Increasing Energy Efficiency Based on the Kaizen Approach

Armenia Androniceanu, Ioana-Catalina Enache (), Elena-Narcisa Valter and Florin-Felix Raduica
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Armenia Androniceanu: Administration and Public Management Department, Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Ioana-Catalina Enache: Department of Engineering Graphics and Industrial Design, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Elena-Narcisa Valter: Department of Engineering Graphics and Industrial Design, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Florin-Felix Raduica: Department of Engineering Graphics and Industrial Design, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: The energy crisis, an increasing concern of the industrial sector, is characterized by increased energy costs and low energy availability. As part of an effort to increase energy efficiency, the present study assessed the impact of applying lean tools on the energy consumption of a manufacturing organization. Using the Kaizen approach, the organization’s processes were analyzed to identify the main vulnerabilities and make the required changes to increase consumption performance. Several technical improvements were performed to reach increased energy efficiency. Results showed an energy efficiency increase; consumption was reduced by up to 7.5% in the production line, 3.5% in the extruder stage, and up to 20% for the injection stage of the manufacturing process. The results suggest that the organization’s energy reduction targets have been achieved. Standardization of procedures was useful in the development of Kaizen projects which could be applied with certain limitations. The implications of these results for understanding energy consumption reduction are discussed.

Keywords: energy efficiency; manufacturing; Kaizen; continuous improvement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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