Lecture 7 Flashcards
What is Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing (ECM)?
ECM focuses on the most efficient and productive use of materials and natural resources to minimize the impact on employees, the community, and the natural environment. It considers the entire product life-cycle, including design, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal.
What are the two approaches to Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing?
- Designing products that minimize environmental impact from the early stages of design (Design for Environment - DFE).
- Designing manufacturing processes that are environmentally friendly, such as adopting good housekeeping practices, recycling, minimizing waste, and using renewable energy sources.
What is the main focus of the Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) design approach?
Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) focuses on designing products for reuse, recycling, or remanufacturing at the end of their life. It emphasizes both biological and technical cycles to minimize environmental impact and supports circular economy principles.
What is an Environmental Management System (EMS) as defined by ISO 14001?
An EMS is part of an organization’s management system used to develop and implement its environmental policy and manage its environmental aspects. It is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) methodology and is verified by third-party certifications, which must be re-certified periodically.
What are the three pillars of Sustainable Manufacturing (SM)?
- Social: Focus on human safety, well-being of employees and community, training, and job security.
- Environmental: Impact on the environment, reduction of waste and energy use, and promoting recycling and reuse.
- Economic: Increase in profits, market presence, long-term prosperity, and higher product quality.
What are the main stages of a Product Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)?
- Goal and scope definition: Identify the purpose and boundaries of the LCA.
- Inventory analysis: Collect and relate data to life-cycle processes.
- Impact assessment: Select impact categories (e.g., global warming, resource depletion) and indicators.
- Interpretation: Identify issues, check consistency, draw conclusions, and provide recommendations.
What is the difference between Cradle-to-Grave (C2G) and Cradle-to-Gate (C2Gt) life-cycle models?
Cradle-to-Grave (C2G) covers the entire life-cycle of a product from raw material acquisition to disposal. Cradle-to-Gate (C2Gt) only includes the life-cycle up to the point where the product leaves the factory gate, excluding use and disposal.
What are the key demands of modern manufacturing from customers and global competition?
Key demands include increasing product variety and quality, reducing prices, decreasing time-to-market, and making products environmentally friendly.
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What are some examples of waste generated by specific manufacturing processes?
- CNC Machining: produces chips and cutting lubricants.
- Metal Casting: releases pollutants from interactions between hot metal and sand or binders.
- Metal Joining: generates noxious gases and uses high electricity.
What are the stages of the recycling/reuse hierarchy?
From most to least preferred:
1. Prevention and Reduction
2. Re-use
3. Remanufacture
4. Recycle
5. Disposal
What is ISO 14001, and how is it implemented?
ISO 14001 defines an Environmental Management System (EMS) used by organizations to achieve their environmental goals. It is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology, requires third-party verification, and needs re-certification every few years.
What are some examples of third-party certified eco-labels in Australia?
- Australian Forest Certification Scheme: certifies sustainably managed forests.
- Good Environmental Choice Australia: certifies products against ISO 14024.
- Green Tick: verifies sustainable practices.
- Carbon Neutral Products and Services.
What are the two types of eco-labels, and how do they differ?
- Third-party certified: An independent authority verifies environmental claims based on predefined criteria.
- Self-certified: Claims are made by the company itself without third-party verification, often leading to more flexible but potentially unclear claims.
What is Design for X (DfX), and what are some examples?
DfX, or Design for eXcellence, is the process of designing products to optimize various life-cycle phases. Examples include Design for Safety, Design for Cost, Design for Environment, Design for Manufacture, and Design for Recycling.
