The True Sequence: Why Process Diligence Must Precede Capex

#ProMFG2026 #PMAMSummit #SmartMaintenance #EnergyEfficiency #SpecificEnergyConsumption #ConditionBasedMaintenance #Bradken #ProcurementStrategy #Operationalexcellence

"Buying a four-megawatt solar array to power a leaky, unoptimized four-megawatt factory is a massive capital blunder. Fix your specific energy consumption first, and you might only need a three-and-a-half-megawatt array." - Selvakumar Aruchamy, Engineering Lead, Bradken

July 2026 : When corporate boards push to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance targets, the standard response is often a massive investment in solar panels or wind assets. It looks great on a sustainability report. However, expanding renewable energy infrastructure to power inherently wasteful factory equipment is a costly mistake that delays real returns on investment.

This operational reality took center stage at the 7th Edition of the Pro MFG Plant Maintenance & Asset Management (PMAM) Summit 2026 in Coimbatore. Hosted by Pro MFG Media alongside Presenting Partner - Mobil and Gold Partner - ImageGraphix, the panel focused on Achieving Maximum - Driving Productivity & Cost Efficiency Across Assets.

Offering a sharp, data-driven perspective was Selvakumar Aruchamy, Engineering Lead at Bradken. Aruchamy explained why true industrial decarbonization must begin with rigorous process due diligence rather than immediate capital spending on clean energy assets.

For Aruchamy, a factory's long-term energy footprint is decided long before a machine arrives at the loading dock. While procurement teams routinely specify automation levels, operational pressures, and physical dimensions in their Requests for Quotes (RFQs), they frequently leave out a vital metric: Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) - the exact energy required per unit of production. "If you buy inferior equipment, even the most meticulous maintenance won't deliver efficiency," Aruchamy observed. "Conversely, buying a high-end, energy-efficient machine and neglecting its upkeep yields the same poor result." True cost efficiency requires embedding specific energy targets directly into initial procurement documents and supporting them with strict operational discipline.

When factories shift to renewable power without optimizing their underlying processes, they end up building over-sized, needlessly expensive energy assets. Aruchamy emphasized that a standard 10% to 15% improvement in process efficiency ripples back to significantly reduce the required scale of clean energy investments. Before signing a renewable contract, an industrial site must establish its baseline consumption through a rigorous energy audit. Because every factory configuration is distinct - even within metal casting, green sand processes differ wildly from resin sand systems - companies must develop tailored internal benchmarks. Auditing these processes first ensures that future clean-energy infrastructure matches an optimized, lean demand curve.

When asked how to lower maintenance costs without hurting equipment uptime, Aruchamy advised moving away from rigid, calendar-based preventive maintenance schedules. Traditional preventive care is labor-intensive and frequently causes teams to service components that are working perfectly. Modern equipment can go much longer between service cycles if monitored correctly. "Why change machine oil simply because a calendar page turned?" Aruchamy asked. By tracking fluid turbidity and wear-particle impurities directly, plants can let machine conditions dictate service intervals. This shift lowers labor costs, avoids premature component replacement, and protects the plant's core profitability.

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