Title: Energy analysis of manufacturing process of a motorcycle

Authors: Archak Patnayak, Narendra Kumar Bansal, Jyotirmay Mathur

Addresses: Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon, India. ' Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India. ' Mechanical Engineering Department, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Jaipur 302 017, India

Abstract: Energy analysis of a production unit helps to quantify the energy consumed at different stages, thus providing estimates of energy and material wastage, if any. From the general principles of energy analysis involving mass conversion efficiencies and the energy inputs at various stages of the production process of a motorcycle producing industry, namely Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Limited (HMSI), a methodology has been evolved to conduct a detailed energy analysis leading to the energy content (primary energy consumption per unit weight of the product) of the motorcycle. To facilitate the energy analysis, the whole production process has been divided into three main sub-processes, namely, frame production, engine production, and the assembly and inspection stages. Confining to the energy and material input within the premises of the industry, the energy content of the vehicle has been found to be 12.24 MJ/kg of vehicle weight. Out of the three stages, the frame manufacturing stage is found to be most energy intensive. Within frame manufacturing, the paint shop itself accounted for 87% of energy consumption. The results of this analysis, besides their use for identification of energy intensive areas, can also be used for conducting life cycle analysis.

Keywords: energy analysis; motorcycle manufacture; energy content; primary energy; enery waste; frame manufacture; paint shop; energy consumption; life cycle analysis; manufacturing process.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2004.005743

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2004 Vol.2 No.4, pp.392 - 402

Published online: 29 Nov 2004 *

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