Sustainability & Environment

News • August 11, 2017

MLC lists critical issues on the road to Manufacturing 4.0

The Manufacturing Leadership Council's 800+ members have identified the most urgent and important issues disrupting the manufacturing industry over the next twelve months as it pursues a more efficient, agile, and data-driven future. MLC bills itself as "the world's foremost executive leadership organization dedicated to driving transformational growth for the world's manufacturing companies."

News • March 3, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Cerasis: Green, IIoT and analytics among manufacturing trends in 2017

Cerasis, a transportation-management company that works with the manufacturing industry, recently shared a list of manufacturing-technology trends that it says are growing in importance. Among them are green manufacturing, IIoT and computer analytics.

News • February 15, 2017

Tokyo 2020 Olympics to feature medals made from recycled electronics

For the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic games in Tokyo, recycled electronics will be used to make the needed 5,000 medals.

News • January 10, 2017

OSHA Issues Rule to Protect Workers from Beryllium Exposure

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule to prevent chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer in U.S. workers by limiting their exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds. The rule contains standards for general industry, construction and shipyards.

News • July 29, 2016

PACE helps finance green facility upgrades

Heller Machine Tools, Troy, Mich., is the first manufacturer to finance energy upgrades through a 2010 program authorized by the state of Michigan that allows municipalities to fund energy-efficiency improvements through a special assessment on a property.

News • July 12, 2016

N.H. tool maker going solar

Jarvis Cutting Tools is constructing a 500W AC solar panel array in front of its property in Rochester, N.H. Jarvis President Costikyan Jarvis said the solar project will help the company cut production costs and capitalize on incentives for producing solar energy, according to a report on fosters.com.

News • July 6, 2016

NASA Research Supports IKONICS Technology

IKONICS Corp., a Duluth-based imaging technology company, announced today that IKONICS Precision Abrasive Machining capabilities align with NASA test results to reduce aerodynamic drag on acoustic jet engine liners.

News • May 31, 2016

NIST, partners create mfg. standards

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, manufacturing accounts for one-fifth of the annual energy consumption in the United States—approximately 21 quintillion joules (20 quadrillion BTU) or equivalent to 3.6 billion barrels of crude oil. To reduce this staggering amount and improve sustainability, manufacturers need to accurately measure and evaluate consumption of energy and materials, as well as environmental impacts, at each step in the life cycles of their products.

Articles • April 1, 2016 • William Leventon

Suite of power-cutting control applications

Machine tool idling, unnecessary pump rotation and continuously running peripheral equipment drive up machining costs. These energy wasters are in the crosshairs of a new suite of power-cutting control applications from Japanese machine tool builder Okuma Corp.

Videos • February 22, 2016

Abanaki’s SS mighty mini

The SS mighty mini is ideal for removing oil from machining centers and parts washers. The portable unit can service multiple parts washers and coolant sumps, avoiding the expense of multiple units. The belt picks up the oil, which is then scraped from both sides by dual wiper blades at a rate of up to 2 gph (7.6 lph).

Articles • June 1, 2015 • Kip Hanson

Water wardens

How shops can help keep groundwater clean and be green in other ways.

News • January 19, 2015

Seco’s recycling program expands

Seco Tools LLC, Troy, Mich., collected 15 percent more used carbide in 2014 than the previous year for its North American Carbide Recycling Program. The company received 350 returns during the year and processed a total of 144,877 pounds (65,715 kg) of used carbide tools. Since the recycling program began in 2011, Seco Tools has received over a half million pounds (226,796 kg) of used carbide.