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Optimizing product functionality

Improvement <- ( A: raw material intensive, B: manufacture intensive, D: use intensive ) <-

Checklist for ECODESIGN analysis

Product
Is the product reliable and does it fulfill its functions without failure?
  
  
What reasons could cause failure of the product? What parts could cause failure and how? What measures could improve reliability?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure high reliability of product
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Does the product have a high functional quality and does it fulfill its functions even if service conditions are not optimal?
  
  
What failures may happen during operation? How do these failures affect the product? What measures could avoid such disturbances?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure high functional quality of product and minimize influence of possible disturbances
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Can the product be upgraded and be adapted - as a whole or in parts - to the state of the art in technology?
  
  
What parts of the product could be technologically outdated soon? What measures concerning design have therefore to be taken to ensure that the product can be upgraded later on?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Design product for possible upgrading
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Is the product versatile and can it fulfill several different functions within the field of its intended use?
  
  
What functions are demanded in the field the product is used? What functions could be integrated in addition to the basic functions of the product?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Design product for multifunctional use
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Is the product's principle of functioning simple, does the product have a simple design with a minimum of structural parts?
  
  
How complex is the design of the product and its components? Can a simplification be realized by choosing another principle of functioning? What components should be redesigned or made simpler?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Realize simple principle of functioning
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Can wear and tear of the product be compensated for by readjustment of parts and components?
  
  
What parts and components are exposed to wear and tear? What precautions could ensure optimal functionality in spite of wear and tear?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Design product for adjustment and adaptation at use stage
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline


Approach to assessment:
  1. Relevance:
    Rate the relevance of the assessment question with a view to your product. (10...very important for my product; 5...less important for my product; 0...not relevant for my product).
  2. Fullfilment:
    Estimate the fulfilment of the assessment questions using one of the four possible answers (yes / rather yes / rather no / no); the additional questions support understanding of the assessment question and need not be answered.
  3. Priority:
    Select ECODESIGN tasks with high priority (P) and continue only with these.
  4. Idea for Realization:
    Find ideas to realize these ECODESIGN tasks. The content of the learning part with its examples shall assist you in doing that.
  5. Feasibility:
    Evaluate the feasibility of the suggested ideas (difficult / easy).
  6. Costs:
    Compare the costs of the new ideas with a reference situation (higher / same / lower) and give reason for that.
  7. Action:
    Decide when to carry out the ECODESIGN tasks (at once / later / never) and determine the person or department that shall be in charge of further steps in the realizing the product improvements and fix a deadline.
  8. Save:
    Save the checklist to document the ECODESIGN assessment.

 

top design & copyright © Vienna TU, Institute for Engineering Design - ECODESIGN

Ensure high reliability of product

The concept of reliability refers to the probability of the product fulfilling its functions under given service conditions for a predetermined period of time without becoming defective. Not only for environmental reasons is it important to attain a high reliability of the products and to use them as long as possible. Product design providing for protective devices (e.g. fuses against overload) are also closely related to this issue. The "Failure Mode and Effect Analysis" (FMEA) is a tool permitting to evaluate and improve the reliability of products.


Ensure high functional quality of product and minimize influence of possible disturbances

Functional quality refers to the interaction of the various parts and components. High functional quality ensures that the product fulfills its functions even if service conditions are not optimal. If the user perceives the product as functioning well this not only contributes to a high appreciation but is also a prerequisite for prolonged use of the product; this need not necessarily be identical with the actual lifetime of the product. Products intended for daily use often become waste before their end of life on account of their poor functional quality.


Design product for possible upgrading

An important measure to ensure prolonged use of the product consists in a design providing for possible upgrading. This is particularly important in areas where technological progress is fast and the product would become outdated soon. Usually, not the whole product becomes outdated but only certain parts or components; therefore it makes sense to design these as modules that can be exchanged thus ensuring that the product may be equipped with upgraded parts and used for a longer time. This often requires designers to take into account a larger context. The graphics card shown as an example here makes possible to continue to use technologically outdated (fixed frequency) monitors in spite of new software requirements.


Design product for multifunctional use

Combining several functions in a product may considerably reduce the overall consumption of resources involved in meeting the demand for given functions. The concept of offering multiple-use products must, however, not lead to an impairment of the functional quality. It is also conceivable to design particularly resource-intensive components, such as drive units for different appliances (e.g. garden or kitchen appliances) for multiple purpose application. The beneficial effect as compared to a variant providing for individual drive units for each of the appliances seems obvious.


Realize simple principle of functioning

Basically, the concept of simple principle of functioning aims at reducing material input by integration of functions. Consumption of resources is to be reduced by realizing the principle of functioning with fewer structural parts. Minimizing the number of connecting parts is equally important with a view to materials savings as well as to a reduction of assembly and disassembly times.


Design product for adjustment and adaptation at use stage

In the context of high functional quality products or components exposed to wear and tear should be designed in such a way that wear and tear can be easily compensated for. If a design providing for self-adjustment should prove too complicated or too expensive readjustment to compensate for wear and tear should be possible in order to ensure maximum service life.