Energy and material flow management for the coating of H4 bulbs with paint
The key items identified in the recommendations for optimisation were reducing paint loss when coating car headlight bulbs and several proposals for the lowering of energy needs.
Summary
The OSRAM factory in Herbrechtingen specialises in the production and development of vehicle lamps and particularly halogen bulbs in a variety of designs.
The objective of the project was to introduce energy and material flow management as a means of analysing subprocesses and thus to facilitate the recognition and evaluation of any potential for optimisation using acceptable resources.
Energy and material flow analyses were carried out for the processes selected for the pilot project:
- The manufacture of the paint
- The coating of H4 bulbs with the paint
and used for a transparent illustration of the energy, material and cost flows.
An analysis of weak points was used to identify and evaluate ways of optimising the company’s environmental situation and improving efficiency, together with the resulting potential to reduce costs.
Results:
Paint manufacture: The full material balance for the manufacturing of paint showed that the material losses here are very low (some paint loss noted during quality control). There is no potential for improvement in this process.
Coating of H4 bulbs with paint: The clear H4 bulbs are coated with paint in a multi-stage process and are then subjected to a final quality control. Paint loss amounts to 28% when the painting equipment is replaced and cleaned.
Suggested solutions:
To reduce paint losses:
- Extend maintenance intervals for the painting equipment, saving up to €4,300 p.a. per production line
To reduce energy consumption:
- Improve insulation of baking oven, saving 10-15 MWh p.a.; this is the equivalent of carbon reductions of between 6.4 and 9.6t p.a.
- Replace the decentralised refrigerating units with a connection to the existing cooling water system
- Needs-based size and control of the extraction units, which would considerably reduce the extraction capacity required.
Project Participants
Implementing Institution
Cooperation partner
Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) Ostwürttemberg
ABAG-itm - Society for Innovative Technology and Management Consulting
Source: Landesanstalt für Umwelt Baden-Württemberg
