2.1 Product Life Cycle Design

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

carlo vezzolipolitecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy

Learning Network on Sustainability

course System Design for Sustainabilitysubject 2. Introduction to product Life Cicle Design (LCD)

learning resource 2.1Product Life Cycle Design


CONTENTS Product design environmental requirementsDamaging environmental effectsLife cycle assessment (LCA) Life Cycle Design approach: life cycle + functional

Product Life Cycle Design criteriaResources minimisationLow impact resources selectionProduct life optimisationMaterial life extensionDesign for disassembly


the discipline integratingENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTSwithin the product design process:

(product) LIFE CYCLE DESIGN(or eco-design, design for the environment, …)


PRODUCT DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

- RELATED TO: (DAMAGING) ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

- ASSOCIATED HOW (TO A PRODUCT): > LIFE CYCLE AND FUNCTIONAL UNIT


ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

EACH ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT IS BASED ON A SUBSTANCE’S EXCHANGE (IMPACT) BETWEEN THE NATURE/ENVIRONMENT AND A (ANTHROPIC TRASFORMATION) PROCESS OF A PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION SYSTEM

input: substance extraction from the environment output: substance emission in the environment

(not all impacts damage with the same entity)


INPUT AND ITS (DAMAGING) EFFECTS

RESOURCES EXHAUSTIONALTERATION OF THE ECOSYSTEMS’ BALANCE(damaging outputs of extractive processes)


OUTPUT AND ITS (DAMAGING) EFFECTSglobal warming (greenhouse effect)ozone layer depletioneutrophicationacidificationsmogtoxicitywastes...


serragreenhouse effect


ozono

ozone layer deplation


eutrhophication


acidification



toxici ty


rifiutiwastes


CAN WE ASSOCIATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS TO A PRODUCT? AND HOW?

CRITERIA:- PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE- FUNCTIONAL UNIT

EVALUATION METHOD:- LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS


manufac.

assemb.

finish

collection

reso

urce

’sac

hiev

ing

mater.

energy

produc.

package

tr asp.

stora

ge PRODUCT LIFE CYCLEAPPROACH

other product’s life cycle


FUNCTIONAL UNIT (APPROACH)

IS NOT THE PRODUCT TO BE ASSESSED (DESIGNED) BUT, THE WHOLE OF THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULFILLMENT OF A GIVEN FUNCTION


ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCT

LCA: LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTa quantitative method to assess the environmental effects of the life cycle of a given product/service in relation to its functional units

ISO 14040


e.g. LCA upholstered seat (8 years life span)

PRE-PROD.PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUT. USE DISPOSAL


e.g. LCA refrigerator (10 years life span)

PRE-PROD.PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUT. USE DISPOSAL


PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE DESIGN: APPROACH

an extended design horizon

from product design

to the design of the product LIFE CYCLE stages

the design “reference”from product designto product’s “FUNCTION” design


LIFE CYCLE DESIGN

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMETS:MINIMIZE THE INPUTS AND THE OUTPUTS quantitativelyqualitativelyin relation to life cycle and functional unit


LCD: ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA

RESOURCES MINIMISATION LOW IMPACT RESOURCES SELECTION

PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION

DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY


RESOURCES CONSERVATION for future generations

(ENVIRONMENTAL) IMPACT AVOIDANCE pre-production, production, distribution and disposal of the not used resource quantitative

RESOURCES MINIMISATIONquantitative impact reduction (life cycle/function)

DESIGN FOR:


RESOURCES CONSERVATION/RENEWABILITY for the future generation

RESOURCES NON TOXICITY AND HARMFULNESS in all life cycle phases

LOW IMPACT RESOURCES SELECTIONqualitative impact reduction (life cycle/function)

DESIGN FOR:


RESOURCES RENEWABILITY

DEPENDS ON:- RE-GROWING SPECIFIC SPEED- EXTRACTION FREQUENCY

a resource is renewable if:a context relatedanthropic consumption rate < natural re-growing rate


MATERIALS’ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

A RANKING FROM THE BEST TO THE WORST IS (USUALLY) “MISLEADING ”

DEPENDS ON:- MATERIAL-SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS - CHARACTERISTICS GIVEN TO PRODUCT


PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION

DESIGN FOR:EXTENDING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) LIFE SPANINTENSIFYING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) USE


PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

USE

PRE-PRODUCTION

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES WITH LOWER USE CONSUMPTION

USE

DISP.

P-PROD.

PROD.

DISTRIB.UPDATING OF THE COMPONENTS CAUSING CONSUMPTION

PRE-PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

USE

DISPOSAL

same function in time

PRE-PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

USE USE

AVOIDED IMPACTS LIGHTER IMPACTSshort product/component life

extended product/component life


PRE-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISPOS.

use (function) during time




B 1 B 2 B 3A 1 A 2 A 3C 1 C 2 C 3

A 1 A 2 A 3

B 1 B 2 B 3

C 1 C 2 C 3

LIFE

INDI

PEND

ENT

FROM

LEN

GHT

OF U

SE

AVOIDED IMPACTS

products/components not intense life

product/component intense life


Ds

Ds

Ds

PP P Dt

PP P Dt

PP P Dt

PP P Dt Ds

use (function) during of time

PP P Dt Ds

PP P Dt Ds

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES WITH LOWER USE CONSMPTION

NEW PRE AND POST CONSUMPTION TECHNOLOGIES WITH LOWER IMPACT

LIFE

FUNC

TION

OF

LENG

HT O

F US

E

not intense life products/components

intense life products/components LIGHTER IMPACTS LIGHTER IMPACTS


MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION

DESIGN FOR:

RECYCLING

ENERGY RECOVERYCOMPOSTING


PRE-PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE

LANDFILL


PRE-PRODUCTION


RECYCLINGCOMBUSTIONCOMPOSTING

PRE-PRODUCTION

material non-extended life

material extended life

AVOIDED IMPACTS ADDITIONAL IMPACTS


POST-CONSUMPTION RECYCLING PHASES: (COMBUSTION, COMPOSTING). collection . transportation. separation (disassembly a/o crushing). identification. cleaning. secondary raw material’s production


MATERIALS’ RECYCLABILITY (COMB., COMP.)

DIPENDS ON:- SPECIFIC MATERIAL’S CHARACTERISTICS performances recovery (and process costs)

- PRODUCT’S ARCHITECTURE

- RECYCLING PHASES


> of parts/components PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION

> of materials MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION

DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY


FOR DECISION MAKING (DESIGNING)identify the (environmental) design PRIORITIES:> CRITERIA relevance (relative) per product type> most promising criteria related GUIDELINES

INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA/GUIDELINESFOR A GIVEN PRODUCT:- some have HIGHER RELEVANCE than others - can be SYNERGETIC or CONFLICTING

2.1 Product Life Cycle Design

Technology