The circular economy has proven to be a key strategy in industrial transformation. Beyond responding to regulatory pressure and the responsibility to mitigate the environmental impacts generated by the traditional production model, this circular approach represents an opportunity to improve operational efficiency, respond to the high rate of consumption, drive innovation, differentiate and reduce business risks.
In this scenario, the automation of internal logistics is positioned as a crucial factor to exploit the company’s circularity potential, bringing great benefits in terms of competitiveness, costs, resources and valuable data…
In this post we provide a comprehensive view on how intralogistics process automation can support the creation of a closed loop in the manufacturing sector, to drive supply chain efficiency, optimize the use of resources and inputs, facilitate waste reuse, etc.
Circular economy in the manufacturing environment – what is it?
When we talk about circular economy, in a manufacturing environment, we refer to a production approach that aims to close the life cycle of materials, resources and products with as little energy consumption and waste generation as possible.
In simple terms, it means implementing practices to reintroduce materials and products back into the manufacturing process, rather than discarding them at the end of their useful life. This maximizes resource efficiency and reduces environmental impact.
- What are these practices based on? Mainly on reducing, reusing and recycling, limiting the consumption of scarce resources, reusing materials or components several times before discarding them, transforming used materials or by-products into new raw materials or new products.
Why automated internal logistics is key in a manufacturing circular economy model?
Circularity in production is evidenced by the development of processes in which the demand for raw materials is reduced, waste is reduced or non-existent and materials, packaging or articles are given a second, third… life cycle within the production line. This requires efficient collaboration with suppliers and customers, as well as precise management of the flow of materials, semi-finished products, finished goods and returns. These are areas where automated intralogistics plays a decisive role.
Let’s move on to explore 3 main strategies of circularity in the manufacturing industry that are enhanced by automating internal logistics:
Reducing material waste through efficient inventory management
Automation allows precise control of materials in real time. By using an identification system for raw materials and products, either with RFID tags or barcodes, as well as implementing a WMS warehouse management software, companies can:
- Maintain optimal stock levels, which avoids overproduction and prevents the storage of perishable products that may expire, or materials and finished goods that may become obsolete.
- Minimize waste. Thanks to the automation of warehouse management, it is possible to track the company’s raw materials and semi-finished products to ensure that they are integrated into the production chain while they are still useful.
All of this is key to the circular economy. Automated and responsible resource management helps reduce the demand for new raw materials and reduces the environmental impact associated with waste disposal.
Reduction of energy consumption through intelligent automation
More and more companies are investing in eco-efficient automation solutions that, in addition to consuming as little energy as possible, also have a design that requires the least amount of maintenance and the lowest expenditure of financial resources.
In industrial intralogistics, these solutions can be adopted at various points in the supply chain, from automated raw material sorting (material receiving) to the packing station in the warehouse area. They can be general, such as energy-efficient lighting or air conditioning systems, or they can be specialized, such as:
- The seal cutters and case transferers on overhead conveyors. They are machines for packaging automation, designed with advanced technology for efficient energy consumption. They have minimal maintenance requirements and are equipped with long life cycle components. In addition, they operate at high speed and precision.
- Advanced AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), for the transfer of materials and goods in the warehouse, or for the delivery of raw materials directly to the production line. They have technologies to reduce energy consumption, such as regenerative braking systems or intelligent algorithms for optimizing internal routes in the warehouse. This also minimizes CO₂ emissions.
In addition, these automated systems for intralogistics can be programmed to operate only when needed, which also helps to optimize energy consumption.
Recycling and reuse of materials
Manufacturing companies benefit from the use of advanced ERP systems with manufacturing modules that facilitate the automated management of co-products and by-products. This offers a greater opportunity to reuse these materials in the production process or to convert unused by-products into new products for sale to other organizations. This reduces waste and generates new sources of revenue.
On the other hand, the physical automation of production plants, especially at the end of the line, can facilitate the reuse of packaging. This reduces the use of natural resources and waste generation. For example,
The reuse of cardboard boxes is a growing intralogistics trend. It is a way of providing a second life cycle to the boxes that come into companies with orders, either for use in internal storage or for packaging outgoing products. But if you really want to reintegrate used boxes back into the logistics flow, you need more than just collection and reconditioning. It is crucial that automated packaging machines can also operate with used cartons, such as:
- The automatic carton erector and case sealer. These are eco-efficient solutions designed for high production environments. They automatically adjust to various packaging formats and allow the reuse of cartons. They have the ability to work with both new and used cartons.
Automated return and reconditioning systems
Automating the returns process offers more than improving the customer experience. It also provides valuable data to identify the causes of returns and streamlines the transformation process – from product recovery to reinstatement.
- Reverse logistics automation uses mobile robots equipped with AI algorithms and machine vision systems to scan, identify, sort and segregate returned products based on predefined criteria.
For example, these sorting robots can identify defective items and sort them for repair, recycling or disposal. They are solutions that increase the processing volume of returned products, extend their life cycle and reduce waste. They also eliminate human error and bottlenecks.
TECNIMUSA: eco-efficient intralogistics automation
As an engineering company, we focus on developing industrial automation solutions that not only improve the operational efficiency of internal logistics, but also drive the sustainable practices of the circular economy.
Our design philosophy is based on three fundamental pillars: innovation, to create solutions that respond to the specific needs of our customers; sustainability, through the development of systems that minimize the consumption of resources and promote the reuse of materials; and cutting-edge technology, to guarantee precision and speed in every intralogistics operation.
At TECNIMUSA we anticipate the challenges of the future. Contact our team of experts. We help you to overcome the different challenges of the industrial sector.
