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Increasing product durability

Improvement <- ( A: raw material intensive, B: manufacture intensive, E: disposal intensive ) <-

Checklist for ECODESIGN analysis

Product
Is the product design timeless and/or can it be adapted to prevailing fashion trends?
  
  
How can a timeless product design be realized? Is it possible to separate the external "shell" from the product itself and can it be exchanged if need be?
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 a timeless product design
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Is product use accompanied by fun and positive feelings, does the user appreciate the product?
  
  
How can a high appreciation of the product be ensured? What makes the product "special" (as compared to competing products)? How the relationship to customers be intensified (e.g. opportunity to customize 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 Ensure high appreciation of the product
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Has the product been designed for durability and can it cope with the loads of intensive use?
  
  
What stress and strain is the product exposed to? Has the product been designed for such loads? Do measures have to be taken to prolong the service life of individual parts?
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 long service life
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Has the product been designed for robustness, does the quality of materials, workmanship, and surfaces ensure that the product withstands wear and tear during use?
  
  
What maximum loads is the product exposed to during operation? What parts of the product are exposed to extreme loads or wear and tear? What reinforcement or strengthening is necessary or desirable to increase robustness?
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 a sturdy product design
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Do the surfaces of the product tolerate aging, do they retain characteristics such as resilience, shape, color..., do they resist scratches or are they “self-healing”, do traces of use fit in with the texture of surfaces?
  
  
What wear and tear is the surface of the component exposed to? What will be the resulting traces of use? What does the surface look like after prolonged use? Are selected materials and quality of surfaces suitable for the intended use?
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 surfaces are user friendly
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Has the product been protected against corrosion, does it consist of corrosion-resistant materials or is there a protective coating? Have electrochemically problematic combinations of metals and spots where liquids could collect been avoided?
  
  
What environment, what substances is the product exposed to during its life time? What parts of the product or components may be subject to corrosion? What type of corrosion could develop, where? What preventive measures could protect the part against corrosion?
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 corrosion resistance
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Has the service life of individual parts been harmonized in order to avoid premature disposal of the whole product on account of the failure of individual parts?
  
  
Where are the weak points of the product, which parts become defective first? What is the residual service life of the other parts? What measures could harmonize the service life of individual parts?
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 Harmonize service life of individual components
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

Realize a timeless product design

In addition to the rated lifetime (dimensioning) a timeless product design is one of the prerequisites for a reasonable lifetime of the product. If this is not realized, the product (and the resources used for its manufacture) will prematurely be transformed into waste because it has become old-fashioned. Well designed, timeless products gain value with time (see example: chair by Thonet). If it is not feasible to realize a timeless design for a certain range of products, another possible approach would be to make the external "shell" (characteristic look) of the product exchangeable so it can be adapted to prevailing fashions.


Ensure high appreciation of the product

A high appreciation of the product on the part of the user is an important prerequisite for long use. Products that work well and that are appreciated will rather be repaired than exchanged for new products. This has also been shown by experience made in recently established repair and service centers. Thus, high appreciation means long use of the product and, consequently, minimum consumption of resources.


Design product for long service life

Long-lived products create maximum benefit for a long time with minimum input of raw materials and energy. The energy saving bulb, which lasts 8 - 10 times longer than conventional bulbs, shows quite clearly how the service life of products can be prolonged. This has been made possible by applying a new technology for the generation of light and by using long-lived parts and components.


Realize a sturdy product design

A sturdy design, i.e. the ability to withstand a high level of stress and strain go together with a long service life of the product. Thus, robustness is an essential prerequisite for an efficient use of resources. At the end of life of a product an individual sturdy structural part may have the potential of being used in a new product after refurbishing. In addition to an optimal harmonization of the service life of the whole product and its individual parts the conservation of resources through re-use of (parts of) the product constitutes an important aspect.


Ensure surfaces are user friendly

Surface design has a great influence on the service life of products. The external shell and surfaces of the product have to be incorporated in an overall concept aiming at durability. The surfaces should be resistant to impacts and scratches and tolerate traces of use. Successfully designed surfaces in this sense gain quality and elegance with continued use. High gloss surfaces, on the contrary, do not meet these criteria.


Ensure corrosion resistance

As a matter of principle, design of each product and its parts, respectively, should avoid corroding surfaces of provide for simple and sufficient protection. Corrosion reduces service life and impairs possible re-use of the product or parts. It thus contradicts the concept of efficient use of resources. There are numerous guidelines concerning design and protective measures in order to avoid corrosion.


Harmonize service life of individual components

Harmonizing the service life of individual components will prevent the product from becoming waste after a short time and being discarded on account of minor defects. All parts and components of the product should be about equally durable. Certain parts will always constitute weak points, this should, however, not cause premature disposal of the whole product.