CASE03 · Manufacturing · Casting
Improving casting yield to reduce energy per tonne of good output
Daily casting data show substantial variation in operating time, yield and electricity intensity. A proportional scenario evaluates increasing good-product yield while holding melting energy constant.
01 · CASE ANALYSIS
Operating challenge
Daily operating duration varied from approximately 7 to 24 hours. Electricity intensity ranged from about 526 to 1,720 kWh/ton, while yield varied from roughly 20% to 60%.
The diagnosis examined how good output, melt input and yield affect the reported intensity rather than assuming that all variation comes from equipment efficiency.
02 · CASE ANALYSIS
Data and scenario method
MES supplied product, lot, melt quantity, mold count and good/rejected product information. EMS supplied electricity consumption. Production tonnage, yield and energy intensity were evaluated together.
With unchanged melting energy, the proportional scenario calculates target intensity as 1,243 × (45.8 / 50) ≈ 1,139 kWh/ton. It is an output-yield scenario rather than a regression model or a verified absolute electricity reduction.
| Indicator | Reported range or reference |
|---|---|
| Daily operating duration | Approximately 7–24 h |
| Electricity intensity | Approximately 526–1,720 kWh/ton |
| Yield | Approximately 20–60% |
03 · CASE ANALYSIS
Proposed operating change
Increase yield from 45.8% to 50% under comparable material, charge and mold conditions. More good-product mass from the same energy input lowers energy per tonne of good output.
04 · CASE ANALYSIS
Measurement and verification
Measure input mass, good-product mass, rejected mass and electricity simultaneously. Keep material grade, melting charge and mold conditions consistent.
Quantify throughput increases and reductions in waiting or low-load operation separately. A lower kWh/ton does not by itself establish a reduction in total electricity consumption.
| Indicator | Baseline | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Good-product yield | 45.8% | 50% |
| Energy intensity | 1,243 kWh/ton | 1,139 kWh/ton |
| Initial improvement potential | — | 8.4% (reported) |
05 · CASE ANALYSIS
Engineering lesson
Define the output denominator clearly. Energy per tonne of melt and energy per tonne of good product describe different boundaries and can lead to different improvement conclusions.
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