Practical Approach to Analyze and Optimize Energy Efficiency Within a Press Hardening Process

Abstract

The experiences of 31 collaborative research projects, financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, were connected through the “Efficiency Factory”. The focal point of support was “resource efficiency in production”. One of the selected projects “reBOP”(efficient production by resource-based evaluation and optimization of process chains) was investigated at the Chair of Production Systems, Ruhr-University Bochum from 2009 to 2012. A concept to identify weak points in terms of energy efficiency was developed within the project. The concept was adopted to analyze the process chain and machinery of an associate partner. Therefore the energy efficiency of the organizational and technical level was improved. Companies, involved in this project, achieved specific results to strengthen their competitive ability: enabling them—as a system provider—to create energy efficient process chains and to assist customers in efficient use of their machinery and equipment. Objective of mentioned cluster-project was to develop and implement a holistic concept to evaluate and optimize process chains and assets energetically. Energy efficiency in this context means a reduction of electric energy input at a constant output quantity. Inevitable need to evaluate and compare specific processes is their uniform, normed character. For this purpose a set of unique key performance indicators was created. This set enabled the companies to transform even dissimilar processes and, in the consequence, to benchmark and enhance them. Additionally, employing the novel simulation software, present processes were configured, under organizational and technical aspects, up to 30 % more energy efficient. The successor project “rebas” (resource efficient development and optimized operations of filling-facilities within the food industry through development of a novel simulation software) will be set up on “reBOP”-generated insights, focusing brewery-facilities. Systematic consideration of all kinds of process related resources and a steadily evolving plant layout planning tool, supported by novel simulations will extend previous generated solutions.