P03 Ecological Design

Question 1

What’s the most important moment in development of a new product?

Answer 1

When demands and specifications are decided for the product that is being planned.

The specification defines the goal for the product development process.

Question 2

Eco design is the key for what?

Answer 2

Sustainable products which fulfill the environmentally driven demands.

Question 3

How is the tool called to integrate eco design?

Answer 3

The ten golden Rules compiled by Professor Dr. Conrad Luttropp

Question 4

What do The Ten Golden Rules provide?

Answer 4

They provide a common foundation, for all in the team, which can be used as a base and guidelines for development of situation specific product-design challenges.

Question 5

Are the Ten golden rules adaptable?

Answer 5

Yes, they are well adaptable so that the individual companies / organization can develop their versions from the generic guidelines.

Question 6

What are the ten golden rules?

Answer 6

They are a summary of many of the guidelines that can be found in company guidelines and in handbooks of different origins.

Question 7

Rule 1

Answer 7

DON’T USE TOXIC SUBSTANCES and arrange closed loops for necessary but toxic ones.

Question 8

Rule 2

Answer 8

MINIMIZE ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION in production and transport through HOUSEKEEPING

Question 9

Rule 3

Answer 9

MINIMISE ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION in the usage phase, especially for products with most significant environmental aspects in the usage phase.

Question 10

Rule 4

Answer 10

PROMOTEREPAIR AND UPGRADING, especially for SYSTEM dependent products.

Question 11

Rule 5

Answer 11

PROMOTELONG LIFE, especially for products with most significant environmental aspects OUT of usage phase.

Question 12

Rule 6

Answer 12

USE STRUCTURAL FEATURES and high quality materials to minimize WEIGHT not interfering with necessary flexibility, impact strength or functional priorities.

Question 13

Rule 7

Answer 13

USE BETTER MATERIALS, surface treatments or structural arrangements to PROTECT products for dirt, corrosion and wear.

Question 14

Rule 8

Answer 14

ARRANGE IN ADVANCE FOR UPGRADING, REPAIR AND RECYCLING through access ability, labeling, modules, breaking points, manuals

Question 15

Rule 9

Answer 15

PROMOTE UPGRADING, REPAIR AND RECYCLING by using few, SIMPLE, recycled, not blended materials and no alloys.

Question 16

Rule 10

Answer 16

USE AS FEW JOINING ELEMENTS AS POSSIBLEand use screws, adhesives, welding, snap fits, geometric locking etc. according to the life cycle scenario.

Question 17

ADD 1

Answer 17

ADJUST PRODUCT DESIGN to reduce packaging.

Question 18

ADD 2

Answer 18

USE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS when feasible.

Question 19

Can the rules directly be used?

Answer 19

Hardly, you need to modifie them e.g. “Don’t use toxic substances …”. could read like
•
Identify which are the toxic substances inside your responsibility!
•
Try to find a nontoxic substitute available not jeopardizing functionality and economy!
•
Consider if closed loops be arranged or are there any established collecting-recycling systems for actual substance!

Question 20

Which are the classifications on an Restricted Material List?

Answer 20

Banned:
Substances that shall not be present in any products put on the market

Restricted:
Restricted Substances shall not be present in products put on the market but:
-exemptions for geographical regions may exist
-exemptions for specific applications may exist
-they may be present during a planned phase out period

Substances of concern:
listed because they generate concern now or may do so in the future

Question 21

Is environmental protection important?

Answer 21

Yes after the Maastricht Treaty for the European Union:
There arre many directives of given by the european union which should reduce pollution and use of hazardous substances.
Also recycling is very important.

Question 22

What is the influence of restricting use of heavy metals?

Answer 22

Colours of signs often contain heavy metals. The colour is very durable. But without the heavy metal inside, the colour is less durable.

Question 23

What can changes in legal requirement lead to?

Answer 23

Changes in legal requirements can lead to the replacement of components during the serial production process. Therefore, developments in the legislative process should be closely monitored to be timely prepared.

Question 24

What is the RoHS directive?

Answer 24

Restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoHS ensures that restrictions on the use of substances in such products are implemented in a harmonized way throughout the EU.

Question 25

Product categories of RoHS?

Answer 25

There are 10 different categories of Products.

Question 26

How is the RoHS compliance tested?

Answer 26

With a XRF analyzer.

Question 27

How to Minimize energy and resource consumption in production and transport?

Answer 27

• Cleaner Production • Re-use parts and components if they can still guarantee the same quality. • Optimize and plan procurement and logistics (e.g. no half empty trucks, choose less energy consuming distribution, optimize packaging). • Reduce use of consumables e.g. spill of oils. • Sort waste in recycling bins.

Question 28

What is "Cleaner Production"?

Answer 28

Cleaner Production is the continuous application of an integrated environmental strategy to processes, products, and services to increase overall efficiency, and reduce risks to humans and the environment.

Question 29

What does a cleaner production means for Production processes?

Answer 29

conserving raw materials, water and energy; eliminating toxic and dangerous raw materials; reducing the quantity and toxicity of all emissions and wasters at source during the production process.

Question 30

What does a cleaner production means for Products?

Answer 30

reducing the environmental, health and safety impacts of products through their entire life cycle, from raw materials extraction, throughout manufacturing and use to the “ultimate” disposal of the product.

Question 31

What does a cleaner production means for Services?

Answer 31

incorporating environmental concerns into designing and delivering services.

Question 32

Example pneumatic system according to a cleaner production?

Answer 32

``` Problem: inefficient • Find and fix leaks • Optimize compressor operation • Optimize component sizes • Use proper pressure • Regulate the return stroke • Foresee an “off” switch ```

Question 33

How to safe energy consumption during usage phase?

Answer 33

• Select sustainable energy sources e.g. renewable fuels like solar cells and fuel cells. • Reduce aerodynamic drag. • Choose electronic components with high efficiency. • Install stand-by functions where applicable. • Facilitate energy efficient driving e.g. install energy meters. • Make use of losses from e.g. traction equipment.

Question 34

Excample 1: What is meant by make use of losses?

Answer 34

Traction equipment: Due to high requirements concerning acceleration of trains, a high power density is used. The prduced head can be used to warm the inside of the train.

Question 35

Excample 2: What is meant by make use of losses?

Answer 35

Flywheel energy storage (FES) works by accelerating a rotor (flywheel) to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as rotational energy. When energy is extracted from the system, the flywheel's rotational speed is reduced as a consequence of the principle of conservation of energy; adding energy to the system correspondingly results in an increase in the speed of the flywheel.

Question 36

Excample 3: What is meant by make use of losses?

Answer 36

Only a small fraction of recovered energy is consumed by accelerating trains nearby while most of the energy is lost by dissipation. Wayside energy storage is the technology to recover these losses. Installed at the station the device stores the energy of incoming trains. Only moments later the energy is available to accelerate trains again.

Question 37

How to promote repair and upgrading, especially for SYSTEM dependent products? Excample?

Answer 37

• Strive to increase reparability and upgrading if it is economically feasible. • Make sure that parts that need to be upgraded are easily identified, separated and repaired or replaced e.g. in easily accessible modules. • Use a modularized design to allow for upgrading. • Try to incorporate in the module design instructions for replacement or upgrading. remanufacturing of used vehicle components e.g starter, diesel injection systems, control units

Question 38

How to promote LONG LIFE, especially for products with most significant environmental aspects OUT of usage phase?

Answer 38

``` • Create classic industrial design (allows for long life). • Create strong user-product relation to reduce chances of the product being replaced before it reaches its physical lifetime. • Optimize maintenance intervals. • Design for easy refurbishing. • Design for flexibility. • Strive to increase durability for long-life parts and components. ```

Question 39

How to minimize weight?

Answer 39

• Minimize quantity of material. • Use light weight materials. If Aluminum is used, make sure it is recycled. (only use if the weight is not used to fulfil the task e.g. train needs to be heavy) • Try to find an optimal lightweight solution using for example reinforcements, rails, frames or folds, which is especially important for frequently accelerating vehicles.

Question 40

Excample for changes with negative effects due to weight reduction?

Answer 40

Mounting the electrical components on top of the train leads to reinforced walls which make the train ways heavier.

Question 41

Why to use better (strong and resistant) materials, surface treatments or structural arrangements?

Answer 41

• Reduce emissions from wear. • Choose corrosion-resistant materials to avoid diffuse emissions. • Isolate parts and components including hazardous substance and chemicals (e.g. oil and lubricants) and protect them from leakage or corrosion. • Favourmanufacturing processes with no or low emissions to air, water and soil. • Protect waste water from chemicals and strive for closed systems.

Question 42

What is important for using a product a long time?

Answer 42

Arrange in advance for upgrading, repair and recycling through access ability, labeling, modules, breaking points, manuals

Question 43

What is important for after use?

Answer 43

• Promote easy identification of parts that will be recycled, especially parts containing hazardous substances e.g. by labeling or marking. • Use the product form & markers to facilitate disassembly. • Mark polymers according to ISO11469. • Make sure that recycling descriptions are included in maintenance manuals. Think of recycling

Question 44

What makes recycling easier?

Answer 44

• Use as few different materials as possible. • Choose homogenous materials. • Do not use paint and surface treatments if not absolutely needed. • Keep polymers “clean” (e.g. avoid painting, gluing and polymers adhesives). • Select renewable materials.

Question 45

What's important for connetction between parts?

Answer 45

• Reduce the number of fasteners and separation points. • Standardize separation points (i.e. easy to understand where to separate). • Avoid gluing. • For reuse of parts and components use structures that allow non-destructive disassembly. • Use screws, welding, snap fits and geometric locking.