Sustainable Manufacturing Research Articles

Industrial symbiosis and eco-industrial transformation opportunities for environmental protection in Nigeria

The establishment of industrial parks has functioned as a catalyst for sustained economic growth and industrial advancement in Nigeria, mirroring trends observed in industrialized countries globally. However, no attention has been given to the conversion of existing industrial parks to eco-industrial parks (EIPs) to address the environmental challenges caused by increased industrialization in the country. This paper presents an assessment of opportunities for environmental protection through eco-industrial transformation in Nigeria, specifically focusing on the case of Sharada Industrial Park (SIP). The study applies the international eco-industrial park (EIP) framework to evaluate the current and intended performance of the park and identify opportunities for its conversion into an EIP, through an on-site tour of the park and interviews with the park managers. Similarly, questionnaires were used to assess the readiness of eco-industrial transformation in the country. The assessment of SIP's performance against the EIP framework reveals a concerning lack of compliance, with only 39 % of the performance indicators being met. This translates to several issues including resource inefficiency, increased pollution, higher operating costs and environmental non-compliance for the resident industries in SIP. Key opportunities for the transformation of SIP into an EIP were identified, including the diversity of industries in the park, existing infrastructure and renewable energy integration. These opportunities represent the potential for the establishment of sustainable industrial ecosystems in Nigeria. Tailored strategies for compliance, including policy reforms and stakeholder engagement, are recommended to drive eco-industrial transformation and foster a sustainable and circular manufacturing sector in Nigeria. It is also recommended that future research should investigate the drivers and barriers of industrial symbiosis (IS) and circular economy practices within industrial parks, alongside material flow analysis to determine synergy opportunities.

Assessment of Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0 using Delphi-Based Factor Relationships and Comprehensive Distance-Based Ranking Methods under Uncertainty

Industry 4.0 is a new revolution in which internet connection technologies are interfaced with various components of industrial systems to create the smart factories and manufacturing organizations of the future to achieve a sustainable manufacturing framework. A large number of networked devices presents a significant chance to gather important data for improving the technology of decision-making to enhance product life-cycle management. Industry 4.0 technologies will face significant challenges and obstacles due to the cybersecurity and data privacy problems suffered by current Internet technology. In actuality, cybersecurity poses an important challenge to the advancement of sustainable manufacturing. Cybersecurity architectures are widely employed to prevent intrusions and attacks on computers and networks. As a result, there is a major decrease in the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and the sustainable manufacturing framework within organizations. To achieve the implementation of this sustainable manufacturing in companies we suggested five cybersecurity measures and six criteria. The proposed decision-making method aims to rank the cybersecurity procedures. The ranking of these measures used a combination of Delphi-FARE (factor relationship) and COBRA (comprehensive distance-based ranking) methods based on a neutrosophic environment. The result showed that alternative one “Data Encryptions” is the best one, and alternative five “Cloud Servers” is the worst one. We conducted a sensitivity and comparison analysis to verify the stability of the model and its performance with other models and demonstrated impressive results.

Advancements in Dry Electrode Technologies: Towards Sustainable and Efficient Battery Manufacturing

AbstractTo address the urgent demand for sustainable battery manufacturing, this review contrasts traditional wet process with emerging dry electrode technologies. Dry process stands out because of its reduced energy and environmental footprint, offering considerable economic benefits and facilitating the production of high‐energy‐density electrodes. We spotlight technological innovations that exemplify the paradigm shift towards eco‐friendliness and cost‐efficiency. This review synthesizes the latest developments in dry electrode production, comparing the techniques with conventional methods, and outlines future research for further optimization toward a higher technology readiness level. We suggest that the evolution of battery manufacturing hinges on the synergy between process innovation and materials science, which is crucial for meeting the dual goals of environmental sustainability and economic practicality.

Intelligent support in manufacturing process selection based on artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms: Current state and future perspectives

Technological advances, dynamic customer needs, growing uncertainty, and the imperative for sustainable development pressure manufacturing entities to enhance productivity and competitiveness. In this challenging landscape, decision-making in manufacturing process selection is critical. Adopting intelligent support is essential for balancing performance and costs through optimal process selection. Through a comprehensive review of 93 studies published between 2013 and 2023, this paper aims to provide a profound understanding of intelligent support in manufacturing process selection. The findings, which indicate significant interest in intelligent methodologies for manufacturing process selection, are of great importance. Fuzzy logic is prevalent in additive manufacturing due to its ability to handle complex and imprecise data. At the same time, artificial neural networks are favored in conventional manufacturing for leveraging extensive historical data. Genetic algorithms are primarily used for optimization challenges. As manufacturing evolves with new technologies and complex materials, this paper advocates adopting a generalized matrix learning vector quantization neural network for efficient and intelligent process selection in additive and conventional approaches due to its capacity to leverage historical data and handle complex and high dimensional data.

Theoretical Assessment of the Environmental Impact of the Preheating Stage in Thermoplastic Composite Processing: A Step toward Sustainable Manufacturing

Theoretical Assessment of the Environmental Impact of the Preheating Stage in Thermoplastic Composite Processing: A Step toward Sustainable Manufacturing

Biochar for sustainable additive manufacturing: Thermal, mechanical, electrical, and rheological responses of polypropylene-biochar composites

The utilization of eco-friendly reinforcing materials and the fabrication of sustainable composites with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties are a subject of great scientific interest. Such research is aiming to be applied in a variety of industrial applications. In this study, polypropylene (PP) was used as a matrix material and combined with biochar (BC) as a filler at different loadings (2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0 wt %) to produce reinforced composites. Biochar was produced from olive tree prunings. Additively manufactured specimens underwent a variety of tests (fourteen in total) regarding their thermal, structural, mechanical, morphological, and electrical properties. The mechanical properties of the PP were improved by the addition of 4.0 wt % biochar, as the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity, presented a 28.4 % and 24.3 % increase compared to that of pure PP. Overall, the 6 wt % was the optimum loading considering all the tests conducted. The thermal stability of the PP/BC composites was significantly improved compared to that of pure PP. At a filler loading of 8.0 wt %, the dc-conductivity of PP/biochar composite increased by more than 9 orders of magnitude, suggesting the existence of a percolation threshold, above which the polymer composite switches from insulating behavior to a conductive state. Overall, biochar addition had a positive impact on all measured quantities and proved to be an eco-friendly material suitable for use in various applications of additive manufacturing (AM).

Scaling Sustainable Manufacturing: A Fireside Chat with Solugen CTO & Co-Founder Sean Hunt

Scaling Sustainable Manufacturing: A Fireside Chat with Solugen CTO & Co-Founder Sean Hunt

The role of smart technology, managerial initiatives and human factors on sustainable manufacturing: a case study of Indonesian oil and gas workers

This study aims to analyse and determine the effect of Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and physical-cyber system variables on human factors in refinery industry operators and the influence of human factors and managerial initiatives on sustainable manufacturing. The method used in this study is a quantitative method using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The respondents in this study were workers of Indonesia’s upstream oil and gas sector. The results of this study indicate that Big Data, IoT, and Physical Cyber Systems (PCS) have a positive and significant effect on the human factor. In addition, there is a significant relationship between human factors and sustainable manufacturing. Furthermore, it is also found that there is a relationship between managerial initiatives and sustainable manufacturing. However, the managerial initiative cannot moderate the human factor and sustainable manufacturing.

Towards Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Cement Manufacturing: A Systematic Review of AI Applications in Electrical Energy Consumption Optimization

Cement manufacturing is known for its significant energy consumption and environmental footprint. As the world strives for sustainability, optimizing electrical energy consumption (EEC) in cement manufacturing is essential for reducing operational costs and minimizing the industry’s environmental impact. This systematic review aims to synthesize and analyze existing scholarly works and industry reports on methods and approaches for EEC optimization in cement production. It examines papers published between 1993 and 2023 in academic databases, scholarly journals, and industry publications to identify open questions and areas where future research may be needed. While challenges remain, continued research and innovation are key to further advancements in energy efficiency in cement production. With the advent of Industry 4.0 digitalization and advancements in data analytics and industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to optimize EEC. This study is a review of the applications of artificial intelligence to EEC optimization in industries that have heavy demand for electric power to highlight the value of directing research to its applications in cement manufacturing. The study posits that with digitalization, applying artificial intelligence to extract operational insights from the data collected from embedded sensors and meters at the plant presents the most cost-effective, high-return, and low-risk opportunity to optimize EEC in cement manufacturing.

A novel strategy towards the fabrication of highly stable and sensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on Ni3N thin films using high power impulse magnetron sputtering

Glucose level surveillance in mankind is considered the greatest need of recent times to achieve healthy lifestyle goals due to its health-related concern for humans. To fulfill the need, Nickel-based compounds emerge with excellent bio-mimic properties. However, due to the poor electrical properties of oxides and hydroxides of Ni, developing a supporting base that can enhance electron transportation is mandatory. The present work is dedicated to non-enzymatic glucose detection by electrochemical means on the Ni3N thin film on an Indium-doped Tin Oxide (ITO) substrate as a working electrode in an alkaline medium. The Ni3N films use HiPIMS as a deposition technique due to its high ionization rate of sputtered species and dense plasma which helps the Ni ions to react with nitrogen in the formation of a perfect Ni3N phase, and it is a green process that can contribute to sustainable manufacturing. Ni3N thin film deposited at a 60 % N2 flow ratio shows the largest crystallinity and catalytic properties, which helps this modified electrode to have significant potential for glucose detection. The Ni3N modified electrode acquires a lower linear range of 0.001–1.25 mM with sensitivity and Limit of Detection (LOD) of 337.46 µAmM–1cm−2, and 0.78 µM, respectively, and a higher linear range of 1.25–7.3161 mM with a sensitivity of 158.58 µAmM–1cm−2. The amperometric measurements reveal the fast response of the electrode towards glucose detection at 2.46 secs. The key measures of the electrode according to the corresponding measurements are satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility, repeatability, and operational stability. The modified electrode shows a significant response for real samples such as commercially available honey, apple juice, and biological fluids.

Structure Formation by 3D-Printing of Cellulose from Cellulose-NMMO-Water Solutions: Analysis of Extrusion, Regeneration, and Drying Stages.

Processing cellulose from 4-methyl morpholine n-oxide (NMMO)-water solutions is a completely circular route that produces biodegradable cellulose fibers or films while recovering reusable NMMO [Guo, Y.; Cai, J.; Sun, T.; Xing, L.; Cheng, C.; Chi, K.; Xu, J.; Li, T. The purification process and side reactions in the N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) recovery system. Cellulose 2021, 28(12), 7609-7617]. Despite proven success in two-dimensional applications, challenges in transitioning to three-dimensional objects arise from the critical changes that cellulose undergoes during deposition, regeneration, and postregeneration stages. While emphasizing the critical diffusion-driven precipitation during regeneration, this investigation explores the influence of extrusion temperature, printing alignment, regeneration, and drying processes on interfilament fusion, bonding, shape integrity, and mechanical properties. Three distinct drying processes: ambient, vacuum, and freeze-drying were investigated. Tensile and flexural bending tests provided insight into the delamination of dried specimens. Ambient and vacuum drying enhanced the properties of specimens, while freeze-drying resulted in a more stable shape. The findings contribute to advancing the understanding of 3D-printing cellulose from NMMO solutions, addressing crucial aspects of the extrusion, regeneration, and drying stages for enhanced applications in sustainable manufacturing.

Scalable Fabrication of Flexible Supercapacitor Electrodes Using Sustainable Water‐Based Onion‐like Carbon Inks

AbstractThe increasing usage of electrical energy storage solutions demands for cost effective, scalable and sustainable manufacturing technologies. Deposition of functional inks, carrying electrochemically active materials is a suitable technique as it delivers material with selected properties only to required locations. However, the production of stable dispersions featuring high concentrations of active material ‐ necessary for effective deposition ‐ is challenging. Here we present an approach to print supercapacitor electrodes with onion‐like carbon as active material, using a simple, cost‐effective process as well as a water‐based ink. The ink is highly stable and can be deposited by spray and inkjet techniques. The fabricated electrodes offer a capacitance of up to 14 mF cm−2 (27 F g−1) and retained 97 % of their initial capacitance after 5000 cycles, demonstrating excellent performance and stability of the coating.

Hypetex wins government backing for colored flax fiber

On May 22, 2024, British technology company Hypetex was awarded a significant grant from Innovate UK to develop the world’s first technical colored flax fiber, which should have applications in the sustainable manufacturing of cars, boats and other products that are usually made with carbon fiber.

The Study of Drivers of Sustainable Manufacturing Practices in Fast Moving Consumer Goods Egyptian Sector and Their Impact on Competitive Capabilities

The Study of Drivers of Sustainable Manufacturing Practices in Fast Moving Consumer Goods Egyptian Sector and Their Impact on Competitive Capabilities

Industry 4.0 and circular economy for bolstering healthcare sector: A comprehensive view on challenges, implementation, and futuristic aspects

Industry 4.0 technologies are also strengthening the circular economy and circular healthcare. It is accomplished by implementing methods to reduce waste and undertake advanced sustainability initiatives. Industry 4.0 uses advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud computing, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity, satisfy customers, and generate new business opportunities. Industry 4.0 may immediately redirect a system, equipment, or worker who deviates from the most effective path to reduce wasteful emissions. Due to the limited supply of resources and increasing demand to discover sustainable manufacturing methods, the conventional strategy has proven unsuccessful. In order to reduce the need and demand for resources, the circular economy is in which waste from one sector is repurposed as raw material in another. Industry 4.0 brought forth technological advancements that are fundamentally more sustainable than conventional corporate methods. A sustainable strategy that lowers waste production and limits exposure to dangerous chemicals in the healthcare industry is known as circular healthcare. The reuse, repair, and recycling of toxic-free materials and products are encouraged in circular healthcare. The healthcare industry has to stop utilizing dangerous chemicals, stop using single-use items that are troublesome and wasteful, and take the lead in developing sustainable supply chains. Industry 4.0 developments assist the circular economy and healthcare by lowering material waste. Reuse opportunities are increased, appropriateness is improved, and negative mining consequences are minimized when pollution levels are low. In this paper, we have adopted a review-based approach to accomplish research objectives. This paper discusses Industry 4.0 and its relationship with the circular economy and healthcare. Studies specific practices of Circular Economy philosophy and discusses the Smart enablers of Industry 4.0 for Circular Economy. Finally, it identifies and discusses the role of Industry 4.0 in the smart circular economy and circular healthcare. Machines in Industry 4.0 with human-machine interfaces record data using cyber-physical systems and then analyze historical behaviour using Machine Learning (ML). The main aim of circular healthcare is to improve global health and sustainability while taking social and environmental responsibility. Creating a product that is useful for as and, integrates well with the environment, and can be recycled. By utilizing the circular economy and circular healthcare, healthcare organizations may gain and contribute to sustainable business models that help them for better health outcomes, enhanced patient and worker experiences, and lower care costs.

Biomass-derived sustainable mesoporous activated carbon as an efficient and recyclable adsorbent for the adsorption of hazardous dyes

The use of activated carbon obtained from biomass in wastewater treatment has grown in popularity due to its sustainability and low manufacturing cost. Mesoporous activated carbon (MAC), with a large surface area (480 m2/g) and remarkable adsorption capacity, was produced at 550 °C using affordable Ficus religiosa leaf as a biomass precursor. The developed MAC was used to adsorb the hazardous contaminants of acid blue 9 (AB9) and malachite green (MG) from wastewater. To characterize MAC, various analytical techniques were used, including XRD, Raman, HR-SEM, HR-TEM, EDAX, FTIR, BET surface area analysis, XPS, TGA, and the associated DTA. The observed data confirms the production of the graphitic framework in the synthesized MAC but also demonstrates the dispersion of mesopores with a diameter of 4 nm. Also, BET, HR-SEM, and HR-TEM images confirmed the presence of high pore density and dye adsorption surface area. MAC dye adsorption capacity with optimum adsorbent dosage of 0.2g and 0.3g was estimated as 1.552 × 10−4 (mol/g) (123.04 mg/g) and 1.495 × 10−4 (mol/g) (138.58 mg/g) for AB9 and MG respectively at equilibrium of 120 min. The regression coefficients derived from the Freundlich, Langmuir, and D-R adsorption isotherms peak are compared, and the R2 value of 0.99 reported by Langmuir suggests that the adsorption of AB9 and MG adheres to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm by best fitting the equilibrium, recommending monolayer coverage. The chemisorption mechanism is defined by the combination of adsorption kinetics and a pseudo-second-order model. Besides, the sustainability was shown for five adsorptions–desorption cycles judge the utility and economic viability of the adsorption process. The plausible adsorption mechanism of MAC over AB9 and MG is mediated by synergetic interactions such as π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions. Therefore, exceptional stability, sustainability, and reliability for up to five adsorption run cycles of MAC justify its superiority over other adsorbents in the adsorption of AB9 and MG from wastewater.

Elevating Sustainability: The Role of Machining in Modern Eco-Friendly Manufacturing Processes

Sustainable manufacturing has become a critical concern across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and services. It involves the creation of manufactured products through economically sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Additionally, sustainable manufacturing aims to enhance employee, community, and product safety.This paper focuses on the machining process as a key component of sustainable manufacturing. Machining is widely used in manufacturing industries to fabricate components, but it also significantly contributes to environmental pollution. Sustainable machining has been a topic of discussion for over a decade. In sustainable machining processes, every factor acts differently like, the tool life, productivity, and effective utilization of resources must be increased. In contrast, the machining cost, machine cutting power, and adverse effect of cooling and lubrication fluids will be decreased. Important aspects of sustainable machining include dry and near-dry machining, cryogenic machining, and minimum quantity lubricant (MQL) were presented in this article. The effectiveness of these processes is assessed based on cutting tool life and the quality of machined components. In addition, the advancements consideration such as novel process variations, process hybridization, the use of sustainable tools and green transfer mediums, and the optimization of process parameters. Recommendations include increasing efficiency and reducing waste by incorporating recyclable tools in the machine industry implementing either stand alone or hybrid sustainable lubrication machining techniques.

Energy efficiency improvement of heavy-load hydraulic fine blanking press for sustainable manufacturing assisted by multi-stages pressure source system

The fine blanking process has the highest forming accuracy in the field of metal forming and its production volume has increased sharply. However, hydraulic fine blanking presses (HFBP) – the core equipment of the fine blanking process, have suffered from significant energy loss due to the inefficient hydraulic system. To enhance the energy efficiency of the hydraulic system, this study introduced a novel approach – a multi-stage pressure source system comprised of distinct pump-accumulator groups, each operating at varied supplied pressures to narrow the mismatch of the installed and demanded power. This adaptive system is capable of automatic adjustments to align with the required pressure, thereby mitigating energy losses while concurrently preserving superior dynamic working performance. First, this study commenced with a theoretical analysis of the system configuration and energy characteristics of HFBP. Subsequently, a comprehensive exploration into the inherent inefficiencies of the hydraulic system is undertaken by formulating a precise energy consumption model. Finally, a novel energy-saving optimization design was carried out on the fast-approaching subsystem. The results demonstrated that the implementation of the proposed system led to a notable reduction of 76.87% in energy loss within the flow-regulating module, and an overall diminution of 13.53% in energy dissipation compared to the conventional system. This study will significantly advance sustainable manufacturing practices within the metal-forming domain by reducing electricity consumption and production cost.

Revolutionizing industry: the path to sustainable manufacturing

Revolutionizing industry: the path to sustainable manufacturing

Application of digital simulation tool in designing of injection mold for sustainable manufacturing

Application of digital simulation tool in designing of injection mold for sustainable manufacturing