DS-FEB23-PG32+33_Layout 1 16/02/2023 10:14 Page 2
SUSTAINABILITY IN MANUFACTURING SUPPLEMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL RODUCT DEVELOPMENT
it can be incredibly harmful to the planet and people. Using a material that has been recycled will reduce carbon footprint and extend the lifecycle of the material. There are also added benefits associated with reduced material costs for manufacturers. However, when it comes to sustainable design, recycling sits relatively low in terms of impact and those focusing purely on recycling material at the end of life will be left behind. Within the Design Engineering team at NMIS, we work to a hierarchical five 'R' strategy, which shows the order of precedence and impact each 'R' can have. These are:
1. Rethink: The first 'R' with the highest impact – improving the utilisation of a product and moving away from the linear model. Where it’s typical to sell a product to every user, for example, businesses may consider alternative models such as lease, hire or servitisation, or it might be that a product can have additional functionality built in to negate the need for multiple products.
refurbishment as appropriate.
4. Recycling: This comes in next and at the design phase. It’s important to lock in the use of materials that can be easily recycled, avoiding using additives, coatings and painted finishes that make recycling harder. Likewise, avoiding a mixed material component, if possible, helps. Using materials which have already been recycled or recovered in your design is another worthwhile consideration if a robust, reliable and repeatable source is available.
5. Recover: This is where, at end of life, manufacturers would incinerate the material to recover energy if all else fails. At the design phase, using materials that give off harmful fumes when burned should be avoided and replaced with
“When it comes to manufacturing, the design
phase of any project unlocks the most potential for achieving sustainability within a product or part. Here, decisions are made that impact the sustainability of part manufacture, how
environmentally friendly it will be in operation, and what happens at the end of life”
2. Reduce: Where manufacturers should consider optimising parts, minimising the energy and material usage in manufacture as much as possible. Cutting back on the number of fasteners and total part count, reducing size and material usage, ensuring every feature has a function, and minimising energy usage, are all important considerations in the design phase. As we look to the next generation of products and systems, reduce will be essential as we cut back on waste material and excess energy consumption. There is the added benefit here of reductions across costs in the long term.
3. Remake: With the goal of designing a part that can easily be restored or serviced back into 'as new' condition for use. Materials that allow for repair options are preferred and it’s important that the design can be disassembled and easily inspected and cleaned, enabling remanufacture, repurposing and
materials incorporating high combustion energy. It may be at the end of the list with the lowest impact, but this is a critical final option if none of the previous 4 R’s have been possible. The design phase greatly influences product-
related environmental impact and, crucially, it is irresponsible for manufacturers not to consider circular strategies by design. These five strategies can transition
product life cycles from a linear to a circular economy and highlight why recycling is one of the last things you should be planning for. Of course, we want to extract the most value possible from material used at end of life, however there are more steps to be taken before we get there.
Rory Ingram
BRINGING SUSTAINABLE DESIGN TO MANUFACTURE
Sustainable design applies to all sectors but is more challenging for incumbent products and systems, particularly in high integrity sectors where there are strict regulations, codes and standards. Here altering design can be more complex, with costs associated with redesign, re-qualification and certification often prohibitive. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but focusing on the sustainability of new and emerging products and systems is likely to be more widely supported unless customers, legislators and taxation intervene. You may be surprised by the number of
companies we encounter, even those seeking to develop new Net Zero focused technologies, who have failed to consider the sustainability of hardware due to being focused on more efficient operational performance. These manufacturers should embrace circularity to enhance the through-life sustainability of their technologies, possibly further differentiating them from competitor offerings. As we race closer towards Net Zero
targets, we’re supporting the businesses we work with through R&D support as they design for a sustainable future and reduce their impact on the environment. Those that are not sustainable will eventually fail to secure investment or find support. The manufacturers leading the way here are set to see a real competitive advantage as consumers, industry and governments invest in the future.
National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)
https://www.nmis.scot
Further information on this topic can be found in the Product Design Scotland Toolkit series. Guide number 12 'Sustainable Design, ' found here:
https://productdesign-scotland.com/design-toolkit/
FEBRUARY 2023 DESIGN SOLUTIONS - SUPPLEMENT 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
