72nd International Technology and
Engineering Educators Association Conference
“Green Technology: STEM Solutions for the 21st Century Citizen”
Charlotte, North Carolina
Lean and Green Manufacturing in
Wood Technology
11:00-11:50 AM
March 20, 2010
Presented
by
Douglas R. Hague
Jordan Clous Backs
John L. Iley, Ph.D.
Pittsburg State University
Presentation Description & Presenters

Description:
“Lean and Green Manufacturing in Wood Technology”
addresses lean and green manufacturing practices
in the wood industry. It features latest innovations
in engineered wood materials, hardware, and
processes; and educational activities.
Presenters:

•
Douglas “Doug” R. Hague,
Assistant Professor, Wood Technology, PSU
•
Jordan “Clous” Backs,
Instructor, Wood Technology, PSU
•
Dr. John L. Iley,
Professor, Technology Education, PSU
2
Agenda—Today’s Presentation

Lean Manufacturing
• Definition, origin, goals, implementing lean

Green Manufacturing
• Definition and principles

Lean and Green Comparison

Lean and Green in the Wood Industry
www.buker.com/images/Leanchart.gif
• Considerations
• Design, Material Selection, Production, and Conservation
• Case Studies—Industry and PSU

Lean and Green-Implications for Educators
• Suggestions, Activities, and Resources
3
Lean Manufacturing

Definition:
Lean Manufacturing refers to
manufacturing practices aimed at
maximizing value and minimizing www.buker.com/images/Leanchart.gif
waste in the manufacturing process.
It considers expending resources for anything
other than creation of value to the customer to
be wasteful
More value for less money
4
Origin and Key Figures of “Lean”

Ben Franklin (1733) – Poor Richard’s Almanac

Eli Whitney (1850’s) – interchangeable parts

Frederick Taylor – Principles of Scientific
Management (1911)

Frank Gilbreth – process charts; motion study

Henry Ford – mass assembly manufacturing
system (1915)

Kiichirio Toyota (1936) – Kaizen improvement
teams

W. Edwards Deming (WWII) – SPC; TQM

Taiichi Ohno – Toyota Production System-TPS
(1980)

John Krafcik coined term “Lean Manufacturing” in
1988
5
History Timeline for Lean Manufacturing
Graphic from: Strategos www.strategosinc.com/images/lean_timeline.jpg
6
Goals of Lean Manufacturing

Continuously improve quality

Eliminate waste-doesn’t provide value
• Waiting
• Transport
• Extra Processing
• Overproduction
• Inventory
• Motion
• Defects
www.sixthsigma.com/weblog/LeanManufacturingPa..

Reduce time-start to finish

Reduce total costs
7
Going Lean in Manufacturing

Create simple manufacturing system
• Decrease cycle times
• Keep less inventory
• Increase productivity and efficiency
• Increase equipment utilization

Recognize “room for improvement”

Continuously improve
• measure improvement
chohmann.free.fr/lean.gif
8
Green (or Sustainable) Manufacturing
Department of Commerce Definition:
“Sustainable (Green) [sic] Manufacturing
is defined as the creation of manufactured
products that use processes that are non-polluting,
conserve energy and natural resources, and are
economically sound and safe for employees,
communities, and consumers.”
From: Sustainable Manufacturing – National Council for Advanced Manufacturing
(http://www.nacfam.org/ ) - Definition
http://nacfam02.dev.web.sba.com/PolicyInitiatives/SustainableManufacturing/tabid/64
/Default.aspx
9
Objectives for Green (Sustainable) Design in Mfg


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
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


Increase efficiency in the use of materials, energy
and other resources
Minimize damage or pollution from the chosen
material
Reduce to a minimum any long-term harm caused
by use of the product
Ensure that the planned life of the product is most
appropriate in environmental terms and that the
product functions efficiently for its full life
Take full account of the effects of the end disposal
of the product
Ensure that the packaging and instructions encourage
efficient and environmentally friendly use
Minimize nuisances such as noise or smell
Analyze and minimize potential safety hazards
Adapted from: Principles of Green Design http://www.slideshare.net/mschongkong/topic-3-principles-ofgreen-design
10
Comparison of Lean to Green or Sustainable
Manufacturing
Lean
Manufacturing
Green
Manufacturing
Eliminate Waste
Conserve energy and
natural resources
Increase efficiency in
time and resources
Reduce pollution &
damage to environment
Product function properly
throughout its life
Minimize safety hazards
Reduce time-start to
finish
Reduce total costs
Continuously improve
quality
11
Wood Industry Promotes Lean & Green
Certifications promote commitment
• LEED


Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
• ESP


Environmental Stewardship Program
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assn (KCMA)
• FSC

Forest Stewardship Council
• SFI

Sustainable Forest Initiative
12
Wood Industry Responds to Lean & Green
Certifications & policies promote commitment
• EPP


Environmentally Preferable Purchase
Government stimulates “buy green”
• Green Seal - 1989

Science-based environmental certification
standards
• GEI


GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
ANSI standards developer-indoor air quality
• SCS


Scientific Certification Systems
Certification of sustainability & environmental
claims
13
Keys to Implementing Lean and Green

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Philosophy
Facility Considerations
Product Design
Material Selection
Production Techniques
Finishing
Hardware Selection
Minimize and Eliminate Waste
• Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
14
Lean & Green: Philosophy and Commitment
Example: Dimensional Innovations

We utilize digital fabrication to eliminate waste and increase yield
of materials.

We maintain strict standards for proper disposal of batteries, paint
solids and other hazardous materials.



A high percentage of our post-production product is recycled and
donated to local art school programs including, the Kansas City Art
Institute and the University of Kansas.
We utilize a solvent recycling machine that reduces our solvent
waste by 95 percent. This system reduces 220 gallons of solvent
waste per year.
Dimensional Innovations interior architectural designer is a LEED
AP and has completed several recent exhibits in facilities seeking
LEED certification.

We are currently exploring supplemental options for recycling
Sintra and EPS foam.

From: Dimensional Innovations – Environmental Stewardship http://www.dimin.com/?page=about_environment
15
Lean & Green: Facility Considerations

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Location
Environmentally-friendly construction;
renovation; resource conservation
Energy Efficiency
• Less fossil fuel – alternate energy
• Energy efficient motors, etc.
• Less transportation


Efficient flow of materials and product
Clean environment – indoor air quality
• Dust collection, air filtration & dust extraction;
incorporate eco-gates
• EPA adherence - finishing

Space efficiency – less to heat, cool
16
Lean & Green: Product Design

Incorporate green design principles
• Efficiency in use of materials, energy, resources
• Minimize damage or pollution
• Reduce long-term harm of product
• Planned life of product—full life efficiently
• Effects of end disposal – biodegradable, recyclable

Specify materials with environmental certifications—LEED,
EPS, SFI, FSC, etc.

More panel construction with veneers and laminate

Use CADD-CAM software and optimization features

Simulate production

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Minimize material waste, and production time and cost –
consider standard stock material and machine capacity
Weight reduction and modular – reduced shipping costs
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
17
Lean and Green: Material Selection

Cabinet box materials
• Composite panels (95% of tree [lumber 63%]
• Panels with low formaldehyde certifications (e.g.,
Composite panel association (CPA) EPP specification CPA 2-06
= formaldehyde levels less than 0.18 per million parts of air
• Core material with EPP specification for being
manufactured with 100% recycled and/or recovered fiber
• Use high percentage of hardwoods with SFI and/or FSC
certification
• Medite II – wood fibers combined w/ formaldehde free
synthetic resin; no commercially viable tree (scrag wood)
fiber used
• Dur-A-Tek Hardwood Composite - ultra low VOC = wood’s
• Wheat board composites – low VOCs (volatile organic
compounds); alternative to MDF and particle board
18
Lean and Green: Material Selection (cont-)

Doors, drawers, cabinet component materials
• Bamboo – a grass; highly renewable and recyclable
• Wood veneers - applied to doors and drawer front base
materials—MDF or wheat board
• SFI or FSC Certified Wood – little environmental pressure
• Lyptus Wood (Lyptus) – Weyerhauser product from
eucalyptus; excellent quality, beauty and environmental
attributes; excellent choice when selecting exotic hardwood
specie
• Reconstituted veneers – veneer replicates wood species
under environmental pressure; ; engineered and harvested
from African hardwood trees and Italian plantation grown
poplar trees.
• Recycled and reclaimed wood -
http://www.greenbuildingsherpa.com/categories/recycled-woodand-reclaimed-wood-products.html
19
Lean and Green: Material Selection (cont-)

Laminates and veneer adhesives
• Use low VOC glues
• Water-borne PVA (polyvinyl acetate)
adhesive is preferred over contact
cement--no VOC’s

Edgebanding
• Edgebanding – substitute ABS edge banding for PVC; no
chlorine in material and its processing

Finishing
• - see slide #22
20
Lean and Green: Production Techniques


Consider material and product flow
Optimization & optimization software
• Panel optimization – maximum cutting patterns & yield
• Panel utilization – visual scanning systems; reduce
scrap
• Solid wood yield – high speed material handling & yield


Optimizing rip saws and cut-off saws
CNC for optimizing panel construction
•
•
•
•

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Optimizing features
Simulations can prevent waste
Nested parts
Decrease production times and cycles
Flexible assembly tables; z-lifts – more efficient
time and motion
Control dust and waste by-products
• Down-draft sanding tables
21
Lean and Green: Finishing

Material selection
• Natural finishes – e.g., Tung oil
• Low or ultra low VOC finishes
• Waterborne finishes and sealants (e.g.,



Vermont Natural Coatings – non toxic
finish; durable water-based finish from
cheese “whey”
Sherwin-Williams Kem Aqua Waterborne
Finishing System
Finishing equipment and process
• Flat panel coating with recovery systems
reduce waste requiring disposal (e.g.,
Cefla)
• Transfer efficiency; flexibility and
productivity
22
Finishing Integration and Green Mfg
from M&M Solutions, WMS, September 2009
http://m-mwoodsolutions.com/knowledge/M+M-WMS_October_2009.pdf
23
Lean and Green: Hardware Selection



Specialty designed hardware components for
lighter panel materials and composites (e.g.,
Hafele)
Green door and cabinet hardware
•
Recycled glass
•
Varia eco-resin -40% post-industrial reclaimed material
•
Cork Inlay
•
Fused glass –layers of glass fired in a kiln
•
Recycled aluminum
•
Stainless steel
Recycled hardware
Recommended Resource:
Rustica Hardware http://www.rusticahardware.com/GREEN-HARDWARE-sp1.html
24
Lean and Green: Minimize & Eliminate Waste

Waste utilization
• Biomass furnace burns sawdust and wood
waste

Briquetting wood waste can provide a fuel
source

Dust collection system captures dust to silo
• Packing material

VOC Abatement
• VOC emissions used as fuel

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

Resource: Stiles Machinery—Green Manufacturing -
http://www.stilesmachinery.com/Equipment/Showroom/green-mfg.aspx
25
Case Study #1 – Mark Richey Woodworking and Design

Philosophy
• Environmentally-responsible company since founding in 1980

Facility Considerations
•
•
•
•
•

Cut energy usage
Renovate existing structures
Combine natural and energy-efficient lighting
Insulate, seal building envelope
Operate wind turbine to generate electricity
Product Design
• Design products for material savings
• Design to make products that last

Material Selection
• Specify wood from sustainable sources – FSC certified
• Use veneered product with particleboard or MDF cores – recycled cores

Production Techniques
• Use advanced equipment to cut and machines materials efficiently

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
Finishing
Hardware Selection
Minimize and Eliminate Waste - Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
• Burn wood waste in biomass furnace to heat plant
• Use post-industrial or recycled product for packing materials
From: “Taking the Lead in Green Manufacturing” by George Lausch
http://www.fdmonline.com/richeyinterview.aspx
26
Case Studies: Four Additional Wood Industries

Case Green Cabinetry
Environmentally Friendly or Green Cabinet Options
http://www.casegreen.com/process/GreenCabinet
Options.html

Pacific Crest Industries
Amero Cabinet Collection
Builds responsibly as steward of environment
http://amerocabinetcollection.com/environment.html

Industrial Woodworking Corporation
IWC leads the way to a sustainable future
http://www.industrialwoodworking.com/HTML/environment/index.htm

Fimbel Architectural Door Specialties
Well documented policies concerning “green”
http://www.fimbelads.com/green_manufacturing.html
27
Pittsburg State University Wood Technology:
Addressing Lean and Green
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Facility Considerations
Product Design
Material Selection
Production Techniques
Hardware Selection
Finishing
Minimize and Eliminate Waste
28
PSU: Lean & Green Lab Considerations

Production Equipment
•
•
•
•
•

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Optimizing Rip Saw
CNC Router
Horizontal Beam saw
Shop Layout
Production and Material
Flow
Assembly Tables
Dust Collection
• Dust collection system and
downdraft tables

Finishing Lab
29
PSU: Lean & Green: Product Design


Design to use standard stock sizes
Design for production and efficiency
• CAD/CAM and CNC
• Machine capacity and capability

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Use optimization software and/or
features – get most out of material
Design to minimize waste of material,
energy, and time
Keep end-use and end-user in mind
30
PSU: Lean & Green Material Selection

Composite Materials
• MDF
• TruPan

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Extensive Use of Veneers
Solid Lumber – Saw Mill
• Local species – readily available
• Logs provided by tree removal services
31
PSU: Lean & Green Production Techniques

CNC
• optimization
• nested production

Vacuum Bag
• Veneer to substrate (MDF)

Tiger Stop
• Save time
• Minimize waste caused by operator
error
32
PSU: Lean & Green Finishing

Flash Tunnel
• Reduces Dry Time

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Recycle Waste
Spray Guns
• High transfer rate spray guns

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Low VOC Finishes
Water Borne Finishes
• Make students aware
• Experiment with finishes
33
PSU: Lean & Green Hardware Selection

Hardware for Composite Material
• Specialty hardware is needed for use in
some composite materials that are
used.
34
PSU: Lean & Green Minimize and Eliminate
Waste

Chipper/ Wood Grinder
• Experimented and tested the benefits of
a wood grinder

Tiger Stop
• Capabilities of optimizing

CNC & Horizontal Beam Saw
• Increase of material yield
35
Lean and Green Implications for Educators


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Suggestions for Educators
Activities
Resources
36
Lean and Green: Suggestions for Educators
Note: Many of the following are not new, but have been used by teachers
for years to conserve limited resources and funds—”Lean Teaching”


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Organize lab (“shop”) for material &
production flow—save time and energy
Purchase materials locally & regionally
Design custom and mass produced
products to optimize standard stock
material
• CAD/ Cam software
• Optimizing software and/or features
37
Lean and Green: Suggestions for Educators
(cont-)

Material selection
• Local, more plentiful solid lumber species
• Recycled wood
• Composite materials & veneers



Urea-free MDF
Formaldehyde-free plywood
Finishing and laminate projects
• Natural finishes – e.g., tung oil
• Finishes low in VOCs and HAPs
38
Lean and Green: Suggestions for Educators
(cont-)
• Hardware Selection

Environmentally-friendly new
• Materials – recycled glass and aluminum; cork;
fused-glass; eco-resin (e.g., Varia); lead-free
pewter and stainless steel

Recycled hardware
• Specialty stores

Sample Resources
• Rustic Hardware - Hardware http://www.rusticahardware.com/GREENHARDWARE-sp-1.html
• Hafele – www.hafele.com ?
39
Lean and Green: Suggestions for Educators
(cont-)
• Minimize and Eliminate Waste—Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle


Recycle or reuse abrasives—abrasive belts,
sand paper, etc.
Sawdust
• Packing material
• Cage bedding-Biology animals
• Mulch for acid-loving plants (e.g., blueberries) –
Note: Walnut harmful to plants
• Specialty Projects – wood flour molded knobs,
coasters, etc.

Solid wood waste
• Kindling for wood stoves, etc.
40
Lean and Green: Suggestions for Educators
(cont-)



Rough Lumber or S2S – surface and edge
joint whole board to eliminate having small
pieces that can’t be machines safely and
become “scrap”
Create “Standard Stock” – instead of lots
of odd sized “shorts”, create standard sizes
(t” x w”) for small projects
Small ”Filler” Projects – several small
projects
• Use up leftover material
• Students do these during “idle” times
• Examples: wood puzzles; cutting boards; key
holders; salad fork & spoon re-saw project; etc.
41
Lean and Green: Activities for Educators:
Green Design Brief #1: Bird House

Scenario: Local Audubon

Design Brief: Design and mass
Society needs a large quantity
of “bird houses” built for local
wildlife area
produce a large number of ecofriendly, solid wood “bird
houses,” as efficiently as
possible for the lowest
cost.
This image is from:
www.birdingessentials.com/page/birdhouses
42
Lean and Green: Activities for Educators:
Green Design Brief #1: Bird House (cont-)

Considerations for evaluating solution:
• Material Selection – appropriate for
application; standard stock; proper hardware
• Design - appropriate size for bird; optimizes
use of standard stock material; minimum
number of T x W x L
• Production – manufacturability—ease of
making; material & production flow; minimum
number of cuts, fasteners, assemblies; surface
preparation; etc.
• Finish – none; environmentally friendly;
exterior application
• Installation – ease of installation
• Aesthetics – craftsmanship; appearance
43
Lean and Green: Activities for Educators:
Green Design Brief #1: Bird House (cont-)

Comparison of cut lists of two solutions for a given
type of house with one-piece roof:
44
Lean and Green: Activities for Educators:
Green Design Brief #2: Recycle Bins

Scenario: The school district

Design Brief: Design and mass
needs 20 special recycle container
bins (10 for cans; 10 for plastic
bottles) built.
produce a large number of ecofriendly, composite- panel “recycle
container bins”, as efficiently as
possible for the lowest cost.
45
Lean and Green: Activities for Educators:
Green Design Brief #2: Recycle Bins (cont-)

Considerations for evaluating solution:
• Material selection – appropriate for
application; standard stock; proper hardware
• Design - appropriate openings for containers;
optimizes use of standard stock material;
minimum number of W x L
• Production – manufacturability—ease of
making; material & production flow; minimum
number of cuts, fasteners, assemblies; etc.
• Finish –environmentally friendly; appropriate
for application
• Aesthetics – craftsmanship; appearance
46
Green Activities & Resources for Educators-Activity: Green Manufacturing Terminology

Directions:
•
•

Complete the “Green (or Sustainable)
Manufacturing Crossword Puzzle.”
Handout: “Glossary of Green Terms Related to
Wood Manufacturing” – Compiled by Pittsburg
State University Wood Technology
______________________________________
Presentation Resources on CD:
•
“Going Green in the Woodworking Industry”




PowerPoint/PowerPoint Handout (48 slides/4-pages f/b)
Glossary of Green Terms Related to Wood Manufacturing
Crossword Puzzle & Answer Key
Outline of Presentation with Website Resources
47
Questions and Answers
Thank You for Your Attention
to this Presentation:
Going Green in the Woodworking
Industry
Contact Information:
Douglas R. Hague
Jordan Clous Backs
John L. Iley, Ph.D., Chairman
Department of Technology and
Workforce Learning
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS 66762
TWL Phone: 620-235-4371
Emails: drhague@pittstate.edu
jcbacks@gus.pittstate.edu
jiley@pittstate.edu
Kansas Technology Center
48