Tentafrågor

Question 1

One key challenge for reverse, closed-loop supply chains is:

Answer 1

Large variations in timing, quality and quantity of product returns.

Question 2

There are three unresolved key elements in the conceptualization of the circular economy. Two opposing schools can be identified – the reformist and the transformationist. Which of the following alternatives describes the standpoint of the reformist school?

Answer 2

Neither absolute resource input reduction, modification of the capitalist system nor balance among sustainability dimensions are required.

Question 3

Reasoning in terms of “functions” is central in methodology for product design and development. In principle, this means that one defines…

Answer 3

… “what” before “how”

Question 4

Requirements specifications are central in product development work. But what are important considerations in establishing a useful requirements specification?

Answer 4

Stakeholder needs, targets, lifecycle phases, system boundary & sub-systems, completeness, weight factors, acceptance levels, justification, evaluation/verification.

Question 5

The following describes four resource-related indicators: (a) Amount of materials used per economic value added, (b) Amount of materials mobilized globally to the consumer of the final product, (c) Amount of materials extracted within or imported into or exported from a nation’sterritory, (d) Amount of economic output generated per unit of materials consumed. Put indicators in the correct order?

Answer 5

Material intensity, Material footprint, Domestic material consumption, Material productivity.

Question 6

A shirt can be designed to cater to a sequence of users. Which of these design strategies are not focusing on this?

Answer 6

Svar 1

1. To use organic textiles
2. To make it variable in size
3. To make it easy to clean

Question 7

Green public procurement is seen as a public sector policy for promoting the circular economy. Conflicting sustainability criteria may however hamper such procurement. Which one of the statements is true for procuring reused products?

Answer 7

Information about material content and sourcing of the reused products is insufficient.

Question 8

According to Lewin’s three-step process, unfreezing involves _________the balance of driving and restraining forces?

Answer 8

Destabilizing

Question 9

Which of the following statements is not part of the eco-efficiency principles?

Answer 9

Svar 1

1. Eco-efficiency is about increasing the material and energy intensity of goods and services
2. Eco-efficiency is about increasing the service intensity of goods and services
3. Eco-efficiency is about increasing product durability and material recyclability

Question 10

One key dimension of circular economy business models is “value proposition”, which consists of:

Answer 10

Products and services

Question 11

The notion of “alternative solution proposals” for a problem is central in methodology for product development. Moreover, it’s recommended to evaluate solution alternatives concurrently (in “sets”, e.g. by using the Pugh matrix), rather than sequentially. After the evaluation, a decision must be made in order to continue the development process and pave the way for further learning. At this point, the most appropriate way of acting is:

Answer 11

Reject concepts and further develop the rest

Question 12

Natural resources can be classified as stocks, funds or flows. They involve different problems with respect to their renewability and exhaustibility. Which type of natural resources can be described as both renewable and exhaustible?

Answer 12

Fund resources

Question 13

Opportunities for recycling of industrial waste can often be better than for consumption waste. This is mainly because industrial waste, in comparison to consumption waste, is:

Answer 13

Composed of fewer material

Question 14

The European Union has published three lists of critical raw materials during the 2010s. What two main dimensions are considered in the 2017 criticality assessment?

Answer 14

Supply risk and economic importance

Question 15

As a part of circular value creation and business models, “inner value creation loop” is best described by:

Answer 15

Maintaining the integrity of a product at its highest level by via service and maintenance

Question 16

Where lies the main potential environmental benefits of circulating products from user to user?

Answer 16

To increase the utilization of each produced product

Question 17

One key dimension of circular economy business models is “value capture”, which consists of:

Answer 17

Revenues and costs

Question 18

Production engineering

a) Define remanufacturing, including the process steps required to remanufacture a product.
b) What products and components’ properties are favourable for remanufacturing? Provide two examples.

Answer 18

a) The process of rebuilding a product during which: the product is cleaned, inspected and disassembled; worn components are reconditioned and defective components are replaced; the product is reassembled, tested and inspected again to ensure it meets or exceeds newly manufactured product standards” 
Remanufacturing process steps: 
1.(Collect & sort)
2.Clean / Inspect
3.Inspect / Clean
4.Disassemble
5.(Store)
6.Reprocess / Replace components
7.Reassemble
8.Test
9.(Packing & redistribute)

b) •Timeless design •Product has a stable “core” •The “core” value is relatively high •Ease of access & dismantling •Ease of part identification •Ease & safety of handling •Hardware upgradeability •Software upgradeability •Performance upgradeability •Durable materials (corrosion, wear and fatigue resistance)

Question 19

Industrial ecology
Circular measures for a product can be undertaken in four life cycle phases. Each phase includes several distinct measures.
a)For each of the four phases, name and explain one circular measure (in total four measures).
b)The measures usually involve both environmental benefits and drawbacks. For two of the measures accounted for in (a), describe relevant environmental benefits and drawbacks.

Answer 19

a)
Measures in extraction and production
- Reduce losses of material or energy in production (ex internal scrap recycling, internal energy recovery, process integration)
- reduce material quantity in production (ex non-massive designs)
- change material in production (ex substitute fossile, hazardous or scarce materials)

Measures in use phase: to use effectively and efficiently

• Use effectively - the function satisfies the user needs and no more
• Use efficiently - as much function retrieved with as little additional inout of material and energy as possible
• Share product

Measures in use phase: to extend use

• Use more during the technical lifetime
• increase tech lifetime by design
• maintain and repair
• remanufacture
• repurpose

Measures in post use

• Recycle material
• Energy recovery (waste incineration)
• Compost
• Landfill and control

b) drawbacks
- more energy use
- might use a critical material to save energy
- remanufacturing takes energy
- Recycling takes infrastructure

Question 20

Industrial ecology
A food supply chain consists of several phases, each in which losses of food occur. In one specific food supply chain, the losses in the various phases are:
•food processing 10%
•distribution to retail 10%
•retail 20%
•consumption 25%
The losses are expressed in relation to the input to each specific phase.
a)Draw the flowchart for the food supply chain with such losses and calculate the total losses of food over the entire chain.
b)After improving the cooling in distribution to retail, food losses in this phase is completely avoided. This means that provisioning for the same level of consumed food (as before the improvement) now requires a lower input of food to food processing. Calculate the new input to food processing relative to the previous one.

Answer 20

See tenta 2019 jan

Question 21

Public policy
Implementing efficient public policy is notoriously difficult. Unintended impacts and conflicts may arise, so that a policy successfully solves one problem but at the expense of another. For each of the following two examples, explain why there is a potential conflict and give an example of a product for which this conflict can be relevant:
a)Promoting the use of recycled materials and controlling chemicals in products.
b)Promoting longer product lifetimes and increasing product performance.

Answer 21

a) Companiesare hesitant to use recycledmaterialsin new products, out of fearthattheseproductswillnot complywithruleson chemicalsin products, e.g. the rulesfoundin the RoHS Directive, the Toy SafetyDirective, and the REACH Regulation.
b) Longer lifetime often means that products perform a little less to be able to last longer

Question 22

Supply chain management
Identify four types of value creation loops with respect to circular value creation and business models. Select two of these and describe in more detail. Illustrate your key points with practical examples.

Answer 22

• Inner value creating loops: maintaining the integrity of a product at its highest level via service and maintenance
• Extended value creating loops: using products and materials longer, via product durability or design for remanufacturing and reuse
• Cascading value creating loops: cascading use in adjacent value chains
• Pure value creating loops: creating pure, high quality feedstock at the outset, avoiding contamination

Question 23

Industrial ecology and public policy
The European Union (EU) has published three lists of critical raw materials during the 2010s.
a)What two main dimensions are considered in the 2017 criticality assessments?
b)Name two critical raw materials on the list of 2017.
c) Give two reasons for why the EU publishes the list.

Answer 23

a) Supply risk and economic importance
b) Cobalt, Tungsten, Helium (European Commission, 2019)
c) Draw on course literature (as in b): strengthen the competitiveness of European industry in line with the renewed industrial strategy, stimulate the production of CRMs by enhancing new mining and recycling activities, foster efficient use and recycling of critical raw materials, a priority area in the circular economy action plan, increase awareness of potential raw material supply risks and related opportunities among countries, companies and investors, negotiate trade agreements, challenge trade distortion measures, develop research and innovation actions and implement the 2030 sustainable development goals

Question 24

Waste management
Three European households serve canned chick peas for dinner after which they scrap the empty steel plate can to waste management. Three waste management options are the most likely ones to treat the steel plate can.
a)Name the three options.
b)Account for one important benefit and one important drawback for each of the three options when treating the can.

Answer 24

a) A metal can from households in Europe is likely to be treated by recycling, landfilling or waste incineration. Biological treatment, such as composting and anaerobic digestion, is less likely.
b) Possible answers are largely, but not exclusively, covered by WM lecture slides 30 Sept 2019. Since a metal can is neither biodegradable nor combustible, several benefits and drawbacks mentioned are not applicable.
Examples of benefits/drawbacks are:
Recycling: recovery of materials, reduced extraction of primary materials, reduced energy requirements for secondary materials in comparison to primary materials/ loss of quality, impacts from material recovery and manufacturing.
Incineration: flexibility in treating mixed waste, metals can be separated from residues for recycling/ loss of resources, water emissions, generation of slag.
Landfilling: flexibility in treating mixed waste, low costs, storage of resources for future generations/ loss of resources, loss of land area, leachate.

Question 25

User perspective
People have many options to circulate products. Name five of these options (except “renting” and “returning”), i.e. five ways to either obtain a product or to get rid of it in a circular way. Blue figure

Answer 25

Obtain:
- borrow, gifted, traded, lease, buy

Riddance:
- gift, trade, lend, end contract, sell