A Pathway Towards Sustainable Manufacturing for Mid-size Manufacturers

Freeform 3D Printing: Towards a Sustainable Approach to Additive Manufacturing

Most additive manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, utilize support materials in the fabrication process. Beyond the technical challenges of support removal, these materials are wasteful – increasing fabrication and processing time while impacting quality. This paper presents “Freeform Printing”, a novel design approach for 3D printing without additional auxiliary structures. A 6-axi...

ICT for Sustainable Manufacturing: A European Perspective

The challenges associated with environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly affecting policy making and global economic activity. Since energy use accounts for eighty percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, the European Union is determined to fight against climate change and reduce emissions by at least twenty percent in 2020. Although information and co...

Value System for Sustainable Manufacturing

Towards a comprehensive service business management environment for equipment manufacturers

Transformation of equipment manufacturers to become providers of industrial services is a trend that involves deep transformation of companies. Equipment manufactures can potentially provide services significantly more efficiently and effectively by utilizing information about their installed base. We aim to recognise decision support functionality and required information contents for a system...

Challenges in Sustainable Manufacturing

Since the release of Brundtland Report in 1987, sustainability practices have received a fair share of attention from researchers and practitioners alike. Sustainable manufacturing practices seek to optimize production efficiency while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining social equity. Research has shown that companies that adopt sustainable practices are able to achieve increased p...