DFE A Howto Approach

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DFE - A How-to Approach
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A Generic Design Approach for Reducing
Environmental Impact

• Basic phases are
• Assessment of current design/state
• Improvement/redesign (if needed)
• Implementation and documentation of new
  design/state

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Assessment and Planning
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Issues

• What needs to be assessed?
• Whole life-cycle or a specific aspect (e.g.,
  recyclability)?
• How are we going to assess it?
• Is a method available?
• How accurate do we need to be?
• Relative versus absolute assessment?
• Simple versus sophisticated tools?
• How do we verify our results?

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Characteristics of Efficient and Effective
Assessment Metrics

• An efficient and effective assessment metric (and
  associated models) should ideally have the
  following characteristics
• simple it should be easy to use,
• easily obtainable at a reasonable cost,
• precisely definable it is clear as to how the
  metric can be evaluated,
• objective two or more qualified observers
  should arrive at the same value for a metric,
• valid the metric should measure (correctly) the
  property it is intended to measure,
• robust relatively insensitive to changes in the
  domain of application, and
• enhancement of understanding and prediction
  good metrics should facilitate the development of
  models that will assist us in predicting process
  and product parameters.

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Life-Cycle Analysis/Assessment

• Life cycle analysis/assessment (LCA) is a method
  in which the energy and raw material consumption,
  different types of emissions and other important
  factors related to a specific product are being
  measured, analyzed and summoned over the products
  entire life cycle from an environmental point of
  view.
• LCAs started in the early 1970s and are the most
  comprehensive approach to assessing environmental
  impact.
• In principle, LCAs could be used
• in the design process to determine which of
  several designs may leave a smaller "footprint on
  the environment", or
• after the fact to identify environmentally
  preferred products in government procurement or
  eco-labeling programs.
• LCAs are extremely complex and time consuming.

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Focused Assessments

• Assessments focused on a specific aspect of a
  life-cycle are often easier to do.
• Examples
• Recyclability and disassemblability assessments
  (ranging from USCAR rating procedure to
  Activity-Based Cost models for product
  demanufacture)
• Remanufacturability assessments (ranging from
  spreadsheet based assessments to plant
  simulations)
• Also, energy and material consumption and waste
  amounts are good indicators
• Energy consumption during use.
• Amount of waste during manufacture
• However, it is important to know which life-cycle
  aspect is most critical and WHY!

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Product Example Motorola Display/Keypad
Microphone
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Material Recyclability and Part Remanufacture
Categories
Category

• 1 Part is remanufacturable Example starter,
  transmission
• 2 Recyclable infrastructure and technology are
  clearly defined.
• Part is completely recyclable, infrastructure
  clearly defined and functioning. Example Body
  sheet metal.
• 3 Technically Feasible, infrastructure not
  available.
• Collection network not defined or organized,
  technology for material recycling has been
  established. Example Plastic interior trim.
• 4 Technically feasible, but further process or
  material development is required.
• Technology has not been commercialized. Example
  Backlite glass.
• 5 Organic material for energy recovery, that
  cannot be recycled.
• Known technology/capacity to produce energy with
  economic value. Example Tires, rubber in hoses.
• 6 Inorganic material with no known technology for
  recycling.
• Recycling technology not known.
• Category 3 is a prediction of materials that are
  technically feasible to recycle.

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Categories for Ease of Disassembly for Material
Separation in a Component

• 1 Can be disassembled easily, manually.
• Approximate disassembly time is one minute or
  less. Example A pillar trim cover
• 2 Can be disassembled with effort, manually.
• Component may contain compatible coatings or
  adhesives.
• Approximate disassembly time is one to three
  minutes. Example fan shroud.
• 3 Disassembled with effort, requires some
  mechanical separation or shredding to separate
  component materials and parts.
• Component may contain non-compatible coatings or
  adhesives.
• The process has been fully proven. Example seat
  assembly, windshield glass.
• 4 Disassembled with effort, requires some
  mechanical separation or shredding to separate
  component materials and parts.
• Component may contain non-compatible coatings or
  adhesives.
• The process is currently under development.
  Example instrument panel.
• 5 Cannot be disassembled.
• No know technology for separation. Example
  heated backlite glass.

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USCAR DFR Assessment
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Activity-Based Costing Disassembly Assessment

• In any detailed assessment, uncertainty should
  be taken into account!

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Activity-Based Costing Shredding Assessment

• Shredding cost less than manual dismantling in
  this case, which is not surprising.
• Note the sensitivity of the cost with respect to
  the product pay-back price.

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Remanufacturability Assessment

• The data for this assessment comes from two
  spreadsheet based worksheets.
• Much of the information can be shared with
  recyclability, disassemblability, and even
  assemblability assessments, limiting the burden
  on the designer.
• Integration with CAD systems is relatively easy.

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Life-Cycle Assessment

• This assessment was done using the Eco-Indicator
  approach.
• The Eco-indicator values are listed in the Manual
  for Designers which can be downloaded for free
  from http//www.pre.nl/eco-ind.html (a web-site
  from Pre-Consultants in the Netherlands).

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DFE Product and Process Improvement Guidelines
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Reducing Environmental Impact through DFE

• True DFE tackles the entire product life-cycle.
• First, identify the most critical and limiting
  factors, based on the assessment(s) done.
• Involve suppliers and cooperative life-cycle
  partners (e.g., recyclers)
• Apply DFE guidelines and create/develop new
  design alternatives.
• Always check whether major or minor improvements
  are still needed after the design effort.
• (see generic design approach flowchart)

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Design Requirements (EPA Life-Cycle Design)

• An extensive list of issues to consider when
  developing environmental requirements is given on
  page 47 and 48 of the EPA Life-Cycle Design
  Guidance Manual, categorized in
• Materials issues (amount-intensiveness,
  character, impacts associated with extraction,
  processing and use)
• Energy issues (amount-intensiveness, source,
  character, impacts associated with extraction,
  processing and use)
• Residuals issues (type, characterization,
  environmental fate)
• Ecological factors (type of ecosystem impacts,
  ecological stressors, scale)
• Human health and safety issues (population at
  risk, toxicological characterization, nuisance
  effects, accidents).
• These issues should be taken in consideration in
  conjunction with
• performance,
• cost,
• cultural, and
• legal design requirements

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Design Strategies

• The following strategies are identified in the US
  EPA Life-Cycle Design Guidance Manual (page 62)
• Product system life extension
• Material life extension
• Material selection
• Reduced material intensiveness
• Process management
• Efficient distribution
• Improved management practices

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Product System Life Extension

• Product life can be measured in
• number of uses or duty cycles
• length of operation (i.e., operating hours,
  months, years, or miles)
• shelf life (e.g., for chemicals)
• Products become obsolete because of
• technical obsolescence
• fashion obsolescence
• degrade performance or structural fatigue caused
  ny normal wear over repeated uses
• environmental or chemical degradation
• damage caused by accident or inappropriate use
• Srategies for life extension are
• appropriately durable
• adaptable
• reliable
• serviceable (maintainable and repairable)
• remanufacturable

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Material Life Extension

• Material life extension can be achieved through
  recycling.
• Issues to consider are
• types of recycled material
• home scrap
• pre-consumer
• post-consumer
• recycling pathways
• closed loop
• open loop
• infrastructure
• recycling programs and participation rate
• collection and reprocessing capacity
• quality of recovered material
• economics and markets
• design considerations
• ease of disassembly
• material identification
• simplification and parts consolidation
• material selection and compatibility

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Material Selection and Reduced Material
Intensiveness

• The following material selection strategies allow
  for environmental improvements
• substitution (water based coatings instead of
  volatile organic compounds)
• reformulation (e.g., unleaded gasoline is a
  reformulation of the leaded variety)
• Elimination is also an option.
• Reducing material intensiveness/amount typically
  also has economic advantages

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Process Management

• Although product and process design are coupled,
  process improvements can often be pursued outside
  product development.
• Key issues to focus on
• Process substitution
• Process energy efficiency
• Process material efficiency
• Process control (suppress the influence of
  external disturbances, ensure process stability,
  keep process performance within environmental
  constraint)
• Improved process layout (increases efficiency and
  reduces accidents)
• Inventory control and material handling
• Facilities planning
• Treatment and disposal

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Efficient Distribution

• Focus on transportation and packaging.
• Transportation issues
• Choose an energy efficient mode
• Reduce air pollutant emission from transportation
• Maximize vehicle capacity where appropriate
• Backhaul materials
• Ensure proper containment of hazardous materials
• Choose routes carefully to reduce potential
  exposures from spills and explosions
• Packaging issues
• Packaging reduction
• elimination
• reusable packaging (needs collection, inspection,
  repair,storage and handling)
• product modifications
• material reduction
• Material substitution
• recycled materials
• degradable materials

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Improved Management Practices

• Office management
• Pursue to a paperless office and/or use
  recyclables
• Phase out high impact products
• Choose environmentally responsible suppliers
• Provide information
• Labeling
• Identify ingredients
• Instructions and warnings
• General information
• Advertising
• environmental claims can be powerfull promotional
  tools, but should not be made unless they are
  specific, substantive, and supported by
  scientific evidence.

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A DFE-Tool Lifecycle Design Strategies Wheel
Brezet, J. C. and al., e., 1994, PROMISE
Handleiding voor Milieugerichte Produkt
Ontwikkeling (PROMISE Manual for Environmentally
Focused Product Development), SDU Uitgeverij, The
Hague, The Netherlands. Hemel, C. G. v. and
Keldmann, T., 1996, "Applying DFX Experiences in
Design for Environment," Design for X
Concurrent Engineering Imperatives, Chapmann
Hall, London, pp. 72-95.
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Blank LiDS Wheel
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New Concept Development

• Dematerialization
• Less materials means less consumption, also of
  energy. Also saves money.
• Ultimate question do we need the product at
  all?
• Shared use of product
• Instead of many distributed small products,
  have a central shared one. For example,
  laundromat instead of personal washers and
  dryers.
• Car sharing is another novel example.
• Increases product utilization and, hence,
  material efficiency
• Integration of functions
• Combine things into one, reduce redundancy (e.g.,
  combines washer/dryer uses less material than two
  separate machines)
• For example, integrated telephone, fax, and
  answering machines or TV screen as computer
  monitor.
• Functional optimization of product and components
• Make sure product has a peak performance and
  avoid superfluous issues.
• For example, a luxury feel may also be achieved
  by intelligent design rather than over-elaborate
  material use.

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Selection of Low-Impact Materials and Reduction
of Materials

• Non-hazardous materials
• Legislation, liability, disposal costs, etc. are
  all good reasons to avoid hazardous materials
• Non-exhaustable/renewable materials
• Non-renewable resources can be depleted and what
  then?
• Low-energy content materials
• The less energy it costs to process a material,
  the better for the environment, especially if
  non-renewable energy sources are used.
• Recycled and recyclable materials
• Use of recycled and recyclable materials avoids
  ecological damages through mining and depletion
  of non-renewable material sources.
• In general (but not always!), recycling is also
  more energy efficient than production of new
  material.
• Reduction in weight and (transport) volume
• Weight reductions reduce energy needed to move
  the product.
• Volume can be a problem when space (e.g. for
  landfill) is scarce

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Reduction of Material Usage

• Reduction of weight
• Weight reductions reduce energy needed to move
  the product.
• Aim for rigidity through construction techniques
  such as reinformcement ribs rather than
  over-dimensioning the product.
• Aim to express quality through good design rather
  than over-dimensioning the product.
• Reduction in (transport) volume
• Volume can be a problem when space (e.g. for
  landfill) is scarce
• Aim at reducing the amount of space required for
  transport and storage by decreaseing the
  products size and total volume.
• Make the product foldable and/or suitable for
  nesting.
• Consider transporting the product in loose
  components that can be nested, leaving the final
  assembly up to a third party or even the end-user.

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Optimization of Production Techniques

• Alternative production techniques
• Choose production techniques that require fewer
  harmful auxiliary substantives or additives
  (e.g., water-based instead of solvent-based
  painting)
• Select production techniques which generate low
  emission (e.g., bending instead of welding,
  joining instead of soldering, counter-sink/cascade
  rinsing techniques for electroplating)
• Choose processes which make the most efficient
  use of materials, e.g., powdercoating instead of
  spray painting
• Fewer production processes
• Results in less energy consumption and potential
  waste
• Combine constituent functions in one component so
  that fewer processes are required
• Preferably use materials that do not require
  additional surface treatments
• Low/clean energy consumption
• Motivate the production department and suppliers
  to make their processes more energy efficient
  (e.g., process steam can be recycled for building
  heating purposes)
• Encourage them to use renewable energy sources,
  or at least fossil fuels with low impact (e.g.,
  low sulphur coal, natural gas)

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Optimization of Production Techniques (cont.)

• Low generation of production waste
• Design products to minimize material waste,
  especially in processes such as sawing, turning,
  milling, pressing and punching.
• Net-shape manufacturing is less wasteful than
  material removal processes.
• Motivate the production department and suppliers
  to reduce waste and the percentage of rejects
  during production.
• Recycle product residues within the company.
• Fewer/cleaner production consumables
• Reduce production consumables required by, e.g.,
  ensuring that cutting waste is restricted to
  specific areas and less facility cleaning is
  required.
• Consult with production department and suppliers
  how to increase the effiency of using the
  operational materials, e.g., by good
  housekeeping, in-house recycling.
• Examples
• Water-based coating/painting technologies are
  better than solvent-based technologies.
• Dust collector instead of watersheet for arc
  metal spraying process
• Use commonly available pollution prevention
  guidelines and practices!

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Efficient Distribution System

• Less/cleaner/reusable packaging
• Germanys packaging law was the first to
  emphasize reduction in packaging waste
• If all the packaging does is to give the product
  a certain appeal, then use an attractive but lean
  design to achieve the same effect
• For transport and bulk packaging, give
  consideration to reusable packaging in
  combination with a monetary deposit or return
  system
• Use appropriate materials for the kind of
  packaging, e.g., avoid PVC and aluminum in
  non-returnable packaging
• Use minimum volumes and weights of packaging
• Make sure the packaging is appropriate for the
  reduced volume, foldability, and nesting.
• Efficient transport mode
• Try to avoid environmentally harmful forms of
  transport
• Transport by container ship or train is preferred
  over truck or airplane.
• Transport by air should be prevented where
  possible (Overnight aircraft delivery is not
  environmentally friendly)

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Efficient Distribution System (cont.)

• Efficient logistics
• Preferably work with local suppliers in order to
  avoid long distance transport.
• Encourage the introduction of efficient forms of
  distribution and try to combine deliveries to
  maximize efficiency of transport media, e.g., the
  distribution of larger amounts of different goods
  simultaneously.
• Use standardized transport packaging and bulk
  packaging (Europallets and standard package
  module dimensions)
• Also think about reverse logistics

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Reduction of Environmental Impact in the User
Stage

• Low energy consumption
• Certain eco-label certification schemes (e.g.,
  Blue Angel label) emphasize low energy
  consumption
• Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
• Use the lowest energy consuming components
  available on the market
• Make use of a default power-down mode.
• Ensure that clocks, stand-by functions and
  similar devices can be switched off by the user
• If energy is used to move the product, make it as
  light as possible.
• If energy is used for heating substances, make
  sure the relevant component is well insulated.
• Clean energy source
• Electronics running on solar energy (e.g., a
  calculator) are better than those using
  electricity generated from oil.
• Choose the least harmful source of energy
  (depends on localition)
• Avoid non-rechargeable batteries.
• Encourage the use of clean energy sources.

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Reduction of Environmental Impact in the User
Stage (cont.)

• Fewer consumables during use
• Design the product to minimize use of auxiliary
  materials, e.g., use a permanent filter in coffee
  makers instead of paper filters.
• Minimize leaks from machines which use high
  volumes of consumables by, e.g., installing a
  leak detector.
• Study the feasibility of reusing consumables,
  e.g., reusing water in the case of a dishwasher.
• Cleaner consumables
• Internal combustion engines use and emit
  non-clean materials (oil, anti-freeze, etc.).
• Design a product to use the cleanest available
  consumables.
• Ensure that using the product does not result in
  hidden but harmful wastes.
• Reduce wastage of energy and other consumables
• Product misuse should be avoided by clear
  instructions and design.
• Ensure that the user cannot waste (e.g., spill)
  auxiliary materials.
• Use calibration marks to provide information to
  user about optimal levels.
• Make the default state that which is most
  desirable from an environmental point of view,
  e.g., double-sided copies.

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Optimization of Initial Life-Time

• Reliability and durability
• If something breaks, it can become waste
  immediately.
• Develop a sound design and avoid weak links. Use
  methods such as Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
  to check the design.
• Easy maintenance and repair
• Especially for energy and material intensive
  products this should be pursued.
• Design the product such that it needs little
  maintenance.
• Indicate on the product how it should be opened
  for cleaning or repair.
• Indicate on the product itself which parts must
  be cleaned or maintained, e.g., by color-coding
  lubricanting points.
• Indicate on the product which parts or
  sub-assemblies are to be inspected often due to
  rapid wear.
• Make the location of wear detectable so that
  repair or replacement can take place on time.
• Locate the parts which wear relatively quickly
  close to one another and within easy reach.
• Make the most vulnerable components easy to
  dismantle.

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Optimization of Initial Life-Time (cont.)

• Modular product structure
• Design the product in modules so that it allows
  for upgrading of function and performance (e.g.,
  computers) andreplacement of technically or
  aesthetically outdated modules (e.g., furniture
  covers)
• Strive for open systems and platform designs.
• Classic design
• Design the product so that it does not become
  uninteresting and unpleasing quicker than its
  technical life.
• Aesthetically appealing and time-less designs
  are usually better maintained
• Porsche 911s and MGBs are being restored and
  well kept. A Yugo is not.
• User taking care of product
• Design the product so that it more than meets the
  (possibly hidden) user requirements for a long
  time.
• User typically does take care of capital
  intensive products (e.g., a car), but what about
  a relatively cheap product (e.g., a 10 alarm
  clock)?
• Give the user added value in terms of design and
  functionality so that the user will be reluctant
  to replace it
• Ensure that maintaining and repairing the product
  becomes a pleasure rather than duty (proper care
  and maintenance by user can significantly extend
  a products life.

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Optimization of End of Life System

• Reuse of Products
• Saves both material and energy
• Good examples Kodak single-use camera, Xerox
  copier machines (leased)
• Give the product a classic design that makes it
  attractive for a second user.
• Ensure that the construction is sound and allows
  for reuse.
• See also optimization of initial life guidelines
• Remanufacturing/refurbishing
• Most products cannot directly be reused without
  at least an inspection
• Remanufactured parts can in many cases be better
  than new
• Make sure a product can be repaired. See
  optimization of initial life guidelines
• Recycling of materials
• Reduces demand for mining and landfill.
• Specific guidelines follow.
• Clean incineration
• Provides energy source and reduces landfill
  demand
• Avoid toxic materials in product because they
  increase incineration costs and may have to be
  removed before incineration.

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Trade-Offs

• Note that two (or more) different environmentally
  conscious design strategies may adversely affect
  eachother.
• For example, light weighting and component
  integration typically affect remanufacturability
  in a negative manner.
• Also, an environmentally conscious strategy may
  have adverse effects on technical and/or economic
  performance specifications.
• For example, cleaner production processes may
  cost more.
• Win-win situations are preferred and should
  always be pursued.
• Also distinguish between high risk versus low
  risk strategies.
• Quantitative trade-off resolution is (still)
  extremely difficult.