governance policy. Of these respondents, the majority report energy management as the most important motivator for these policies (35%). However, based on the overlap of smart manufacturing technologies and their capabilities, it is no surprise that product quality ranks second (33%).

Figure 2: The Plex interface can be commonly used throughout the day via a desktop option. Courtesy: Plex, by Rockwell Automation
The relationship between energy efficiency and overall output and quality cannot be ignored. It is evident that achieving both sustainability goals and improving overall efficiency requires a strategic approach that leverages smart manufacturing technologies to enhance energy management and product quality.
As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, manufacturers face increasing pressure to reduce their environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency. Smart manufacturing offers a promising solution by leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics to optimize production processes.
By adopting smart manufacturing practices, manufacturers can enhance energy efficiency, reduce waste and improve overall operational performance. This not only contributes to a more sustainable future but also strengthens the competitiveness of businesses in the global market.
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