AX Control, Inc.

Green Manufacturing: Changes for a Better 2021

Manufacturers are looking to green technologies to lessen the impact on the environment and on their bottom line.

As this year comes to an end and we look toward the new one (as well as a new decade!), you may be making decisions on changes that will impact your bottom line in 2021. One of the most impactful ways to do this is by considering green manufacturing processes and practices. Not only will these changes create a smaller imprint on the Earth’s energy reserves and limited resources, but they will also likely save you money, too.

The question of how to make manufacturing more eco-friendly is going to be a big one in the coming decades, especially as end-users increasingly demand products with transparent supply chains and smaller ecological footprints.

Here is a list of five changes to consider.

Consider Technological Advances

Over the last few years, several new technologies have been introduced to manufacturing that allows design and prototyping to happen off the manufacturing floor. Using VR or AR technologies to evaluate designs or process changes will help limit waste in the real-world environment. These technologies allow your design team to start over or back up in their design process without any lost product.

Once a digital design has been perfected and analyzed on your virtual platform, you can move it to real-world prototyping, and then to your manufacturing line. Other advances like machine learning can improve your plant’s workflow by limiting downtime, improving your supply chain, and suggesting better use of human labor.

Go Paperless to Help the Environment

Companies like Tesla–the king of green manufacturers–have thrived with paperless environments, relying instead on sets of visual work instructions. This change creates a significant environmental impact, but more importantly, it tends to improve quality and boost productivity. When instructions are relayed electronically, there’s no chance a worker will accidentally pull from an incorrect revision or out-of-date work order since these disappear with every update. Fewer mistakes mean less wasted material and lower scrap rate; that lower scrap rate will have a significant impact on your costs.

A Short History of Eurotherm

What do you know about the history of Eurotherm?

Industrial companies grow, merge, and get bought out by larger companies. This is not unusual. But when you’re trying to track down legacy products, it can make life difficult.
At AX Control, we’ve had plenty of experience with these changes. We have plenty of experience working with older parts that “used to be” made under a different company name.

History of Eurotherm

In the case of Eurotherm, company history takes a few zigs and zags. Expansions and mergers play heavily in its history. Even so, products remained branded as “Eurotherm.” For example, new parts produced by Schneider Electric are still sold under the Eurotherm name.

Work Shoes for Automation Jobs To Avert Injury and Pain

Safety equipment is important for workers in the Industrial Automation. Here are some of the factors you should consider when picking out your next pair of work shoes.

For many jobs in the Industrial Automation industry, protective work shoes are a necessity. In some cases, personal protective equipment is a requirement to even access the factory floor. Healthy feet are crucial for ease of movement; Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump taught us that.

Even when PPE footwear isn’t required, it’s often still a good idea to protect your feet from damage by rolling or falling objects, to protect from sharp objects beneath your sole, or to protect from electric shock. In any situation where a possibility of injury exists, workers should adopt a “better safe than sorry” approach.

Close up image of leather work shoes — Work shoes are expensive but will serve you well if you choose well.

While OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) dictates how personal protective equipment is used, certification standards for safety shoes are actually provided by ASTM International.