DIAGRAPH MSP
Marion, Illinois
Nick Burrus
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Diagraph MSP is an Illinois Tool Works (ITW) company that specializes
in industrial stenciling products. The facility is a 66,000 square office
and manufacturing facility located in Marion, Illinois. The business manufactures
industrial markers, electric and hand operated stencil cutting machines
and supplies, roll coders, cartridges, inks and shipping supplies.
Diagraph desires to reduce the waste generated by cleanup solvents and
from cardboard. Power consumption reductions associated with lighting
were identified as another opportunity that motivated Diagraph to host
an intern.
Result:
- Cleanup Solvents. MEK is the current solvent used to clean the non-water
based inks and Xylene is used in cleanup operations of the marker room.
The intern determined that utilizing solvent present in the product
as the cleaner for process operations allows the cleanup solution to
be directly used in the product. Applying this method will allow the
cleanup solvent to be saved and used in the next production run of product
and save the company at least $6,000 a year in solvent use and disposal.
- Cardboard. Cardboard comprises of about 70% of the waste disposed
in the dumpster destined for the landfill. Returnable packaging was
deemed infeasible due to transportation costs but two opportunities
were identified to reduce the amount of cardboard sent to the landfill.
First, Diagraph is considering the purchase of a baler that would allow
the material to be recycled off-site. Second, the purchase of a cut
and crimp machine would allow the inbound cardboard to be reused on-site
as a packing product
- Lighting Reductions. Intern testing at Diagraph indicated that some
locations in the facility that were too bright and needed de-lamped.
Additionally, other areas were adequately lit but a more energy efficient
bulb could be used as a replacement. Implementing the lighting suggestions
should save Diagraph approximately $3,000 a year on energy costs.
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