Metric-based approach to assess sustainable manufacturing performance at manufacturing process levels

Abstract

As new technologies have been changing the production scenario, sustainable production practices stand out as possible solutions to harmonise industrial activities and biodiversity conservation for the benefit of humanity. In this context, a proposal based on the concepts of the Triple Bottom Line for evaluating sustainability index will be presented in order to fill in some gaps in the literature on models for evaluating sustainability indices. The methodological approach consists of developing sustainability indicators (KPI) which has been the basis for measuring the sustainability index. To verify the applicability of this model, two companies which apply metallic coating on rolls of sugar cane mills were assessed. According to the results, it was possible to measure the sustainability level of each KPI, of the pillars and the general sustainability index. The proposal stands out from other models because it allows: a) assessment of each stage of the production process, b) application flexibility regardless of the type of the process, c) measurement flexibility according to the companies’ needs, d) ease and speed of execution on the factory floor, e) possibility of computerisation.

Keywords

• sustainability index
• sustainability manufacturing
• triple bottom line
• welding
• sugar cane mills