Initial situation

Prices for resources such as raw materials, energy and human resources are increasing constantly due to resource scarcity and the growing demand in production technology and other industrial sectors. This trend will continue in the future decades: according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), prices for coal and gas will almost double until the year 2035.

This circumstance obliges companies as well as institutions such as the SENAI network likewise to face these changes with the development of efficient production processes using approved methods from production technology and quality management. Therefore, SENAI established a strategic partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Germany, to carry out joint projects in Brazilian companies to push the thought of energy and resource efficiency into the local industry.

Resource efficient production in Germany

The need of energy as well as resource efficiency in production has already been addressed over the past years in companies, research and politics all over Germany. Companies strive to reduce costs, research aims at relieving the worldwide resource demand to save limited resources, and politics provide the necessary framework including incentive systems. Those circumstances can be perfectly transferred to the structure in Brazil to support manufacturing companies and research simultaneously.

SENAI pursues the adaption of a model to conduct applied research and provides services such as the application of those results in projects for the industry. In this context, on the one hand the companies’ processes and material as well as energy flows can be reduced and on the other hand ideas for new research activities can be found in the industrial environment.

Project targets

The conjoint project of SENAI and the Fraunhofer IPT and its goals are threefold:

• Concept for setup of technology centers
• Know-how transfer
• Pilot project

In the course of the project, several SENAI institutions were visited and core competencies identified. A comparison with the needs of companies, especially those in Brazil, which were extracted from discussions with experts, led to a concept how to improve SENAI’s internal collaboration to combine individual competencies.

The know-how transfer was ensured by several seminars regarding approved as well as innovative methods of quality management for the analysis of processes and technological competencies to develop measures for improvement. Those seminars were conducted at ITA, São José dos Campos, SP and Aachen, Germany.

The pilot project was carried out at Renault do Brasil in São José dos Pinhais, PR. It embraced the analysis of several production lines using an advanced method based on value stream mapping extended by energy and resources. Subsequently, the biggest consumers were chosen and process information as well as load profiles were gathered, which led to a deeper analysis of potentials for technical improvements and recommended courses of actions for their realization. Additionally, further measures regarding the overall production site’s efficiency were considered and validated in a technical and economic feasibility study.

Approach

The main goals of the project include the transmission of knowledge about energy and resource efficiency and suitable, structured and innovative methods to visualize, analyze and improve technical and organizational processes on the shop floor in the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, the project was structured to enable SENAI to carry out consulting services in Brazil by using the transferred methods and approaches by itself. The dedicated "learning by doing"-approach ensures a stand-alone execution of projects in the field of resource and energy efficiency in the Brazilian industry.

Companies all over Brazil working in the manufacturing sector benefit from the support of SENAI due to its professional, competent and independent assessment. SENAI employees first evaluate and afterwards investigate a specific problem to gather information about the actual situation, which leads to a structured and detailed analysis with state-of-the-art knowledge about technologies as well as organizational methods. The application of those instruments delivers manifold results:

• Transparency regarding processes, both technical as well as organizational
• Costs of single circumstances influencing the overall process
• Broad recommended action plan with detailed economic and technical feasibility study

After those evaluations, all the results will be presented to the company’s representatives and transferred. If desired, SENAI also supports the company in the implementation of selected measures for improvement.

SENAI

SENAI was established in 1942 and is well-known for its network of professional schools and technological centers to provide education in fields like chemistry, mechanics, construction, etc. It is maintained by the Brazilian Confederation of Industry: with over 2.3 million enrollments each year and about 800 schools it is one of the most important institutions for technological education today and thus supplies the Brazilian industry with qualified activities in over 28 areas of expertise.

In order to support selective Brazilian industry sectors to increase their worldwide competitiveness in the future, the Brazilian Confederation of Industry established the SENAI Institute of Innovation. To promote the development of new technologies and raising the productivity in the production sectors, a two-step plan was developed: Firstly, the awareness must be raised and secondly, a culture of innovation must be adopted according to successful and established research structures. Therefore, the SENAI Technological Institute and the SENAI Innovation Institute were raised to contribute to a higher competitiveness of the Brazilian industry.

Already 22 Innovation Centers were established in diverse fields such as "Production Automation", "Biotechnology" and "Renewable Energy". They aim at using their cross-functional competence in consulting services for the Brazilian industry, e.g. conducting certain projects with the goal of improving the energy and resource efficiency in companies.

Contact regarding the project's organization

Marcos Dias
Unidade de Inovação e Tecnologia - UNITEC
SENAI - Departamento Nacional - Brasília - DF
Phone +55 61 3317 8322
mdias@dn.senai.br

Contact regarding technical questions within the project

Victor Gomes
Instituto SENAI de Tecnologia Metalmecânica
Centro de Inovação e Tecnologia SENAI FIEMG
Phone +55 31 3489-2132
victoreog@fiemg.com.br

• Website SENAI

Renault

The goal of Renault was the application of an innovative process management method such as the Resource Value Stream Map together with SENAI under supervision of the Fraunhofer IPT to provide solutions for the reduction of energy and resource consumption at Renault’s facility either to save costs as well as the impact of the production’s impact onto the environment. As a large key-player in the automotive industry, Renault fits perfectly into the pattern of requirements for the implementation of such a conjoint project.

• Website Renault

Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica

The Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) is one of the most respected engineering schools and research institutions in Brazil, with the focus on aerospace science and technology. It is a public university and supported by the Brazilian Air Force. It is located in the city of São José dos Campos near São Paulo.

The institution was created in 1950 and has strongly contributed to the development of the aerospace and defense sectors in Brazil. Every year a well-chosen number of students has the chance to receive the highest education in the areas of Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Civil-Aeronautical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and several more.

• Website Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica

• Schmitt, R., Große Böckmann, M., Vollmer, T.: Resource Efficiency Value Stream Map. Systematic identification and optimization of consumers. Fraunhofer ePrints,. Aachen, Germany, November 13, 2014.
• Schmitt, R., Große Böckmann, M., Vollmer, T.: Tools for the "Resource Value Stream Map". Software support to visualize and improve resource consumptions. Fraunhofer ePrints, Aachen, Germany, November 13, 2014.