Cleaner production for environmental conscious manufacturing in the foundry industry

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to illustrate application of the cleaner production concept so as to incorporate environmental protection into business performance. The study analyses areas pertaining to the foundry industry that impact negatively on the environment leading to unsustainable resource utilisation and suggests options for promoting sustainable development within the industry, with specific focus on a foundry in a lower income country (LIC).Design/methodology/approachData were collected using the cleaner production (CP) Methodology. Pre‐assessment and assessment was carried out and options generated. The options included both low cost and capital intensive approaches.FindingsThe paper finds that the CP approach adopted provides clear guidance for generating options and can be used as a practical basis for managerial decision making and policy formulation. Of major concern is resource depletion and pollution associated with the foundry processes. Used resin sand contains toxic chemicals cause leaching and as such, reclamation of resin sand is suggested. There is need for low income countries (LIC's) to identify the best available technologies (BAT's) that are available within the foundry industry and take these aboard or better still improve on them.Research limitations/implicationsThis research developed environmental options that can be applied in the foundry industry. However, it can be said that the findings may have limited global application since the analysis was carried out at one Foundry Company.Practical implicationsThe paper focuses on a single foundry factory, since the case study approach was used. As such, environmental indicators and options may vary, since the processes from one foundry to another are bound to differ.Originality/valueThis paper is an attempt at combining theoretical and practical ideas to cover the scope of sustainable manufacturing in the setting of a developing country with a view to identify the lessons that can be learnt and to identify the points of departure when compared with studies done elsewhere. The work informs cleaner production assessment at any level, with a focus of production experiences in the foundry industry in a lower technology, developing economy that is less industrialized. The paper establishes a framework of options that can be applied in the foundry industry and other pollution‐intensive industries.

Learning on Lean Production: A Review of Opinion and Research within Environmental Constraints

“…Dhingra et al (2012) supposed that growing energy demand has led to increased global energy production with consequential increase in global warming emissions of CO 2 increased by 5.3% in 2010 to a record 30.4 giga tonnes; Netland and Aspelund (2014) reviewed the key dimensions to explain multi-plant improvement programme results in adopting, acting or avoiding of practices in subsidiaries; yielded the similarities between lean & green theoretical models to develop a comprehensive integrated model; Duarte and Cruz-Machado (2013) examined how diverse business models and frameworks can add value to modelling a lean and green approach; Huang et al (2009) examined the insights experienced in developing prototype solutions and the schemes for deploying smart objects in manufacturing to achieve real-time traceability & visibility while minimizing the total cost; Ghosh (2012) examined the current state of lean adoption in Indian manufacturing plants and its impact on operational performance; Ramirez et al (2014) identified the factors of environmentally-sustainable aids in firms' processes and charted the strategies to beat supplier barriers; Olhager and Parjago (2012) studied 216 Australian automotive firms and found clear difference of improvement initiatives between make-to-order & make-to-stock firms; Fore and Mbohwa (2010) illustrated the application of cleaner production in foundries in lower income country that impact negatively on the environment leading to unsustainable resource utilization, depletion and pollution; Miller et al (2010) presented a case study of RCELL projects to avoid over production or under production & unnecessary energy use; Anand and Kodali (2008) aimed at selecting lean as a strategy & preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) to analyze its impact on stakeholders, through case studies in SMEs.…”

Contemporary and futuristic views of pollution control devices in foundries

“…Being the source of wealth generation, foundries had been started in many countries in the olden days. After the middle part of the twentieth century, the requirement of cast components increased to a large volume in the world (Fore and Mbohwa, 2010). As a result, foundries amazingly increased in number in several countries.…”

“…On the whole the research reported by these authors have revealed that, choosing appropriate devices to control the emissions of pollutants from aluminum pressure die casting plants has to be done meticulously so that the cleaner production principles are implemented economically in them. Fore and Mbohwa (2010) have extensively reviewed the application of cleaner production technology in foundries located in various countries in the world. While the major emphasis of these authors is that, the application of cleaner production technology will result in energy saving in foundries, the information furnished by them on the significance of applying cleaner production technologies in foundries is highly noteworthy.…”

“…After solidification, these metals become castings by assuming the shapes of molds. As majority of the products are manufactured using foundry practices (Wang et al, 2007), functioning of foundries had been enabling the economic growth of societies (Fore and Mbohwa, 2010). Though this is a favorable fact, for fueling the growth of foundries in countries, the non-desirable fact is that, foundry practices consume enormous many foundries are yet to install efficient pollution control devices (Krishnaraj et al, 2012;Mukherjee., 2010), In this context, the need of carrying out cleaner production in foundries using efficient pollution prevention control devices is increasingly being realized by the theorists and practitioners (Antunes et al, 2012;Fatta et al, 2004;Pal et al, 2008).…”

Control of pollution emitted by foundries

“…An important inference drawn frame this research is that no single device or approach will reduce the emission of pollutants from the aluminum pressure die casting plants. Fore and Mbohwa (2010) have given suggestions to reduce the pollutants by the foundries. These authors have traced various aspects of controlling pollution from foundry units.…”