Innovations in Manufacturing Processes to Achieve the Goal of CO2 Reduction  (Ricoh Group/Japan)
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To achieve the ambitious goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 12% of the fiscal 1990 level by fiscal 2010, the Ricoh Group's energy-saving production process committee, which is made up of people in charge of the Group's major production sites in Japan, checks the manufacturing processes of those production sites, identifies energy losses, and assigns a quota on reducing CO2 emissions. Focusing on innovations in manufacturing processes may save energy at downsized production lines and have a spillover effect on associated equipment, such as air conditioners and air compressors, at production lines. To date, downsized production lines for photosensitive materials used in copiers have been put in operation, and a dramatic reduction in the size of toner filling devices, and innovation in the toner crush line process have been achieved.
Energy-saving Manufacturing Processes and Spillover Effects
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Process Innovation in Toner Pulverizing Line (Ricoh/Japan)
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| Line spacing was also significantly reduced thanks to the new method. |
Of the CO2 generated in the production process for toner, which is a consumable used in copiers and printers, about 80% is generated in the toner pulverizing and classification processes.
Small-particle size toners are a key product today. The conventional production method for small-particle size toners, however, needs more energy than for coarse toners.
We assessed that it would be possible to reduce CO2 emissions significantly if the high-efficiency production method used for coarse toners could be applied to the production of small-particle size toners, and started to develop a new production process.
We succeeded in producing small-particle size toners in a short period of time, making the most of quality engineering and computer simulation to address various technical problems relating to quality and productivity, while achieving improved productivity by shortening the process. As a result of the innovations in the toner production method, we reduced CO2 by 477 tons and cut costs by about ¥20 million in fiscal 2006.
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