Automation Impact on Sustainability
Published on : Tuesday 11-04-2023
Corporate leaders must question how they can help make products more sustainable, with less energy and less water and with minimum disposal of waste, says Sunil David.
In the current era of rapid technological advancement, Automation has become a ubiquitous feature in various industries and specifically in the Manufacturing industry, Automation refers to the use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention, and sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is crucial to consider the impact of automation on sustainability, as it has the potential to contribute to sustainable development in various ways. In the not so recent past, manufacturing firms hired a large number of factory workers to carry out each activity which only meant additional time to complete activities resulting in lower efficiency. However, today most manufacturing tasks are automated and accomplished efficiently with the help of high-tech machines and other tools such as robots, IT and computer systems for managing machines and processes to replace human efforts. The eventual goal of automation is to improve the quality and flexibility of manufacturing processes. Powered by Robotic Process Automation (RPA), automation eliminates data redundancy while automating repetitive, rule-based tasks with a scheduled setup. Automation has drastically transformed factory shop floors, the nature of hiring, the end quality of end products as well as the economics of the overall manufacturing industry. The world is on the cusp of an innovative and cognitive automation era and is rapidly evolving in terms of Robotics, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
As the world becomes more conscious of the effects of climate change, the demands for more sustainable manufacturing practices are on the rise. Leading manufacturing automation companies like ABB, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, etc., have helped the industry at large keep pace with this demand. Automated manufacturing is inherently sustainable. Its existence ensures that manufacturing companies are able to create and use processes that reduce and minimise the negative environmental impact. This helps companies to achieve sustainable manufacturing goals which include lower energy, water and land usage as well as managing scrap and waste effectively.
Automated assembly lines and robots can reduce energy consumption, minimise waste, and increase production efficiency. For example, Toyota uses automated assembly lines that can switch between different models and components, reducing the need for manual labour and energy consumption. Similarly, Fanuc, a robotics company, uses robots to manufacture their own robots, minimising waste and reducing energy consumption. By adopting automation in manufacturing, companies can reduce their environmental impact while increasing their efficiency and productivity.
Here are some specific use cases of how automation can help in sustainability:
a. Reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions
One of the most significant benefits of automation in sustainability is the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Automation can help to optimise energy consumption and reduce waste, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, automated systems can monitor energy usage and adjust settings to ensure that only the required amount of energy is consumed. This can lead to significant cost savings and a reduction in carbon emissions.
b. Waste reduction and recycling
Automated sorting and recycling systems can increase recycling rates and reduce landfill waste. The landfill waste generates a significant amount of greenhouse gases which has a huge impact on the environment. Waste management and recycling technologies use IoT sensors, robots, and Artificial Intelligence to sort and process waste more efficiently. For example, the Swedish company Zen Robotics has developed a robotic system that can sort different types of waste, increasing recycling rates and reducing landfill waste. Similarly, the Dutch company Tech Returners has developed an automated system that can dismantle electronic devices and recover valuable materials. An American company Emerson has an initiative called Grind2Energy which ensures that all the food waste generated by large malls, restaurants, etc., are sent to a system which converts the waste into a slurry which in turn is converted to biofuel, an alternate form of energy. The slurry levels can be monitored through IoT and when the slurry levels reach a particular level they are then sent for further processing to convert to the biofuel.
By adopting waste management and recycling technologies, cities and industries can leverage the benefits of technology to build a Circular Economy which thus has a positive impact on the environment.
c. Sustainable transportation
Automation can also contribute to sustainable transportation. Autonomous vehicles and drones can reduce carbon emissions, increase safety, and improve efficiency. Electric and hybrid vehicles can also benefit from automated features such as regenerative braking and energy management systems, reducing the overall energy consumption and carbon footprint of transportation.
Conclusion
Facilitating greater automation within a manufacturing organisation is the key to achieving continued reductions in usage of resources, as well as generating essential data and insights to empower future gains and improved sustainability reporting. Determining the scope of the various programs will vary by organisational size in terms of revenue and people as well as its overall focus. Does a company need to shift towards complete automation or make efforts to reduce human interaction in a specific process? How does an institutional push towards automation and technology investments dovetail with their sustainability agenda? Increasingly, the gulf that existed between the pursuit of bottom-line operational efficiency gains and reduced energy and water use and a lower carbon footprint has closed for most organisations. Power and water are significant inputs in the manufacturing of thousands of products and given the vast industrial consumption, even minor reductions can significantly enhance financial performance as well as help build better connections with customers, communities and the larger ecosystem.
Corporate leaders must question how they can help make products more sustainable, with less energy and less water and with minimum disposal of waste. Given the changing demographics, today’s environmentally conscious consumers’ purchasing decisions are often related to a growing willingness to pay premiums for ‘sustainable products’ or B2B procurement requirements for vendors to demonstrate sustainability efforts or alignment with the SDGs, are forcing organisations to evaluate whether their business processes are in line with the broader societal forces. The significant advances in technology, consumer behaviour and the broader sustainability movement clearly indicate that now is the ideal time for commercial and industrial organisations to look at optimising power and water use as a means of strengthening their businesses and developing deeper customer relationships. Identifying opportunities to implement specific types of automation will also play a very important role in determining the next round of corporate winners and losers.
Sunil David has 28 years of experience in the IT and Telecom industry of which close to 20 years was with AT&T, one of the top Communication Service Providers of the World and a Global Fortune 100 Firm. Until recently, Sunil was the Regional Director (IoT) India and ASEAN for AT&T India where he was responsible for building the IoT strategy, Sales, Business Development and also worked on building a robust IoT partner ecosystem; and was also actively involved in a number of marketing initiatives to help enhance the AT&T brand in the IoT space.
In his new phase of life, Sunil is Advising and Consulting AI and IoT Startups that are aspiring for the next level of growth.
Sunil has been a recipient of a number of Awards and Recognitions including 6 awards in 2021 and 3 this year from various Industry bodies and media conglomerates in recognition for his work in Digital Technology advocacy, Digital Skilling initiatives, contributing inputs towards IoT policy creation for India and for contribution to National Institute of Electronics and Info Tech, an Autonomous Scientific Society of MeITY, Ministry of Electronics and IT, Govt of India for contributing inputs on the syllabus and specific courses in the Emerging tech space (IoT, Cloud, AI ) that needs to be incorporated into the Curriculum of State and Central Govt Universities. NASSCOM Foundation and IBM India have also planted tree saplings in Sunil’s name for his contribution to the Tech Industry.
In August 2021, Sunil was awarded as ‘India’s Fastest Growing Digital Evangelist’ for FY 20-21 by a large media conglomerate Asia One Magazine at the 14th Asia Africa Business and Social Forum. The same month he was also conferred with the ‘CXO Excellence Award 2021’ by CXOTV part of TechPlus Media Group and joining the league of League of Outstanding Technology Leaders of India. This award was given on the basis of peer recommendations from the Industry.
