Context
Melotte is a Zonhoven based global solution provider specialized in research & development, engineering, manufacturing and service of high precision mechatronics solutions.

Their mission is to translate analogue material transformation processes into sustainable 'digital material development' with minimal use of raw materials and energy. Within the last two years, Melotte manufactured 10,000 units of dental prostheses with only a fraction of raw materials and waste. Melotte wants to build an integrated global and digital production platform that confirms the basic values and provides a solution for the complexities that were until today only considered viable in nature.

After being rewarded with the local VOKA Innovation Award in 2009, the ITM Award for best practices in Manufacturing and being Cleantech ambassador, Melotte's CEO Mario Fleurincks (Young Entrepreneur of 2010) innovative vision today is published 50th of hundred cases in Günter Pauli's business model of The Blue Economy!


Challenge
Melotte asked Futureproofed to compare their digital production process of a dental prosthesis with analogue global dental production.

What we did
Using the Simapro software we have examined the different steps in a dental prosthesis’ life cycle: from mining to end-of-life, from production to transport.

Result
For each phase in the life cycle we calculated the footprint of the process and allocated the improvement of the digital versus the analogue process. The results were not at all difficult to interpret: improvements (energy use, carbon, water use,...) vary between factor 2,5 up to factor 35!