Solution: Secondary Aluminium!

The large-scale demand and usage of aluminium, generates massive amounts of scrap. This scrap serves as the source for the secondary aluminium! It comprises around 30% of India’s total aluminium consumption of 3.3 million tons annually. Recycling aluminium is environmentally friendly, as the process consumes 95% less energy than generating primary aluminium. And since the atomic structure of aluminium remains unaltered upon melting, it enables the usage of the molten metal for various applications. It has been observed that the demand for secondary aluminium has grown faster than primary aluminium due to better cost economics, especially in the price-sensitive automotive castings sector. 

Our customer who is India’s largest producer of aluminium and zinc die-casting alloys, has been tapping the potential of India’s aluminium recycling industry.  From setting up its first plant in Tatarpur, near New Delhi, our customer’s expanse has grown to 12 plants across the country. These plants have a combined annual capacity of approximately 310,700 MT, making it the Rank One nationally in aluminium and zinc die-casting alloy production!

The plants have collection, segregation, processing, recycling, and treatment facilities for all types of secondary metal raw materials. The group also has joint ventures with renowned Japanese companies such as Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Nikkei MC Aluminium. Its most recent joint venture is for a plant in Gujarat, where the recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) is conducted through dismantling, shredding, and sorting.

Generating value for customers is the focus of the business, and there is constant attention to improving quality, controlling costs, and streamlining delivery. To ensure compliance with industry norms, the group has acquired ISO 14001, TS16949, 45001, and OHSAS 18001 certifications, along with other research and development certifications.

Our customer has a technology-focused approach in all its processes, making business activities more cost-effective and environmental-friendly.

Following are the steps involved in converting scrap metal into molten metal:

• Manufacturing

Various steps are deployed to improve metal recovery rates while saving fuel costs. High-pressure hot air is used to vaporize ink from the surface, regenerative burners heat the metal, de-coaters remove the scales to reduce dross, and furnace circulation maintains temperature.

• Segregation

Segregation is a critical step that ensures no impurities or contaminants enter the furnace. The process is mechanized using floatation systems, induction-based sorting systems, colour sorters, rotary sieves, eddy current separators, gravimetric separators, and shredders. Combining these pieces of equipment helps maintain the quality of the recycled aluminium.

• Delivery

The molten metal obtained at the end of the process meets industry standards and is ready for delivery. However, specially designed ladles and trucks are used for transportation, as it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the molten metal during transit. Anti-pollution control mechanisms and baghouses are also used to reduce harmful emissions.

The Stumbling Block

Despite the smart energy-saving techniques, our customer’s non-ferrous recycling plants needed high-quality air processors to ensure that each shred of aluminium was free from contaminants and decorations before being added to the furnace. This was critical because the foreign particles could disrupt the quality of the aluminium recycled and would also increase fuel costs.

So, the challenge was to deploy an air system that could provide the highest quality of hot air as it would directly impact the product quality and cost.

Compressed air solution by ELGi

Our customer decided to install EG 22, EG 30, EG 37, EG 55, and EG 110 models of ELGi Screw Compressors across all their plants.

Each compressor was enabled with DCS and SCADA remote monitoring to ease operations. Additionally, every compressor met the highest air purity standards as per ISO regulations, maintaining a constant flow of hot air while ensuring the raw material was contaminant-free. In short, ELGi’s EG Series Screw Air Compressors ensured that the metal recycling plants processed more shreds of aluminium at a much faster pace and that too with least downtime.

Additionally, ELGi provided installation & maintenance services for all compressors. We also provided preventive maintenance along with it. However, given the robustness of the EG series, no breakdowns were reported at any plant thus resulting in minimal downtime.

The ELGi Advantage:

1. Decontamination of raw material: High-quality air helped the brand conform to industry standards and deliver the accurate aluminium composition to its customers.
2. Cost control: Decontaminating raw materials reduced fuel consumption and energy costs. Further energy consumption was also realized by installing or retrofitting the air compressor with a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). Our customer has leveraged this benefit to reduce costs and generate more value for its customers.
3. Minimal downtime: With no maintenance requirement since installation, ELGi’s engineers swiftly performed routine servicing of the compressors, thus allowing our customer to focus on their business and timely delivery.

As an environmentally conscious organization, our customer focused on more innovative and sustainable solutions that met its business needs. And the EG series fulfilled that need by reducing energy loss and operating with minimal sound; hence, controlling the environmental impact.

Since then, they have relied on ELGi air compressors for years, accrediting its operational efficiency to ELGi’s high-performance, energy-efficient, environment-friendly air compressors that help to reduce energy costs.

Customer feedback:

“ELGi’s innovative, high-quality products are helping us embark on our journey to become more energy efficient. Their products are so reliable that they bring peace of mind for all the stakeholders”, says the management at our customer’s organisation.

Conclusion:

Recycling metal scrap to extract secondary aluminium is not only a significant business activity with enormous headroom for growth; but is also a fundamentally important industry in a world battling climate change.

ELGi’s screw air compressors play an enormous part in making this process profitable and sustainable.

Get in touch with our experts for your business needs.

Building the Future

Steel is one of the world’s most essential materials in engineering and construction. Steel components are utilised in almost everything- from vehicles to domestic appliances to surgical scalpels! 

The vast applications of the metal are attributed to its durability and flexibility. The World Steel Association forecasted that steel demand will increase by 2.2% in 2023 to reach 1,881.4 million tonnes (MT).  

India is currently the world’s 2nd largest producer of crude steel in January – December 2021, producing 118.20 Million tonnes (MT) crude steel with growth rate 17.9% over the corresponding period last year (CPLY). Source 

A leading steel manufacturer  

Our customer is a leading steel manufacturer, which began operations in 1998. Ranked as one of the top in India, the organization is also recognized as the second largest value creator in the world.  

The diversified portfolio of steel products comprises steel plates and coils, angles and channels, wire rods, round bars, rails, parallel flange beams, and fabricated sections. The product line is in high demand across 22+ countries owing to its durability and quality. 

From Scrap to Steel 

Steel is a sturdy iron alloy with chromium, manganese, and nickel elements. Our customer’s production process typically involves these steps:  

•   Raw material sourcing: Iron ore, coal, and lime are the primary raw materials used to produce steel. The company owns coal and iron-ore mines to source the raw materials. 

•   Sinter plant: The raw material is subjected to an agglomeration process in the sinter plant. The fine mineral particles are combusted into a porous mass known as sinter. 

•   Blast furnace: The sinter contains 70% to 80% of the iron. The charge is transferred from the sinter plant to the blast furnace, which is melted to produce hot metal or liquid iron.

•   SMS: Refractory lined vessels called LD Converters are used to produce steel from the liquid iron. Impurities such as carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and sulphur are removed by blowing oxygen through a hot metal bath. The molten steel is continuously cast at the radial type continuous casting machines.

•   The finished product: Steel is moulded into slab, strip, billet, bloom, and beam blanket as the final product. These are descaled, tested for quality, sorted by weight, and stored for shipment.

Chinks in the Armour 

Steel manufacturing plants need high-pressure and high-quality air to descale the final products. The hydro-mechanical descaling process eliminates impurities from the product. Special descaling nozzles form jets arranged on spray headers in the steel mill. The finished products are then subject to a working pressure ranging from 80 to 300 bar for descaling application. 

The process involves converting sheets into heat-rolled slabs. Iron oxide or mill scale is deposited on the sheets and must be removed repeatedly to clean them. The challenge was deploying an air system that could descale the sheets properly. The highest quality of high-pressure compressed air was required to ensure the best surface finish was achieved, as it directly impacts the product quality.  

Making Things Right  

Our customer switched to an ELGi Sauer high-pressure air compressor in 2017.  

A unit of the Hurricane Series Model WP4341L was installed for the descaling application process at the rolling mill. The Hurricane Series high-pressure compressors are renowned for engineering superiority and production expertise. Founded on outstanding military design experience and continuous innovation, this is one of the most cost-effective and reliable air-cooled industrial compressors in the market ranging from 115 to 400 bar. 

The installation of the ELGi Sauer air compressor came with so many benefits:  

•   Descaling the final product:  Descaling to deliver high-quality finished products with maximum shine.

•   Heavy duty performance:  Delivering performance even under extreme environmental conditions.

•   Minimal downtime: The reliable compressor performance, low downtime, and swift maintenance by the ELGi Sauer service team ensured high availability of the compressor to deliver high-quality products consistently. 

“ELGi Sauer’s high-pressure compressor satisfies our needs and helps us deliver high-quality products consistently. It is durable and reliable, and we are happy with its performance. It is easy to operate, and we can use this machine for our heavy-duty applications with full confidence. Partnering with ELGi Sauer was the best decision for our business.”  

Our customer feedback  

The trouble-free performance, ease of maintenance of the compressor package and lower operating cost has won the user’s confidence. Repeat orders in 2019 reflected customer satisfaction. To provide the complete trouble-free availability of the compressor considering criticality in the plant, ELGi Sauer has taken the compressors under maintenance ensuring they are attended to by qualified service engineers conforming to prompt and timely periodic service ensuring superior performance.  

“At ELGi Sauer, we understand the customer and application needs very well and consistently deliver the best-performing and most suitable equipment. Our products are built with reliability and lower life cycle cost, making them the most preferred choice of the customers. With prompt product support through service contracts, we keep our customers stress-free, enabling them to focus on enhancing their business growth,” said  Satish Kini, Chief Executive Officer of ELGi Sauer Compressors Limited.   

Technology and innovation in focus for ELGi Sauer  

The latest in-built technology with ELGi Sauer compressors makes them future-ready and the most preferred by customers. Advanced control systems, compressed-air treatment systems, and accessories are available to meet the customer’s specific needs. 

ELGi Sauer has significantly expanded its business portfolio in the past decade and has become the most preferred choice across major industry segments in India. Delivering state-of-the-art products and customized solutions to steel, auto, power, general engineering and oil & gas segments, ELGi Sauer helps its customers achieve high productivity at low maintenance cost.   

Speak to our experts for customised solutions for your industry applications. Share your requirement here.

Sources:

World-Steel-in-Figures-2022.pdf (worldsteel.org) 

Executive summary 

ELGi Compressors Europe, supported the Italian Red Cross with its urgent compressed air requirement. In line with ELGi’s corporate philanthropic approach, ELGi Europe swiftly and comprehensively made a charitable contribution of an air compressor package for one of Italy’s Red Cross logistic hubs serving the Turin area.

Background 

In February 2021, Italy commemorated the first anniversary of the country’s first COVID-19 case. Vo, a township in the province of Padua in the Veneto region, had registered the country’s first COVID-19 death on February 21, 2020.

During the first wave in 2020, the surge in infections was fast and relentless, as the virus spread from northern Italy to the rest of the nation. Strict lockdowns followed soon after, and several restrictions remained in place to curb the spread of the virus. By the end of the year, the country had registered over two million cases, and the virus continued to have a massive impact on health and society. 

The country-wide lockdown led to a situation the modern world had never seen before. Humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicine, clothing and other essential supplies became a priority as millions required help to secure basic necessities. 

About IFRC 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the largest humanitarian network globally, helping people in times of crisis. With more than 13.7 million volunteers across the globe, the organization supports over 150 million people facing disasters and health emergencies. 

The Red Cross’s strengths are its vast volunteer network and ties with the community and corporations that assist vulnerable people. Its community-based expertise helps improve the living standards of people in distress, while partnering with stakeholders who can sustain development efforts. The Red Cross volunteers work with multiple stakeholders to shape disaster responses and build resilient communities.

The Italian Red Cross, established in 1864, has been coordinating its COVID-19 response with national and international parties. From March 2020, it has been working with Italy’s Ministry of Health and looked for donations to handle medical supplies and other equipment.

The Red Cross Italy’s Polo Logistico Valle di Susa facility, located in Bussoleno, has been supplying the metropolitan region of Turino with medicines, meals, and supplies during the ordeal. In addition to traditional rescue and ambulance activities, the Red Cross Italy catered to the needs of people in isolation, sanitation of public spaces, evacuation of patients, while assisting withscreening. . 

Furthermore, the facility was fulfilling the accommodation needs of healthcare staff, handling support requests, and running a call centre to investigate seroprevalence.

The challenge 

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the Italian Red Cross’ efforts to the limit. While the network has experience dealing with first-aid and emergency response, the speed with which the pandemic spread, was unprecedented and caused a stretch on resources and equipment. 

To meet the rising demand for humanitarian aid and bolster the work of its volunteers, the Red Cross Italy requested for various equipment, parts and supplies to keep operations running. With hundreds of thousands of items such as medicines, groceries, clothing, and more, passing through the logistics centre, industrial-grade equipment was needed to maintain vehicles and tools. 

The Italian Red Cross’ existing piston compressor could not meet the demand for high-quality compressed air, and the situation demanded an immediate upgrade. This prompted the Italian Red Cross team to contact ELGi Europe, who immediately responded with an air compressor that addressed and enhanced the operational capacity of the Italian Red Cross logistics centre.

The solution 

ELGi Europe delivered and installed an EN series air station comprising a receiver and fridge dryer, in just a matter of days. The plug and play solution enabled high reliability, ease of maintenance and a small footprint. These features came in handy at the Red Cross’ logistics centre in Italy, as volunteers needed all the time and space they could get for sorting supplies. 

“The COVID emergency has placed pressure on all people and equipment. We contacted ELGi and other companies asking if they could support us with a new air compressor to enhance our operational capacity at the logistics centre. ELGi responded immediately, visited our Centre, analysed our compressed air needs and within days, provided not just an air compressor, but a complete system including a tank and dryer,” said Michele Belmondo, Site Manager at the Red Cross Bussoleno.

The ELGi EN Series is a complete solution for obtaining high-quality compressed air and requires very little maintenance as there is zero leakage due to integrated components and connections. The compressor contains ELGi’s unique assembly design, ensuring energy efficiency and minimal pressure drops. The compressor also has the lowest noise level in the industry, making it the perfect addition to the Italian Red Cross facility. Finally, with cleaner suction air keeping internal components clean and low oil-fill needs, the EN series compressors’ long-lasting life enabled the Italian Red Cross volunteers to focus on what they do best i.e., uninterrupted, critical humanitarian work.

Benefits

 With the high-quality ELGi EN series Air Station, the Red Cross Italy was able to achieve the following:

• Meet the gruelling humanitarian and supply needs of the metropolitan city of Turin 
• Be available 24/7 with transport and equipment that can be mobilised quickly 
• Assist local city authorities with sanitation and monitoring activities, preventing the spread of the virus 

Conclusion 

“At ELGi Compressors Europe, we aspire to be ‘Always Better’ in everything we do – and this includes building long-lasting partnerships with our employees, customers, channel partners and the local communities where we operate. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Italian Red Cross in its tireless efforts with caring for the local community during these challenging times,” said Chris Ringsletter, President at ELGi Europe.

ELGi catering to the Red Cross needs in Italy, when it mattered most represents its fundamental values. The COVID-19 virus has known no borders and while we strive to emerge from the pandemic, we’ve seen individuals, companies, and governments come together and offer their expertise to help each other. ELGi is championing this by doing what it does best – supplying high-quality air compressors to meet emergency demands and enabling the Red Cross Italy to fulfil its humanitarian commitments.

Paul Edward Theroux, the famous American novelist, and traveller, once said: “The railway possessed India and made her hugeness graspable.” The Indian Railways is the world’s largest passenger carrier and the fourth-largest freight carrier (1). It is the fourth-largest railway network globally-only behind the US, Russia, and China. (2) Its immensity can be gauged from the fact that the 95,981-kilometre route length of the Indian Railways carried 8.4 billion passengers and $1.2 billion worth of freight during 2018-2019. More than 12,000 passenger trains run across the country daily and cumulatively cover a distance more than four times the earth and the moon. (3)

The Indian Railways began its journey in 1832 and has grown to become the giant it is today. As one of the primary drivers of India’s economic growth, the Indian Railways has achieved this by being financially viable, technologically brilliant, and environment friendly.

The Indian Railways has also defied the trend that many big companies face.. On the contrary,  they have cruised along and undertaken numerous initiatives to upgrade their infrastructure and quality of service.. 

These efforts have resulted in the Indian Railways achieving double-digit growth in freight traffic and doubling its freight speed on the back of massive infrastructural upgrades. Besides, new initiatives are always at play, from train control, signalling, and electrification to expansion through modern locomotives and EMUs, to name a few. 

More importantly, the Indian Railways has its goals set with social and financial objectives in mind-from efficient energy use to the new decarbonisation paradigm and aiming to become a net-zero carbon-emitter by 2030. (7)

While all this is no mean feat as the world continues to struggle with partial lockdowns, there is a lot more to come, with India projected to account for 40% of the global share of rail activity by 2050. (4) The target is achievable since the government plans to invest ₹50000 billion in railway infrastructure by 2030. (5) It has also identified many new high-speed rail corridors besides planning INR 3 trillion worth of metro rail projects across various cities over the next five years. (6)

Addressing Challenges

For the Indian Railways, maintaining the highest standards of compressed air holds critical importance. Without it, machines unexpectedly break down, demand expensive repairs, or cause uncomfortable turbulence. For rolling stock of all capacities-from locomotives to good wagons to passenger coaches, whether powered by electricity or diesel – the railways need high-quality compressed air for smooth and safe operations. Moreover, various train components, whether the braking system, doors, pantograph devices, or air suspension, rely on high-quality compressed air solutions for safety and overall reliability. The Indian Railways is also subject to a variety of constantly changing compliances and regulations.

In the 1960s, the Indian Railways took many progressive steps towards modernization and adopted 25kv AC traction for electrification. (8) While the Indian Railways urgently required compressors to modernize the braking system, it could not directly import foreign solutions because the country was hit by twin mass famines (9), and liquidity was in short supply. Besides, though the second five-year plan (1956-61) initiated industrial import policies, there was not much clarity around it. (10) However, the government was proactively piloting several initiatives to trigger domestic economic growth. It encouraged the Indian Railways to initiate production work for electric locomotives at Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and flagged off the first 1500V DC electric locomotive from Bombay in 1961. (11)

By the early 1960s, ELGi began assembling and manufacturing small compressors under the brand name ELGi Uraca. It imported only major components and either manufactured the rest in-house or procured them locally. With urgent requirements arising from the Indian Railways, and a mandate to keep costs low, ELGi opened an indigenous compressor manufacturing unit in the heart of Coimbatore. The first product supplied to the Indian Railways was a 1000 litres per minute capacity compressor driven by a battery-operated direct current (DC) motor. 

Since then, ELGi has consistently delivered a wide range of sustainable and efficient compressed air solutions to the Indian Railways. Today, 90% of Indian Railway’s electric locomotives, 65% diesel locomotives, and 60% electric multiple units (EMUs) use ELGi air compressors for braking applications and auxiliary systems. 

“The Indian Railways has been ELGi’s important customer for over five decades. Increasing urbanization and rising incomes have contributed to significant growth in the passenger segment, while freight traffic also saw a marked increase due to dedicated freight corridor investments. Our oil-free air compressors, renowned for reliability, performance, and energy efficiency, will revolutionize the way compressed air is used in the railway industry” said Dr. Jairam Varadaraj, Managing Director, ELGi Equipments.

Picture credit – https://www.toprankers.com/exams/railway-development-in-india-1854-to-now/

One of Egypt’s leading emulsion polymers’ producers was seeking a robust and reliable air compressing solution for constant air supply with variable pressure compression. That’s when they adopted ELGi’s eco-friendly, energy-efficient EG Series Screw air compressors to increase reliability and ease of use at its manufacturing operations. 

According to reports, the polymer emulsion’s market size is expected to rise from USD 25.2 bn in 2020 to USD 38.1 bn by 2025.1 Despite the shock from COVID-19, considered unparalleled since the great depression and the IMF warning of an uneven slump ahead, the growth prediction of 8.6% CAGR is heartening for all stakeholders. 

The prediction is based on solid fundamentals and is not just a result of biased speculation. Market growth is driven by regulatory mandates, emerging energy disruptions, shifting consumer dynamics, and growing end-user industries, principally from emerging countries. 

Strict regulations are fuelling product demand. Stringent pro-environment guidelines around toxic chemical emissions and directives regarding the usage of water-based emulsion polymers over synthetic products. Various end-user industries like paper, textile, and consumer durables are adopting polymer emulsion to control noxious emissions. Additionally, the auto industry, coupled with the construction industry, is driving the global polymer emulsion market. Owing to a growing demand for green buildings, the global construction market is poised to grow by 85% to $15.5 trillion worldwide by 2030.² 

The Polymerisation Process 

Often called ‘products by process,’ emulsion polymers signify that the composition of the bulk polymer is as important as the process of making it.  

Alcohol is an emulsifying and dispersing agent for paper coating, board coating, water-soluble film, textile sizing agent, paper and wood adhesive, release liners and carpet coating among others.     

The emulsion polymer manufacturing process is very complicated. 

With traditional energy-guzzling installations, mounting pressure loss increased startling load, and rigidity in temperature compromising air quality, the need was for advanced air compressors with high-end design and advanced features. The company was seeking a partner to help deploy compressed air systems that can withstand the harshest of environmental conditions while saving energy, costs, and reducing Co2 emissions. 

From 2018, the company started leveraging ELGi’s total compressed air solutions to achieve best-in-class energy efficiency.  

ELGi’s eco-friendly, energy-efficient EG Series Screw Compressors delivered constant air supply with variable pressure compression. Through its in-house, proprietary η-V profile rotors designed to run at optimum speeds, it reduced pressure losses and increased efficiency. ELGi’s 1000 litre high-pressure air receiver, designed to ASME standards and built-in ELGi’s dedicated facility, acted as an enabler between the compressor and the variable pressure caused by demand waves helping reduce the loading and unloading cycle pressure on the compressor. 

Airtime refrigeration, air dryers, and filters prevented real-life problems like unwanted abrasive sludge, corrosion of piping, and erosion of pneumatic tools.  

ELGi’s Airtime refrigerated air dryer has ensured longer life of compressed air system through the efficient removal of the condensate and contaminants. As per international protocol, ELGi uses ozone-friendly R 134A gas as the refrigerant which has zero ozone-depletion potential. 

The organisation specifically selected the ELGi EG Series compressor on account of its following features and benefits: 

• Reduced startling load: The new generation intake valve system is designed for low losses. 
• Moisture-free air: The EG Series air compressor, with its custom-designed centrifugal type moisture separator and automatic drain, removed over 99% of bulk water from the compressed air. 
• Cool air: Efficient air cooling from an integrated fan-motor maintains a low temperature, resulting in the increased lifespan of the motor.  
• Robustness and reliability: Designed to perform in extreme temperatures, the compressors have performed well in cold, hot, and humid, as well as arid conditions.     

CONCLUSION 

The partnership with ELGi has enabled the organisation to address various operational requirements, including the need for clean, moisture-free, oil-less (1ppm) air that is free of other contaminants as well. The emulsion polymer maker has also been able to reduce the life cycle costs for its air compressors, besides realising significant energy savings and uptime warranty. 

To know more about our offerings in the manufacturing sector, do reach out to us at communications@elgi.com or call us 1800-203-3544 (Toll-free, India). 

1. Polymer Emulsion Market worth $38.1 billion by 2025 – Exclusive Report byMarketsandMarkets™

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/polymer-emulsion-market-worth-38-1-billion-by-2025–exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-301124978.html 

2. Global Construction Market to Grow $8 Trillion by 2030: Driven by China,USand India 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-construction-market-to-grow-8-trillion-by-2030-driven-by-china-us-and-india-544142522.html 

Compressed air is required for the tablet manufacturing process, coming into direct contact with the product. This direct product contact occurs after the tablet press where compressed air is utilised to remove dust particles or faulty products are sorted out. Preferably, oil-free, dry air is crucial to maintain the highest standards of quality and compliance.

Today, let’s read about a global leading elevator manufacturer, which chose ELGi’s EG Series screw air compressors for their newest plant in Pune to achieve their ambitious production targets for market expansion in India.

Today, let us read more about a leading fuel management system provider, which enlisted the help of ELGi’s EG series compressor for their facility in Sharjah, UAE.

Major operations of the ready-made garment industry fall under these three categories:

1. Pre-production
2. Production
3. Post-production

Pre-production: This phase involves arranging materials, line planning, sample development and approval, sourcing, and production scheduling.

Production: During production, fabrics are spread, cut, bundled, and sewn.

Post-production: Post-production includes inspection, pressing, folding, and packing, making the garment ready to sell.

The labour dependent nature of cutting and sewing makes the readymade garment expensive. Fabric costs and cut-and-sew costs are two of the largest expenses in garment manufacturing. While raw materials contribute up to 50 to 60% of the total product cost, sewing contributes approximately 35% of the total cost.

Efforts have been made to lower labour costs through supply chain management by locating production facilities in developing countries like India, Bangladesh, etc. However, this strategy is becoming complex and difficult to sustain, forcing the industry to find alternative solutions. Thus, automating ready-made garment manufacturing processes are becoming the need of the hour!

Automation not only improves productivity, but also the quality of the finished product by minimising human intervention and preventing errors. Some of the automated techniques adopted by the industry includes:

1. Mechanised fabric handling
2. Computerised cutting
3. Automatic sewing
4. Use of robots

One of our partners in the paper manufacturing industry was looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption. They identified that their air compressor was a major contributor to their energy bill.

SITE ANALYSIS:

They had many decade-old compressors placed in various locations of their plant. The older compressors consumed higher energy. The machines were also becoming difficult to maintain due to short consumable replacement cycles and an increase in maintenance costs. And any new compressor would have to be rugged in to run in harsh temperatures with minimal maintenance checks.

SOLUTION:

After a comprehensive study, we recommended that two of their existing 75kW machines be replaced with newer, larger 160kW compressors as a preliminary change to accommodate their budget and to increase efficiency.

RESULT:

It has been 1 month since we replaced the machines, and the paper manufacturer has recovered over 55% of their investment only through power. The newer compressors which offer more features also operate with less noise and are built to handle harsh temperatures and conditions of the site.

Every equipment in use needs an upgrade. Not only does an upgrade bring changes to the equipment in terms of performance but also features.

When it comes to the environment, both the consumer and the manufacturer understand the impact of a product on the environment. Hence, there is significant effort taken to reduce the environmental impact of products.

Over the past decade, a lot has changed in compressors. The air-ends which are the heart of the compressors have been improved to provide higher compressed air flow and consume lower power. The primary mover of the air-ends, the electric motor’s minimum efficiency has been incrementally upgraded as well. The unload power and power consumed by the cooling fan has also been reduced significantly by controlling the flow of oil into the air-ends and the cooler. The controllers have become smarter and can identify running patters. They can also control multiple other compressors as well.

After analysis, ELGi recommended replacing 2 machines with a larger one as a preliminary effort.

Two 75kW units were replaced with one 160kW improved state of the art oil lubricated screw compressor. Not only did it help increase the compressed air output but also helped save electricity. this effort helped reduce CO2 emission (in tonnes). The details of the savings are as below: