Raw materials and energy are the most expensive inputs for the manufacturing sector, together accounting for up to 60% of total production costs. So resource efficient manufacturing becomes a necessity, not only for environmental reasons, but also for the profitability and competitiveness of Europe’s manufacturing sector.

The EU-funded MEMAN project supports companies in the analysis of their value chain to optimise the use of their resources. MEMAN looks at three case-studies: the casting, machining and surface finishing clusters.

Today we released the 3^rd and last video on the surface finishing cluster. The cluster investigated the production process of a hydraulic piston rod – with a special focus on the last phase of surface finishing –, which is used in mechanical engineering applications, such as cars, cranes and construction machines in general.

The application of the MEMAN methodology allowed the industrial partners involved to demonstrate:

• 80% reduction in process failures, insufficient quality and scrap caused by manufacturing disturbances due to supply disorders (e.g. changed qualities of raw material and chemicals)
• Up to 26% cost savings along the value chain
• Up to 35% reduction of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions
• Optimal specifications of steel quality (such as steel microstructure, inclusions) necessary to avoid any re-work of the product to be coated
• The methodology also contributed to assess and therefore reduce the health risks of workers from serious hazards.

Watch now the last video on MEMAN’s surface finishing cluster

Want to know more? Have a look at the casting cluster and machining cluster videos as well!