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Environmental Activities
About Konica Minolta
Preventing Global Warming
CO2 Emissions from Product Usage
Targets and Results for Fiscal 2010 (Product Usage)
Marketed products with energy-saving technologies to achieve reduction targets
Multi-functional peripherals (MFPs) occupy the largest portion of CO2 amounts emitted during product usage among all Konica Minolta products.
For this reason, Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. focuses its efforts in developing MFPs that can provide substantial energy-saving performance. The MFPs feature numerous unique technologies, including a toner with a lower fusing temperature and an IH technology-based fusing unit that reduces power consumption in standby mode.
In fiscal 2010, the company a launched the bizhub 184/164 monochrome MFP series for newly developing countries, with industry-leading low power consumption, and the bizhub 423/363/283/223 monochrome MFP with a color scanner designed for energy-saving which contributed to achieving the target.
| Objectives | Fiscal 2010 Targets | Fiscal 2010 Results | Target Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preventing global warming | CO2 emissions from product usage: –62.9% | -64.0% | Yes |
Energy-Saving Product Design
Working to reduce CO2 emissions by introducing the LCA method to each product group
Konica Minolta is effectively reducing CO2 emissions by employing the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. Data is collected on CO2 emissions throughout the life cycle of products, from development and manufacturing to product disposal, for each of its wide-ranging product groups, on top of which, an assessment is conducted to determine which processes have the higher emission rates. Based on this assessment, appropriate measures are then implemented in each process.
Case 1: The bizhub 184/164
The bizhub 184/164 is a series of monochrome MFPs with industry-top-class low power consumption. Sales began in May 2010 targeting small and mid-sized offices in emerging markets where demand for office equipment is increasing.
This series contributes to reducing CO2 emissions by reducing power consumption during usage to less than half the reference value (TEC value*). In addition, weighing in at only 23.5 kg, the volume of each machine has been reduced by about 30% compared to previous models, and the quantity of components cut by about 35%. The mass of the packaging materials used is also about 40% less than that of previous models. Furthermore, the adoption of proprietary polymerized toner achieves both outstanding environmental performance and high-resolution printing.
The bizhub 184/164 and nine other models have received the China Environmental Labeling Product Certification for low-carbon products in recognition of their environmental performance.
- *
- TEC (typical electricity consumption) value: Typical weekly energy consumption specified by the International Energy Star Program. It is calculated assuming an average usage pattern in offices of five days of alternate operation and sleep/off, and two days of sleep/off
Case 2: Technical Features of the MFP
Simitri HD Toner Fuses at a Lower Temperature
Simitri HD Toner is a proprietary polymerized toner developed by Konica Minolta. Polymerization is a method of toner manufacturing that greatly reduces environmental impact during production when compared to conventional toner manufacturing methods. The toner particles are smaller than regular toner particles, so less toner is required for the same print jobs. In addition, the toner is fused at a lower temperature. All of these features contribute to reducing the amount of energy used when the product is in use.
Using IH Technology to Create an Energy-Efficient Fusing Unit temperature
To start printing with an MFP, the fusing roller needs to be heated to a certain temperature. If the standby temperature is kept high, then the roller can be heated quickly to the proper temperature. However, this means that a significant amount of energy is consumed during the standby mode. Reducing this energy consumption is key to making an energy-saving MFP.
Konica Minolta provides a solution with its induction heating (IH) technology. This technology has been applied as the means of rapidly heating the fusing unit of MFPs*. By rapidly heating the surface of the fusing roller, a low standby temperature can be quickly increased to printing temperature. This greatly reduces power consumption during standby mode.
- *
- Applies to some bizhub MFPs
