The manufacturing industry is one of the vital features of development and economy. The sector accounts for almost 53.66% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But it is also a major contributor towards the toxic emissions and global warming. Scientists say that mankind’s ecological footprint has soon exceeded the Earth’s capacity. The casting, forging, molding and tooling comes under the manufacturing industry and is the major contributor towards emissions and scrap materials.
Global Warming is regarded as the worldwide phenomenon and the reason for the rising temperature in the air and water bodies. The provocation of greenhouse gas was due to high tapped heat from industrial units.
The simple ways adopted by us humans to combat climate change is going vegetarian, conversing energy, cutting on the use of plastics, limiting the installation of air conditioners, etc. The unfamiliar way is the scope of additive manufacturing towards positive environmental impacts. However, eco-friendly manufacturing is prominently being recognized as the path towards sustainability. Thus, Additive manufacturing is gaining a consistent interest from today’s manufacturers.
Growth in Carbon Emissions and its Consequences
Carbon emissions are either caused by human activity or natural. The natural carbon emissions results due to animal breathing, wildfire, aquatic microorganism, wildfire, volcanic activities. Whereas, the anthropic emissions are created due to industrial activities, vehicles, heating, power generation, burning of fossil fuels, voluntary fire, etc.
In 2017, there were worldwide agreements on fighting climate change, the carbon emissions still witnessed constant growth. These carbon emissions have resulted in terminal affection on the environment.
Consequences on CO2
- The high level of toxic carbon causes asphyxiation in birds and mammals as its chemical property is higher than oxygen.
- The circulation of oceans has also affected due to the anthropic emissions. The water is more acidic and its temperature changes rapidly.
- These conditions have limited the growth of many vegetal species, this is known as environmental acidification.
Additive Manufacturing – An Environmental Option
Waste Reduction
The traditional method involved subtractive manufacturing and hence removing unwanted materials from raw pieces to get the finished product. This create the large hazardous waste material which is challenging job to manage. Such manufacturing techniques also consumes high electricity and hence more load on power supply leading to power plant pollution.In the times where the natural resources are already depleting, finding a different technology was a necessity. As Additive Manufacturing allows printing on demand, fewer tools, and limited material nothing goes unsold or to scrape. AM produces the part in closed chamber with no gas emissions and materials wastage. AM produces almost 90 percent less material wastage than conventional subtractive manufacturing.
Decreased Emissions
Adopting the technology of AM makes your supply chain shorter as well as more localised. The negative byproducts of the traditional methods were pollution, smoke, and toxic fumes. 3D printing significantly reduces and sometimes even eliminates entirely.
Utilization Capacity
One of the characteristics of additive manufacturing is its utilization rate which results in lower specific energy consumption. Even if the utilizing its full capacity helps in grater energy efficiency with greater production value.
Lesser Degree of Shipping
Additive manufactures enables promptly sharing, uploading, and downloading data via the internet. Thus, cutting shorter the shipping chain and intern burning less fuel, less packaging, and less storage.
Lightweight part creation
Due to ability to create complex design parts, AM produces the lightweight parts that are useful in aerospace and automotive industries. This lightweight parts makes the aircraft and automobiles lighter than usual and hence less fuel consumption and reduced emissions.
Conclusion
Along with environmental benefits, AM can give your business the push it needs. Many companies like Incredible AM is always open for contract manufacturing, serve design solutions and product development. The Incredible AM Pvt. Ltd. offers small-batch production at low cost, shortest lead time, supply chain optimization, faster product development, and high efficiency engineered parts and effective inventory management.
