A radar to improve sustainability
Ever since the summer of 2021, the sustainability of each new generation of machines from GF Machining Solutions has been checked before it goes into development. To do this, the division is using a new tool, which was developed in another GF division. We present it here around four aspects.
vThis radar model contributes to providing a quantifiable means for increasing the sustainability of new product ideas. The teams use an Excel spreadsheet to enter the values of dozens of criteria, such as raw materials. Each criterion is given a score. The final score is used to calculate the result, which is then compared to the values of the predecessor product. A committee of experts then decides how the product idea will be pursued.
A project manager can utilize the “sustainability radar” to run through dozens of possibilities in an attempt to increase the sustainability of the tool if the result underperforms the predecessor product. The change’s positive or negative impact is indicated by a color-coded system. It is possible to theorize through a visual aid at an early stage how adjusting individual criteria, such as the country of production, could affect the sustainability of the product.
A Sustainability Assessment at GF Piping Systems helped give rise to the idea for a tool that makes the sustainability of new products quantifiable. In the meantime, each division has adopted the principle and adapted it for its own purposes. The energy efficiency of the machines plays an important role at GF Machining Solutions; at GF Piping Systems it is the choice of raw material or its recyclability; and at GF Casting solutions material selection and energy efficiency take precedence.
Often it only takes changes in just a few criteria to increase sustainability. For example, the radar can be used to run through different logistics scenarios and compare the carbon footprint. There are advantages to shipping by sea as opposed to by air, but only if the delivery time is not a major factor. It is important that the results are ranked by GF experts who have the entire value chain in mind.
The result
The analysis using the sustainability radar yields a diagram – you can see above – that shows the results in various categories. The calculations are based on values from recognized institutions such as Carbon Footprint, Ltd., which compares the carbon footprint of different countries.
