SYNSOR RETAIL INNOVATION
ECOGATE CASE STUDY
Synsor Retail Innovation, Everett, WA, USA
71%
1.05
494,844
fan power
reduction
years ROI
kWh saved
annually
THE STORY
Each drop at Synsor's facility is equipped with an Ecogate, which opens automatically when the machine at that drop needs dust collection.
The return-on-investment for Synsor's Ecogate system is just 1.05 years.
Synsor Retail Innovation was founded in a garage in Washington state in 1971. Since then, the company has been integrating materials and technology to build powerful retail experiences for clients such as Starbucks, Costco, Microsoft, Hunter Douglas, and Kroger.
Synsor has a strong sustainability policy , under which the corporation "continually seeks ways to reduce the use of chemicals and energy consumption". This was just one of the reasons why Ecogate energy-saving technology was a great fit for Synsor.
In 2015, the Synsor continued to expand its manufacturing capacity to meet growing demand. The additional machines threatened to push the existing 200 HP dust collection system past its limits, which could lead to poor suction in some areas. That's when Synsor realized that Ecogate could help.
The system at Synsor is now controlled by a single greenBOX MASTER unit, which manages all 32 Ecogate automated blast gates as well as the Power Master Variable Frequency Drive for the 200 HP dust collector.
The Ecogate system works by continually monitoring all workstations in the factory, and adjusting fan power to match the machines' needs in real-time. Because air is only exhausted from workstations that are producing dust at any given point of time, a fan of a given size can service more workstations than with a traditional system. This was exactly the case with Synsor.
By controlling the dust collection system on-demand, Ecogate not only ensures that all machines in the Synsor factory have excellent ventilation, but also reduces the overall fan power. Because of the proven energy efficiency of the Ecogate system, Synsor received an incentive for the project from the Snohomish County Public Utility District.
This incentive reduced the cost of the system and resulted in an outstanding return on investment of just 1.05 years.
Synsor's Zach Oborn shows a measured 8 dB noise level reduction after the Ecogate system was installed.
The chart above shows actual electricity use over the course of a day at the Synsor facility. The dust collection system fan used 71% less power than would be required with a typical system servicing the same number of workstations.
The system is fully automated, even stopping automatically during shift breaks. This can be seen in the chart above, for example around 7pm.
By reducing the speed of the fan, Ecogate also reduces the noise level on the factory floor, which makes for a more pleasant work environment. At Synsor the difference was noticeable immediately; the decrease was measured at 8 dB.
The greenBOX Master also gives Synsor management access to Ecogate's online analytics platform , which provides unprecedented insight into the production lines' operation. Available data includes electricity use, fan power, workstation utilization, and more.
Overall, Ecogate will reduce Synsor's energy use by 494,844 kWh per year. This is equivalent to reducing the factory's carbon footprint by 752,163 lbs. of CO2 per year (per EPA guidelines).
For Synsor, Ecogate makes sense for the bottom line as well as for their strong commitment to sustainability.