Effective Energy Management Through Energy Monitoring: Case Study Of Sheet Metal Part Manufacturing

A lack of energy management often leads to inefficient use of energy and improper allocation of energy resource. To overcome such issues, it is proposed to conduct energy monitoring as a first step towards energy management. Monitoring the energy consumption of a machine creates an understanding of energy usage pattern and may reveal underlying issues that are often neglected by users. A case study of sheet metal part manufacturing reveals inefficient energy consumption from machine that idled 89% during the studied period, as a result of improper scheduling of work order. The study also shows that low power factor of 0.5 may lead to early failure of motor. Results from the examined case signify the importance of energy monitoring in energy management and help to identify opportunities for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs.