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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 14 May 2020

Thushari Wanniarachchi, Kanchana Dissanayake and Carolyn Downs

The purpose of this study is to assess sustainability across the handloom industry in Sri Lanka and identify opportunities for sustainable innovations supporting new markets…

1882

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess sustainability across the handloom industry in Sri Lanka and identify opportunities for sustainable innovations supporting new markets, development of small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) and growth in the Sri Lankan craft sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multiple case studies methodology, 10 case studies and 37 semi-structured interviews were analysed along with the triple-layered business model canvas.

Findings

The study reveals the handloom industry to be fundamentally sustainable but with structural barriers that hinder both innovation and growth. The environmentally conscious production process and social inclusion within weaving communities are the key driving forces of sustainability in the sector; however, the structure of the industry and lack of access to markets and information act as barriers to both innovation and growth. The incorporation of design interventions, closed-loop manufacturing strategies and the encouragement of community-based entrepreneurship would support sustainability-orientated business innovation in the handloom industry.

Originality/value

The rapidly increasing market share for high-quality, hand-made goods indicates the potential of the creative industries to accelerate socio-economic growth. Handloom textiles is attracting growing interest in fashion markets because of increasing concern about exploitation in production, thus encouraging interest in the economic benefits of fairly traded, high quality materials and the potential contribution of handloom to sustainability in the fashion industry. The results of this study will support the handloom industry and policy-makers in developing support for sustainable innovation in the handloom industry.

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2012

Agnieszka Zalejska‐Jonsson, Hans Lind and Staffan Hintze

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the commercial aspect of “green” building construction and whether increased investment costs are profitable taking the reduction in…

3517

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the commercial aspect of “green” building construction and whether increased investment costs are profitable taking the reduction in operating costs into account. The investment viability is approached by comparing investment in conventional and “green” residential building, particularly passive houses, using real construction and post‐occupancy conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The key data were obtained by surveys and personal interviews. The first survey was directed to the companies which had experience of building low‐energy housing and the second survey to housing companies that actively manage operation of low‐energy houses.

Findings

Findings indicate that low‐energy buildings are considered an interesting and sound business opportunity, and investment analysis indicates that low‐energy houses (particularly passive houses) can be more attractive investments than conventional residential buildings. The long‐term strategy of building low‐energy buildings can give competitive advantages. The government initiative and the construction regulations are found to be necessary in eliminating the initial barrier to energy‐efficient projects and achieving long‐term environmental goals.

Originality/value

This paper provides insights into the investment decisions and contributes to the understanding of the construction, operation and profitability of energy‐efficient residential buildings.

Details

Journal of European Real Estate Research, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-9269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2015

Peter Ball

Rising energy costs and potential scarcity are driving energy reduction initiatives in manufacturing companies. The reduction in energy use is complementary to the classic lean…

1445

Abstract

Purpose

Rising energy costs and potential scarcity are driving energy reduction initiatives in manufacturing companies. The reduction in energy use is complementary to the classic lean production philosophy and the lean and green literature implies that reducing energy waste supports lean objectives. The purpose of this paper is to examine this perceived positive correlation and identify the impact level of energy reduction of lean product flow.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this, published case studies and practices from interview were gathered and categorised against a waste management hierarchy.

Findings

Energy reduction activities implicitly reduce waste which is compatible with the lean waste objective, however, when applying the waste hierarchy principle to energy efficiency practice, lean product flow is progressively constrained or compromised towards the lower levels of the hierarchy.

Research limitations/implications

The hierarchical classification seeks to communicate how reported energy efficiency improvements will/will not impact on flow. The research focuses on the modification of existing discrete part production facilities towards greater energy efficiency and neglects alternative production technologies and new build. The results suggest that as manufacturers seeking to be more energy efficient move away from preventative actions to more reduce and reuse actions then production flexibility could become restricted and the design of production facilities make re-think the fast, linear and short flow of product.

Practical implications

Examples of industrial practices are provided to show the implications of energy reduction practice on production flow.

Originality/value

Categorises the relationship between classic lean and industrial low-energy initiatives to provide insight to how higher energy cost could impact on production.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 26 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 2 August 2007

Guus Berkhout, Patrick van der Duin, Dap Hartmann and Roland Ortt

The Cyclic Innovation Model is applied to a new process for the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals using a combination of ionic liquids and supercritical carbon…

Abstract

The Cyclic Innovation Model is applied to a new process for the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals using a combination of ionic liquids and supercritical carbon dioxide. This multi-value innovation combines economic growth with environmental concerns and social value. The most important obstacles in the implementation of this new technology are the successful life cycle management of current production plants, the linearity of current innovation thinking, and a perceived high risk of adoption.

Details

The Cyclic Nature of Innovation: Connecting Hard Sciences with Soft Values
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-433-1

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2023

Mahyar Khorasani, Ian Gibson, Amir Hossein Ghasemi, Elahe Hadavi and Bernard Rolfe

The purpose of this study is, to compare laser-based additive manufacturing and subtractive methods. Laser-based manufacturing is a widely used, noncontact, advanced manufacturing…

1058

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is, to compare laser-based additive manufacturing and subtractive methods. Laser-based manufacturing is a widely used, noncontact, advanced manufacturing technique, which can be applied to a very wide range of materials, with particular emphasis on metals. In this paper, the governing principles of both laser-based subtractive of metals (LB-SM) and laser-based powder bed fusion (LB-PBF) of metallic materials are discussed and evaluated in terms of performance and capabilities. Using the principles of both laser-based methods, some new potential hybrid additive manufacturing options are discussed.

Design methodology approach

Production characteristics, such as surface quality, dimensional accuracy, material range, mechanical properties and applications, are reviewed and discussed. The process parameters for both LB-PBF and LB-SM were identified, and different factors that caused defects in both processes are explored. Advantages, disadvantages and limitations are explained and analyzed to shed light on the process selection for both additive and subtractive processes.

Findings

The performance of subtractive and additive processes is highly related to the material properties, such as diffusivity, reflectivity, thermal conductivity as well as laser parameters. LB-PBF has more influential factors affecting the quality of produced parts and is a more complex process. Both LB-SM and LB-PBF are flexible manufacturing methods that can be applied to a wide range of materials; however, they both suffer from low energy efficiency and production rate. These may be useful when producing highly innovative parts detailed, hollow products, such as medical implants.

Originality value

This paper reviews the literature for both LB-PBF and LB-SM; nevertheless, the main contributions of this paper are twofold. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first to discuss the effect of the production process (both additive and subtractive) on the quality of the produced components. Also, some options for the hybrid capability of both LB-PBF and LB-SM are suggested to produce complex components with the desired macro- and microscale features.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 29 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1987

Alan Horton

The Energy World exhibition of low energy houses held at Milton Keynes towards the end of summer 1986 focussed much attention on the subject of energy‐efficient design in housing…

Abstract

The Energy World exhibition of low energy houses held at Milton Keynes towards the end of summer 1986 focussed much attention on the subject of energy‐efficient design in housing both in terms of what is considered technically and economically viable now, and what may become so in the future. Organised by Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) and sponsored by Anglian Building Society, Energy World formed the biggest single event in Energy Efficiency year, attracting over 70,000 visitors from the UK and abroad. A total of 53 energy‐efficient houses was exhibited by 33 private developers, ranging from small local firms to nationally‐known volume builders, with a further five house types exhibited by MKDC as part of its shared ownership programme. (Shared ownership houses are those where the occupier purchases a portion of the equity and rents the remainder.) The exhibition was not an isolated event however. It has followed several years of experience with low‐energy housing projects in Milton Keynes, and formed the launch‐pad for the much larger Energy Park development currently under construction. This seven‐year project will combine the experience gained to date with further innovative techniques and procedures to apply the principles of energy‐efficient design on a community‐wide basis. The 300‐acre site will comprise employment areas, housing parkland and a range of community facilities. It will eventually house 3,000 people and provide employment for 2,000.

Details

Property Management, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2019

Gahana Gopal, Manikprabhu Dhanorkar, Sharad Kale and Yogesh B. Patil

It is well known that sustainability is the ideal driving path of the entire world and renewable energy is the backbone of the ongoing initiatives. The current topic of argument…

Abstract

Purpose

It is well known that sustainability is the ideal driving path of the entire world and renewable energy is the backbone of the ongoing initiatives. The current topic of argument among the sustainability research community is on the wise selection of processes that will maximize yield and minimize emissions. The purpose of this paper is to outline different parameters and processes that impact the performance of biogas production plants through an extensive literature review. These include: comparison of biogas plant efficiency based on the use of a diverse range of feedstock; comparison of environmental impacts and its reasons during biogas production based on different feedstock and the processes followed in the management of digestate; analysis of the root cause of inefficiencies in the process of biogas production; factors affecting the energy efficiency of biogas plants based on the processes followed; and the best practices and the future research directions based on the existing life cycle assessment (LCA) studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted a systematic literature review of research articles pertaining to LCA to understand in depth the current research and gaps, and to suggest future research directions.

Findings

Findings include the impact of the type of feedstock used on the efficiency of the biogas plants and the level of environmental emissions. Based on the analysis of literature pertaining to LCA, diverse factors causing emissions from biogas plants are enlisted. Similarly, the root causes of inefficiencies of biogas plants were also analyzed, which will further help researchers/professionals resolve such issues. Findings also include the limitations of existing research body and factors affecting the energy efficiency of biogas plants.

Research limitations/implications

This review is focused on articles published from 2006 to 2019 and is limited to the performance of biogas plants using LCA methodology.

Originality/value

Literature review showed that a majority of articles focused mainly on the efficiency of biogas plants. The novel and the original aspect of this review paper is that the authors, alongside efficiency, have considered other critical parameters such as environmental emission, energy usage, processes followed during anaerobic digestion and the impact of co-digestion of feed as well. The authors also provide solid scientific reasoning to the emission and inefficiencies of the biogas plants, which were rarely analyzed in the past.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2019

Jongrak Choi, Giyeob Yang and Nahmkeon Hur

Paint drying is a very important process in an industry where shorter drying time for productivity and lower energy consumption for production cost are required while maintaining…

Abstract

Purpose

Paint drying is a very important process in an industry where shorter drying time for productivity and lower energy consumption for production cost are required while maintaining the product’s painting quality. In the present study, a drying process in a line-type paint drying furnace equipped with nozzles for hot air supply and moving conveyer belt to dry painted automotive parts is numerically simulated for the flow and heat transfer inside the furnace to evaluate the quality of the drying or baking at the end of the drying process in a production line.

Design/methodology/approach

A baking window for a specific paint is used for judging the local degree of baking (DOB) of the painted parts, which can be useful to identify under-baked or over-baked locations of the painted parts, and hence the quality of the baking process.

Findings

Numerical results of a time history of temperatures at two monitoring points on the painted parts were obtained and compared to the measured data in an actual furnace and showed good agreement. Three types of paints were considered in the present study and numerical results showed different drying characteristics. In addition to the original furnace nozzle configuration, two more furnace nozzle configurations with different numbers, direction and speed of hot air supply were simulated to improve the furnace’s drying performance. As a result, a newly suggested nozzle configuration with quick drying paint can give us a remarkable improvement in surface averaged DOB compared to the original nozzle configuration with original paint.

Originality/value

The present simulation technique and DOB methodology can be used for the optimal design of a drying furnace.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2015

GuoHua Gao, Yue Liu, Hao Wang, MingYang Song and Han Ren

The purpose of this paper is to present a new method to establish a kinematic model for a continuum manipulator, whose end can be controlled to move in a three-dimensional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new method to establish a kinematic model for a continuum manipulator, whose end can be controlled to move in a three-dimensional workspace. A continuum manipulator has significant advantages over traditional, rigid manipulators in many applications because of its ability to conform to the environment. Moreover, because of its excellent flexibility, light weight, low energy consumption, low production cost, it has a number of potential applications in areas of earthquake relief, agricultural harvesting, medical facilities and space exploration.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses basic theory of material mechanics to deduct motion equations of the manipulator. Unlike other published papers, the manipulator is not based on segments tactics, but regarded as an integrated flexible system, which simplifies its kinematics modelling and motion controlling. The workspace of the manipulator is analysed by theoretical deducing and simulation modelling. For verification of the presented theory, simulation based on ADAMS software was implemented, while a prototype of the manipulator was developed. Both the software simulation and prototype experiment show that the theoretical analysis in this paper is reasonable. The manipulator can move accurately along the desired trajectories.

Findings

This paper developed a novel and fully continuous manipulator driven by steel wires. A kinematic model of the manipulator was established. The physical manipulator developed for verifying the kinematic model can effectively track the prescribed trajectory. The presented kinematic model agrees with not only the simulation but also with the experiment.

Research limitations/implications

The manipulator presented in this paper is constructed by steel wires. It possesses the advantages of structural continuity, high flexibility and low production cost. It can be extensively used in many fields, such as search and rescue robotic systems. The limitation of this research is that the dynamic model of the manipulator is not yet clear, which is one of the directions for future research.

Practical implications

The manipulator breaks through the limitation of the joint-type or flexible-link-type manipulator, which can also be extensively used in many fields such as search and rescue robotic systems.

Social implications

The manipulator developed in this paper, currently, is a prototype under the project of “Automatic Picking Manipulator Research”. It possesses a good market value.

Originality/value

The value of this research is that the manipulator breaks through the limitation of the joint-type or flexible-link-type manipulator and establishes the kinematic model for a fully continuous manipulator by a simple strategy. This is the first study that uses such a strategy for establishing the motion equations of a monolithic continuum manipulator.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 July 2019

Kanwal Jit Singh

Nowadays, a rotary friction welding method is accepted in many industries, particularly for joining dissimilar materials as a mass production process. It is due to advantages like…

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, a rotary friction welding method is accepted in many industries, particularly for joining dissimilar materials as a mass production process. It is due to advantages like less material waste, low production time and low energy expenditure. The effect of the change in carbon contents in steel is studied experimentally in the rotary friction welding process, and a statistical model is developed. The Grey Taguchi method gives the single parameters optimization for all output responses. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental setup was designed and produced to achieve the multi-response in single optimum parameters through Grey relational analysis. A continuous/direct drive rotary friction welding process is chosen in which transition from friction to the forging stage can be achieved automatically by applying a break. In this experimentation, high carbon and low carbon work-pieces with different carbon percentage were welded with rotary friction welding. Response tensile strength and micro-hardness of the design of the experiment are used to analyze the results.

Findings

The optimization of parameters has been performed with Grey relational analysis, and optimum parameters are friction pressure 40 kg/cm2, forging pressure 100 kg/cm2 and speed 1,120 rpm. GRA optimum parameters give 56.04 and 82.16 percent improvement in Tensile strength and micro-hardness, respectively.

Practical implications

High carbon steel (En-31) and low carbon steel (SAE-1020) are used in so many industrial applications. These materials are mostly used in the process like manufacturing, metallurgy, machinery, agricultural, etc. These practical applications have brought forward definite and notable economic benefits.

Originality/value

It provides a new framework to investigate the problems where multiple input machining variables and various output responses are obtained in single optimized parameters.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. 9 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

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