Saving NT $ 20,000 a Year in Electricity

By optimizing the scheduling of production lines, combining peak electricity usage management with equipment operation strategies, businesses can save more than US $ 20,000 per year in electricity bills.The course covers energy consumption analysis, personnel scheduling, and the use of smart tools, all of which help factories cut energy costs.

Why can scheduling production save electricity?

Many bosses may not realize that the way they schedule their employees directly affects their power costs.For example, the electricity bill might skyrocket because of the simultaneous use of equipment or because of wasteful habits of employees on the night shift.If a company can understand the patterns of electricity use and adjust the timing of shifts and the rhythm of equipment use, or even change the way shifts are handed over, it can turn itself from a big user of electricity into an energy conservation model.

Three steps to clear up the details of workshop electricity consumption.

Don't be lazy about recording the meter readings.

Record the meter reading hourly for a week. Mark the peak hours in the morning, afternoon, and evening.Some factories have found that their machines are running hardest at the time of day when electricity is most expensive.

Energy labels on equipment.

The company's large-scale equipment is grouped according to power consumption, with energy hogs like air compressors and dryers singled out.Don't underestimate the importance of lighting. Leaving LED lights on for 24 hours a day can cost thousands of NT dollars a year.

Draw a map of the times of day when electricity is used.

By overlaying the three graphs, it is easy to see where the company is "wasting money.For example, one factory discovered that all the machines were running for half an hour during the shift change, and this cost the factory over NT $ 8,000 a year.

The program also includes a workshop in which students learn how to adjust their schedules.

There's a science to turning the AC on and off.

This will allow high-power equipment to be started up outside peak power consumption hours.For example, by moving the laundry from the afternoon to the evening, when electricity is cheaper, they saved 40 % of the cost.Remember to leave one or two critical machines to keep production going, so as not to delay the completion of orders.

Flexible production shifts.

Splitting an eight-hour shift into 4 + 4 hours, with the middle four hours being the most expensive in terms of electricity.A car parts factory found that with this arrangement, it saved NT $ 1,800 a month in electricity costs, and employees were able to avoid working during the hottest part of the day.

Using intelligent scheduling tools.

Try scheduling software with electricity prediction features, such as the Energy-Saving Scheduling Assistant.After setting the time periods and equipment parameters, the system will automatically recommend a schedule, and can also simulate the differences in electricity costs between different scenarios.

Don't let all our energy conservation efforts go to waste.

Keep a close eye on your electricity bill.

The idea is to get into the habit of comparing electricity consumption every week, and to pay particular attention to the data for the periods corresponding to the adjusted class times.The owner of a food factory noticed that the meter would suddenly jump each time the shift changed. Later, it was discovered that the door to the reserve cold storage room had not been closed tightly.

Give energy-saving red envelopes.

For example, 20 % of the amount saved in electricity bills every month could be used as an award.After a certain textile factory adopted this method, the workers came up with the idea of a "relay check" in which they would turn off the lights and pass the inspection work to others.

Regularly updating energy use strategies.

The schedules are adjusted every quarter according to production plans, and especially when power rates change or new equipment is added.Last year, a printing company switched to a new UV dryer, and after making the necessary adjustments to the production schedule, it actually used less electricity than with the old equipment.