Green Manufacturing with Steel Swarf

Abstract

The industrial sector drives nearly one-third of global energy demand, with most of this energy used to produce bulk materials. However, the rate of recycling of metallic materials is much higher than non metallic ones, especially when the scrap is heavy. But in very loose swarfs the transformation rates are poor, and processes are unsustainable. To improve the life productivity of bulk materials, and also lower the specific energy consumption, the innovative route to sustainable manufacturing of near dense products was attempted. The process is seen to compare favourably with an energy efficient process deployment, though some nonconforming skull had to be rejected because of high pore volume, lapping and other defects. The process of swarf forming competes well within the given constraints of swarf and energy sustainability, and thus qualifies to support green manufacturing.