If you run a machine shop, then you know how costly running all of your machines can be. The energy costs for a shop can be a staggering number, thanks to the electricity and power needed to keep that shop running smoothly. If you are a shop owner and fed up with your high energy bills, consider the following few suggestions to help you lower your overall energy consumption and, therefore, your bills. Not only is it good for the shop accounting books, it will be better for the environment and a great way to bring overhead costs down reasonably.
To get started, you will first need to identify where the bulk of your energy is being used so that it can be isolated and reserved. If you have an onsite electrician, they can share with you a site energy distribution map so that you can figure out where your costs are the highest. You can also identify the times that your energy consumption with these machines is at the highest and when it is at the lowest.
Take some time and work out a plan for improvement in these areas. For instance, if the machines do not need to be running constantly, plan your day so that they can be used earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon, whichever uses less energy consumption. If your facing lathes are the culprit, have the machine running only when it is in use.
Some other ways to save energy are staggering your machine start up times when you are turning them on so they aren't all working at the same times. Give your machines time to warm up before beginning the strenuous processes that you are using them for. Turn machines off when they are not going to be in use for more than an hour, and remember to run them at low energy usage times of the day if at all possible.
Most people would imagine that the energy costs in the machining world would be a fixed expense, but it simply is not true. Taking some time to assess your shop and choose a few methods to cut your energy expenses is a perfect way to reduce costs, as well a reduce damage to the environment. Make your shop a clean, organized and energy efficient one, and see the difference that it can make on your next energy bill. You might be surprised.
Author Resource:-
Thomas Global Register (http://www.thomasglobal.com/categories/ENUS/products12/lathes_suppliers.htm) offers information on facing lathes. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.freebie-articles.com/images/rss.gif "XML Feed For RSS")
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites