Topic: Go Green and Remanufacturing

Outlines:

Japan earthquake: Tsunami on Friday, 11 March 2011 hits north-east 東日本大震災

Cars, ships and buildings were swept away by a wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude tremor, which struck about 400km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo Japan nuclear plant fukushima Big Explosion Reactor LIVE 12.03.2011. A spill of radioactive water into the Ocean.

Man-made disaster BP Oil Spill. 20 April 2010 Explosion and fire on the Deep water Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico  Planet Earth has taken yet another hit thanks to the recent BP oil spill.

Though it’s still unclear just how badly wildlife along the coast has been affected, what is certain is that the timing for this disaster could not have been worse And the health problems these animals face are heartbreaking to say the least:

- hypothermia and drowning of birds.

- hypothermia in some seal pups as the oil destroys insulating fur.

- damage to the airways of birds and animals.

- damage to animal immune systems.

- interruption of breeding and fouling of breeding grounds.

- thinner bird and turtle egg shells and also damage to fish larvae, causing deformities.

- damage to sea grass beds and other shelter/feeding areas.

- tainting of algae, which perform a vital role in waterway ecosystems.

In 2006, U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 251 million tons of municipal solid waste or trash, which is approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day.  In Arkansas, we produce even more – 9.8 pounds per person per day (before recycling).  Arkansans recycle 42% of the waste they generate. 

Another area of environmental concern is waste.  It’s called garbage, trash, and municipal solid waste - things like the potato peelings leftover from dinner preparation, a broken flip-flop, an empty mustard jar, or a candy wrapper.  Over the past 30 years, the waste produced in the U.S. has more than doubled.  People are buying more convenience items and more disposables.

Products and services that reduce the health and environmental impacts compared to similar products and services used for the same purpose.

RIT was awarded a $13.1 million grant through the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Construction Grant Program to build the facility and $10 million in funding from the state of New York to assist with construction 04/2011. RIT is listed in the Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges, the Sierra Club’s Top 100 Green Schools and the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card. The Golisano Institute has also received several national awards for its research and outreach efforts, including the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Excellence in Economic Development Award and the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable’s MVP2 Award. For more information about RIT’s sustainability initiatives.

RIT seeks to become a world leader in sustainability education, research, and practice. As we strive to infuse innovation and creativity into every element of our campus, sustainability has become a major focus. sustainability is a growing international concern. Our reach extends beyond our campus and includes involvement in international organizations like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Symposium in Sustainable Manufacturing. Teams of faculty and students have made an impact in Croatia, South Korea, Kosovo, and Venezuela. RIT and other innovative universities that have already grasped the enormity of the coming changes—and are acting on them—will be more visible, stronger, and attractive in the near future.

The Golisano Institute of Sustainability (GIS) is a multidisciplinary academic unit of Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY USA. The mission of GIS is to undertake world-class education and research missions in sustainability.

GIS academic and research programs focus on sustainable production, sustainable energy, sustainable mobility, and ecologically friendly information technology systems. These programs are led by a multidisciplinary team of faculty and researchers who collaborate with organizations locally, nationally, and internationally to create implementable solutions to complex sustainability programs. The Institute was founded in 2007 with a $10M grant from B. Thomas Golisano. The GIS Ph.D. program started in 2008 – offering world's first doctorate in sustainable production. An M.S. Program in Sustainable Systems was approved and begun in 2010. The first GIS graduate will receive her diploma in 2011. Academic activities at GIS are complemented by 6 state-of-the-art research units:

1. Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (C3R): an internationally recognized center for applied research in remanufacturing.

2. Center for Sustainable Production (CSP): dedicated to enhancing the environmental and economic performance of products and processes.

3. Center for Sustainable Mobility(CSM): focused on developing viable energy technologies for sustainable transportation systems.

4. Systems Modernization and Sustainment Center (SMS): developing technologies for the design, modernization, and support of complex equipment systems.

5. New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I): a research and technology transfer center funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to provide a state-wide, comprehensive and integrated program of environmental research, technology development and diffusion, outreach, training and education.

6. NanoPower Research Labs (NPRL): dedicated to the development of new materials and devices for power generation and storage for microelectronic components and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).

What can we do?

•       Reduce the amount of waste.

•       Recycle items into new products through a manufacturing process.

•       Reuse the product in a different way.

2. Remanufacturing

"A series of manufacturing steps acting on an end-of-life part or product in order to return it to like-new or better performance, with warranty to match."

Remanufacturing versus recycling

Remanufacturing is different from recycling because, as with all product reuse options, it involves preserving the whole form of things. In contrast, recycling activities require the destruction of the product to its component materials so they can be melted, smelted or reprocessed into new forms. These could be the same products (called closed loop recycling) or into new ones (open loop recycling). Remanufacturing is the only option that requires a full treatment process – like new manufacture – to guarantee the performance of the finished object.  As such it necessarily involves more effort, time and cost – but you do get the quality guarantee.

Scientific studies highlight remanufacturing's benefits

Studies have been performed which conclude that:

About 50% of the original STARTER is recovered in the remanufacturing process. This can result in annual savings in the U.S. of 8.2 million gallons of crude oil from steel manufacturing, 51,500 tons of iron ore, and 6,000 tons of copper and other metals.

Rebuilt ENGINES require 50% of the energy and 67% of the labor that is required to produce new engines.

Studies by the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuggart, Germany, demonstrated that:

The yearly energy savings by remanufacturing worldwide equals the electricity generated by five nuclear power plants or 10,774,000 barrels of crude oil which corresponds to a fleet of 233 oil tankers.

The yearly raw materials saved by remanufacturing worldwide would fill 155,000 railroad cars forming a train 1,1100 miles long.

The future of remanufacturing

As people grow more and more concerned about the environment, we must seek public policies that will encourage even more remanufacturing. There are enough social and environmental benefits to justify remanufacturing. Imagine the added benefits to society if EVERYTHING we buy could be remanufactured, from small appliances to lawn mowers. Also imagine if products were originally manufactured with the sole purpose of being rebuilt and not thrown away...

1920s Mass production and the assembly line begin to dominate American industry. The new, standardized products - such as the automobile - are the first products to be ideally suited to full-scale remanufacturing.

1922 Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA) is founded to represent the engine remanufacturing industry, machine shops, equipment parts and service suppliers.

1942 The United States enters World War II and the production of commercial vehicles is put on hold. Rebuilding automotive parts becomes one of the only ways to keep cars and trucks operating.

·         "In Europe, under stiff recycling requirements, by the year 2002,  no more than 15% of a scrap vehicle can go to a landfill. That percentage drops to 5% in 2015."

·         Just by remanufacturing office furniture rather than buying it new, U.S. business could avoid $93 million in disposal costs and small companies could save 30-50% in purchasing costs.

·         Remanufacturing businesses employ 480,000 people per year.

·         A survey of remanufacturing companies found that over 80 percent had training programs and that average annual expenditures on these programs was over $30,000 per company.

·         Purchasing a remanufactured product can cost consumers 50 to 75 percent less than a new product.

·         "Today's furniture recyclers . . . contribute more than $1.2 billion of the $13.6 billion commercial furniture industry."

·         Annual energy savings resulting from remanufacturing activities worldwide is 120 trillion Btu's, which equals the electricity generated by eight nuclear power plants, or 16 million barrels of crude oil (about 350 tankers). 

·         Annual material savings resulting from remanufacturing activities worldwide is 14 million tons a year, which is the equivalent of a fully-loaded railway train 1650 miles long.

Scientific studies highlight remanufacturing's benefits

Studies have been performed which conclude that: About 50% of the original STARTER is recovered in the remanufacturing process. This can result in annual savings in the U.S. of 8.2 million gallons of crude oil from steel manufacturing, 51,500 tons of iron ore, and 6,000 tons of copper and other metals.

Rebuilt ENGINES require 50% of the energy and 67% of the labor that is required to produce new engines.

Studies by the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuggart, Germany demonstrated that:

The yearly energy savings by remanufacturing worldwide equals the electricity generated by five nuclear power plants or 10,774,000 barrels of crude oil which corresponds to a fleet of 233 oil tankers. The yearly raw materials saved by remanufacturing worldwide would fill 155,000 railroad cars forming a train 1,1100 miles long.

The future of remanufacturing

As people grow more and more concerned about the environment, we must seek public policies that will encourage even more remanufacturing. There are enough social and environmental benefits to justify remanufacturing. Imagine the added benefits to society if EVERYTHING we buy could be remanufactured, from small appliances to lawn mowers. Also imagine if products were originally manufactured with the sole purpose of being rebuilt and not thrown away...

•       For every 100 pounds of product manufactured in the USA, we create at least 3,200 pounds of waste.

•       Only 6% of the materials we extract each year from the Earth becomes durable goods, the other 94% is converted into waste within a few months

The Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies at RIT houses many programs and centers that share CIMS' 170,000 square foot facility. The contact information and directions below relate to numerous centers and programs, including the National Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (NC3R), the Systems Modernization and Sustainment Center (SMS), the Sustainable Systems Research Center (SSRC), the Center for Excellence in Lean Enterprise (CELE), the Manufacturing Technologies Program (MT), the Imaging Products Laboratory (IPL), the Occupational Safety and Ergonomics Excellence Program (OSEE), and CIMS Training Programs.

Engineers for a Sustainable World at RIT

Our Vision:

A world in which engineering fosters environmental, social and economic sustainability to improve both the quality of life and the condition of our planet.

Our Mission:

ESW mobilizes students and professionals through education, technical projects and collaboration action to impact local and global sustainability challenges.

Our Goals:

In support of our mission, ESW's primary goals are to:

-Stimulate and foster the growth of a more diverse and networked community of engineers.

-Bring together students and professionals of various disciplines to create lasting solutions with immediate impacts.

-Encourage innovative ideas that promote environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

-Increase community participation in sustainable engineering and development worldwide.

Automobiles are the most recycles consumer product in the world today. The Recycle and Remanufacture  Industry of Automobiles in US.

*$260 Billion per year in GDP

*2.5 million employees

*200 million automobiles

*13 million cars sold in 2007

*11 million cars retired in 2007

Auto Recycling Overview

The Role of the Automotive Recycling Industry

The automotive recycling industry - with $22 billion in sales annually - plays a necessary and crucial role in the efficient, ecological disposal of inoperable motor vehicles. Although sometimes known as auto salvage dealers, professional automotive recyclers deal strictly in the recycling of motor vehicles - i.e., domestic and foreign automobiles, light and heavy-duty trucks, buses and motorcycles.

Tour a Modern Automotive Recycling Facility

From the earliest days of motorized travel, automotive recyclers have been leaders. These entrepreneurs developed a disassembly process for salvaged automobiles in order to reclaim reusable parts and components, and, thus, established an efficient automotive recycling system. For more than 75 years, automotive recyclers have been providing local employment,  consumer service, and environmental conservation, worldwide.

Automotive recycling serves a vital role in preserving natural resources and reducing the demand for scarce landfill space. For example, each year approximately 95 percent of vehicles retired from use are processed for recycling.  

The recycling of these vehicles saves an estimated 85 million barrels of oil that would have been used in the manufacturing of new or replacement parts.  Additional energy and resource conservation is realized by recycling rebuildable "core" parts to the automotive parts rebuilding industry.

In addition to conserving natural resources, automotive recycling plays an important role in reducing air and water pollution, and solid waste generation. Automotive recyclers must abide by stringent local and national regulations on dealing with waste generated by salvaged automobiles. Many individual automotive recyclers have also instituted their own unique programs to further reduce the potential effects of harmful materials to their businesses and communities.

Remanufacturing has a long history in the UK across the whole range of industrial sectors.  In most cases remanufacturing businesses have been grown in response to a business opportunity, not driven by an altruistic 'green' mission.  Mostly they are producers of durable (usually metal) manufactured assemblies.  For example Caterpillar remanufactures engines for large plant and rolling stock: The inherent value of the materials and the cost of production enable this equipment to be remanufactured to an as-new condition.  This process saves tens of millions of tonnes of materials world wide, can make more profit than new equipment and is lower cost to the end user.

In 2004 we performed a comprehensive survey of remanufacturing across the UK economy.

Who is doing it?

Many people, largely unrecognized. Visit the Interactive Map to find companies in your area.

Is there a typical remanufacturer?

Remanufacturers are an ingenious, valuable and largely unrecognized set of companies driven by a clear grasp of the economic value of their services. Top flight remanufacturers are characteristically flexible and adaptable in coping with the business environment and the manufacturing task. Most describe themselves as service providers.

What products are remanufactured in the UK

The range of products includes:-

•          Machine tools

•          Electrical motors and compressors

•          Starter motors

•          Automatic transmissions

•          Car and truck engines

•          Office photocopiers

•          Excavation equipment

•          Power bearings

•          Defense equipment

•          Computer and telecomms equipment.

•          Air-conditioning units

•          Pumps

•          Industrial food processing equipment

•          Aerospace

•          Carpet tiles

•          Rolling stock

We are always looking of new areas where remanufacturing is occurring.

The Remanufacturing Institute (TRI) in Germany

Protect the Environment: Buy Remanufactured Parts

The Remanufacturing Institute (TRI) is a global non-profit organization providing support for the marketing efforts of the aftermarket remanufactured products community.

The mission of The Remanufacturing Institute is help develop the next generation of remanufacturing technology, to disseminate information throughout the industry, and to make remanufacturing more competitive throughout the world.

TRI will unite and promote the remanufacturing industry by pursuing the following areas:

•          Provide members products and services to help them in business, such as the  

•          Influence public policy through government relations.

•          Provide networking opportunities for TRI members.

•          Provide the public with information about the benefits of remanufacturing.

•          Promote the concept of "Design for Remanufacturing."

As remanufacturers, we should look for every way possible to utilize the strength and benefits of a united remanufacturing industry.

The environmental edge

Remanufacturers have been "recycling" for more than 80 years. It all began during World War II when the tremendous need to reuse automotive and truck parts gave birth to the industry. Natural resources where scare during wartime, and many of the resources we did have were going to the war effort to build planes, ships, tanks, etc. Rebuilding used parts met the demand for quality replacements. The remanufacturing industry helps the environment in a number of different ways: Energy Conservation: Automotive and truck parts are kept out of the resmelting process longer because of remanufacturing. As a result, millions of barrels of oil or comparable forms of energy are saved.

Raw Material Conservation: Remanufacturing gives a product numerous lives instead of just one, thereby saving on raw materials. Rebuilders annually save millions of tons of natural resources such as iron, aluminum, copper, etc.

Landfill Space Conserved: Landfills are spared from the dumping of of millions of tons of iron, aluminum, copper, etc., because of the monetary value the industry places on parts. This "core charge" ensures parts are returned to be rebuilt.Air Pollution Reduce: Once again, keeping parts out of the resmelting process benefits the environment by reducing the air pollution that is generated by remelting.

Thank you!