At ETL Systems, we are committed to enhancing efficiency and sustainability in our production processes. Our latest initiative, focused on reducing energy consumption in our manufacturing operations at our headquarters in Hereford, has yielded impressive results. This case study explores the specifics of our efforts and the impact on our energy usage.
Action: Change to Reflow Oven Start-Up Settings on SMT Lines 2 and 3 from 23 May 2024
Our Production Engineering Manager, Steve Uppington, recently collaborated with a specialist engineer from Europlacer to improve the power efficiency of our reflow ovens on SMT lines 2 and 3. Through this partnership, we identified opportunities to apply environmental settings within the oven software to save energy.
Steve Uppington explains:
As of 23 May 2024, we have set the start-up of the ovens to sequential, meaning only half of the oven switches on initially. When the oven reaches a certain temperature, the second half of the zones switch on. Since there is residual heat from the first set of zones, the second set reaches temperature quickly. Overall, it will take longer for the oven to get to temperature (about 10 to 15 minutes), but the power consumption should be considerably less.”
Results of the Energy-Saving Measures
We measured a 10% reduction in energy consumption by the Production Distribution Board, across 21 days before and after the change. Early morning operational hours saw remarkable energy savings, underscoring the effectiveness of the new settings in decreasing power use during critical times.
Conclusion
ETL Systems’ commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency is evident through initiatives like this energy-saving project. By implementing smarter start-up sequences for our reflow ovens, we have achieved substantial energy savings, contributing to our overall goal of reducing our carbon emissions by 70% of baseline by 2033.
To find out more about our commitment to net zero visit our Corporate Responsibilities page.