Environmental Impact • Avoid hazardous/toxic materials • Use biodegradable materials or materials from renewable sources. • Recycle/reuse scrap or extra materials used to create product. • Consider recyclability of product.

Sustainable Product Design Sustainable Product Design Sustainable Product Design and Manufacturing Guideand Manufacturing Guideand Manufacturing Guide

Principle 1 Designers need to strive to ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently nonhazardous as possible. Principle 2 It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed. Principle 3 Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energy consumption and materials used. Principle 4 Products, processes, and systems should be designed to maximize mass, energy, space, and time efficiency. Principle 5 Products, processes, and systems should be “output pulled” rather than “input pushed” through the use of energy and materials. Principle 6 Embedded entropy and complexity must be viewed as an investment when making design choices on recycle, reuse, or beneficial disposition.

Principles of Sustainable Engineering Principle 7 Targeted durability, not immortality, should be a design goal. Principle 8 Design for unnecessary capacity or capability (e.g., one size fits all) solutions should be considered a design flaw. Principle 9 Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized to promote disassembly and value retention. Principle 10 Design of products, processes, and systems must include integration and interconnectivity with available energy and material flows. Principle 11 Products, processes, and systems should be designed for performance in a commercial “afterlife”. Principle 12 Material and energy inputs should be renewable rather than depleting. [Source of 12 Principles: Anastas, P. T.; Zimmerman, J. B. 12 Principles of Green Engineering. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2003, 37 (3), 94A-101A.]

Design/Pre-planning: What should you consider when creating a product with sustainable characteristics?

Multifunction/versatility • A product with more purposes satisfies more consumers and their needs, while creating less items. • Consider modularization– design prod-ucts that fit together to provide additional functions, changing needs, easy repair.

Simplify • Reducing materials used can create lighter products which are more efficiently produced and transported.

Manufacturability • Design products that will utilize the most efficient manufacturing process.

Consumer Connection • Consumers seeking sustainability tend to have an emotional connection (caring) with their products.

Materials Selection What is your product made of? Where does that material come from/go to?

Minimize Material Variety • Composites are difficult to recycle. • Eliminate unnec-essary mixing of different materials.

Energy How is energy used to create the product and the byproduct?

Efficiency • Design for part load operation • Minimize cycling losses • Repair leaks

Responsibility • Reduce transportation- stay as local as possible. • Select like minded suppliers. • Make changes company wide, not just product based

Contact us to learn more about sustainable product design and manufacturing. We can help you identify better materials, processes and product solutions. Website: http://www.harbec.com/environmental_sustainability.html Email: sustainability@harbec.com Printed on 100% recycled paper with soy ink.

Power • Use renewable energy sources like biodiesel, wind and solar power. • Utilize utility companies that offer to provide energy from renewable sources. • Consider incorporating or utilizing energy smart products like rechargeable batteries and CFL light bulbs.

Durability • A more durable product will inevita-bly have a longer life cycle. • Strive for contin-ual improvement.

Life Cycle What does the product look like from production, to consumption, to disposal?

Reused Waste • Remanufacturability • Additional products with waste material

Reuse/disassembly • Provide instructions or services to facilitate follow through.

Recyclability • Consider creat-ing products with recyclable materi-als and directions for recycling.

Social Responsibility What is the impact of your product on society and the community?

Individuals • Consider connecting to your consumers’ emotional side through donations advocacy.

Community Presence • Active involvement in local and/or national causes demonstrates a real sense of connection.

Utilize Local Resources • Whenever possible, use local materials, transportation, labor, etc.

HARBEC PLASTICS is your PARTNER in DESIGNING and DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE

PRODUCTS

Positive Partnerships • Seek out supply companies with similar values who offer sus-tainable materials whenever possible.

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