Evolutionary Manufacturing, Design and Operational Practices for Resource and Environmental Sustainability

This book highlights the important use of digital technologies and the latest developments in mechanical and industrial engineering to enhance environmental and resource sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have as their overarching objective the reduction or eradication of a wide range of global problems, including, but not limited to poverty, climate change, environmental degradation, and inequality. Digital technologies (DTs) have the potential to be exploited to meet the goals associated with the circular economy (CE) and sustainable development. Additive manufacturing (AM), cyber-physical systems (CPS), and blockchain technology are examples of DT-enabled technologies that are helpful for businesses that seek to shift to a circular economic model.

With the remanufacturing of products, applications that make use of virtual reality and augmented reality, in addition to the Internet of Things, simplify the construction of strategic decision models that reduce time and expense while simultaneously increasing productivity. In addition, the utilization of big data analytics helps businesses discover previously undisclosed trends and unlock numerous opportunities for environmental and resource sustainability. Employing analytics makes it feasible to collect helpful information regarding the socio-environmental impact of a product, as well as consumption factors over the entirety of a product’s life cycle.

This book contains 44 comprehensive chapters and is divided into five parts. Part 1 delves deeply into sustainable operational practices and supply chain management. The impact that digital technology-enabled operational techniques have on product life cycles is investigated, as well as the design of efficient remanufacturing processes, environmentally friendly logistics and warehousing practices, sustainable designs for distributed energy supply systems, and efficient recycling procedures.

Part 2 provides a perspective on advanced materials and developments for sustainable manufacturing. The chapters in this section address sustainable material development and its application in the circular economy concept. Included here is an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge technology for synthesis, processing, fabrication, process optimization, testing, and performance evaluation of advanced materials. Part 3 covers sustainable manufacturing practices and looks at the problems faced by the industry when using digital technologies in their operations, as well as the possible benefits.

Part 4 examines sustainable innovation in mechanical design. It addresses all aspects of mechanical design that contribute to sustainable innovation for nation-building. Part 5 delves into heat transfer and fluid flow concepts for sustainable product development and applications. The chapters explain how to construct sustainable energy systems by reducing the total amount of energy that is utilized, enhancing the efficiency of the process of energy conversion, and making use of sources of energy that are renewable.

Audience

This book has a wide audience in academic institutions and engineers in a variety of manufacturing industries. It will also appeal to economists and policymakers working on the circular economy, clean tech investors, industrial decision-makers, and environmental professionals.

Kamalakanta Muduli, Ph.D, is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Papua New Guinea. His research interests focus on materials science, manufacturing, sustainable supply chain management, and industry 4.0 applications in operations and supply chains. He is the recipient of the ERASMUS award by the European Union and published more than 80 papers in peer-reviewed international journals.

Sachindra Kumar Rout, PhD, is an assistant professor at CV Raman Global University in Bhubaneswar, India. He obtained a PhD from the National Institute of Technology in Rourkela, India. His research is based on refrigeration & air conditioning along with the development of laboratory equipment. Rout has published 20+ papers in international journals.

Sunil Sarangi, PhD, is a professorial fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bhubaneswar, India. He obtained his doctorate from the State University of New York. His research fields of interest include cryogenic refrigeration and liquefaction systems. He has published more than 100 papers in international journals and has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of INAE in 2016.

Sardar M.N. Islam, PhD, is a professor at the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University in Australia. He was a professor of business, economics, and finance from 2007 to 2017, and has had many years of academic work experience in teaching, supervision, and multi-disciplinary research. He has published extensively across a broad range of disciplines and his research has attracted international acclaim, leading to several appointments as a distinguished visiting professor. His research ranges in fields of artificial intelligence, accounting, industrial engineering, and finance.

Aezeden Mohamed, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Papua New Guinea University of Technology in Lae, Papua New Guinea. He obtained his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. His main research focuses on corrosion prevention, non-destructive technologies, and biomedical engineering. He has co-authored a book titled Theory of Metal Cutting, published more than 70 articles in journals and conference proceedings, and has 3 patents in material and manufacturing technology.