Showing papers by "Conny Bakker published in 2017"

Product Design in a Circular Economy: Development of a Typology of Key Concepts and Terms

Abstract: Summary In a circular economy (CE), the economic and environmental value of materials is preserved for as long as possible by keeping them in the economic system, either by lengthening the life of the products formed from them or by looping them back in the system to be reused. The notion of waste no longer exists in a CE, because products and materials are, in principle, reused and cycled indefinitely. Taking this description as a starting point, the article asks which guiding principles, design strategies, and methods are required for circular product design and to what extent these differ from the principles, strategies, and methods of eco-design. The article argues that there is a fundamental distinction to be made between eco-design and circular product design and proceeds to develop, based on an extensive literature review, a set of new concepts and definitions, starting from a redefinition of product lifetime and introducing new terms such as presource and recovery horizon. The article then takes Walter Stahel's Inertia Principle as the guiding principle in circular product design and develops a typology of approaches for Design for Product Integrity, with a focus on tangible durable consumer products. The newly developed typology contributes to a deeper understanding of the CE as a concept and informs the discussion on the role of product design in a CE.

Towards design strategies for circular medical products

Abstract: The framework of design for the circular economy is increasingly used in industry to improve product sustainability and decrease costs, and in academia various models have been developed to guide circular design. However, in the medical sector, although it generates a large amount of waste, application of circular design principles is difficult because of the clinical challenges of safety and sterility that reuse of products or materials entail. This paper categorizes and analyses existing instances of circular economy in the medical sector, using a literature review and examination of existing industry examples. This is used to identify challenges and unmet opportunities for circular design in the medical sector. The key factors affecting circular medical design are found to be device criticality in terms of sterilization requirements, device value and the organizational support structure around the device. A design heuristic and suggested strategies for circular design of medical products are proposed based on these findings.

The Long View : Exploring Product Lifetime Extension

Abstract: The aim of this study is to provide recommendations on the opportunities available to consumers, private sector and especially governments, of developed and developing economies, to address product lifetime extension. Seven products representing different lifetime expectancies by consumers for their optimal replacement moments and actual lifetimes in selected countries are analysed: washing machines, refrigerators, TVs, mobile phones, laptops and clothing. The report provides three policy perspectives, two for developed and one for developing countries, for designing measures to address product lifetime extension.

Additive manufacturing for circular product design: A literature review from a design perspective

Abstract: Circular product design is a relatively new approach to design suitable strategies to realize circular products. Additive manufacturing (AM) is seen as a promising enabling production process. It has digital and additive characteristics, which makes AM different from conventional production techniques. However, it is yet unclear how this technique can contribute to circular product design in practice. In this paper, a literature review is placed in context, i.e. the results of a literature review on sustainability opportunities in AM are compared to five typical design cases in a design review. The outcomes of the literature study reveal the aspects of the digital and additive characteristics of AM, that lead to potential sustainability opportunities. We compared these aspects to the circular design strategies as described by Bakker et al. (2014) and Bocken et al. (2016) in the context of the five selected design projects. Each project is described in terms of circular design strategies and how these were achieved through additive manufacturing. Using design practice to reflect on the outcomes of the literature review resulted in a better understanding of the potential of additive manufacturing for circular product design. The relation between the sustainability aspects of AM and the circular design strategies were made explicit. AM seems to be especially suitable to customize parts to fit existing products and to contribute to new opportunities regarding material recycling. These findings deserve further exploration in order to understand the motives for implementation in circular product design.

The role of product designers in the transition towards the circular economy : A reality check

Abstract: This paper examines the role of product designers in the transition towards the circular economy. Both scientific and grey literature show remarkable optimism when it comes to role strategic and coordinating role designers could play in this transition process. However, there has been little examination of the actual role and influence designers have in practice. In this paper we review the roles that designers play in the transition towards a circular economy according to literature. Through semi-structured interviews, we uncover the views of designers themselves, which we then use to make a comparison. Our main conclusion is that designers experience a lack of knowledge and/or work in predetermined solution spaces, which prevents them from taking on the role that is expected in literature.

Product policy and material scarcity challenges : The essential role of government in the past and lessons for today

Abstract: Materials are important in economies, business, innovation activity and products, and they have quickly become essential to maintain and improve our quality of life. The world faces problems concerning material supply, but these concerns are not translated into product design activity, even though history shows that product design policy can play an important role in finding solutions to materials problems. This paper has a focus on the role of governmental policy in ensuring material availability to the state. The case of British WWII Utility Furniture scheme is one where consumer products were designed and developed as a response to severe material shortages. This action is set in the context of wartime conditions where the products were designed, manufactured, used and often reused over a long lifetime, under very stringent governmental control. The control came from the government ministries but was designed and manufactured by the private sector. The furniture scheme was brought in to allow workers to have a furnished home to live in, eat and rest to allow them to work to help win the war. Drawing on policy lessons from the wartime cases this paper makes a comparison of the WWII British approach with a European 21st century action plan for the circular economy, which raises important questions for policy development.

The circular pathfinder : Development and evaluation of a practice-based tool for selecting circular design strategies

Abstract: The Circular Pathfinder tool, which provides guidance to companies looking for appropriate circular design strategies, was developed based on OEM (original equipment manufacturer) case studies. Ease of use was one of the main requirements during development of the tool, resulting in a software-based guide that asks a maximum of ten product-related questions, after which it gives a recommendation for one or more specific circular design strategies. The advantage of a practice-based tool is that the practical relevance is, in all likelihood, high. The disadvantage, however, is the lack of scientific validation. This paper presents a literature review of the decision variables and heuristics of the Circular Pathfinder, with the aim to uncover any discrepancies between practice and literature. The main finding is that the focus on practical usefulness of the tool has led to excessive reduction of the complexity inherent in strategic circular design decisions. Recommendations for improving the Circular Pathfinder tool are given.