Deborah L. Thurston

Bio: Deborah L. Thurston is an academic researcher from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. The author has contributed to research in topics: Product design & Engineering design process. The author has an hindex of 26, co-authored 115 publications receiving 3089 citations.

Integrated Sustainable Life Cycle Design: A Review

Abstract: Product design is one of the most important sectors influencing global sustainability, as almost all the products consumed by people are outputs of the product development process. In particular, early design decisions can have a very significant impact on sustainability. These decisions not only relate to material and manufacturing choices but have a far-reaching effect on the product’s entire life cycle, including transportation, distribution, and end-of-life logistics. However, key challenges have to be overcome to enable eco-design methods to be applicable in early design stages. Lack of information models, semantic interoperability, methods to influence eco-design thinking in early stages, measurement science and uncertainty models in eco-decisions, and ability to balance business decisions and eco-design methodology are serious impediments to realizing sustainable products and services. Therefore, integrating downstream life cycle data into eco-design tools is essential to achieving true sustainable product development. Our review gives an overview of related research and positions early eco-design tools and decision support as a key strategy for the future. By merging sustainable thinking into traditional design methods, this review provides a framework for ongoing research, as well as encourages research collaborations among the various communities interested in sustainable product realization.

A formal method for subjective design evaluation with multiple attributes

Abstract: This paper contributes toward a more formal theory and methodology for design by mathematically modeling the functional relationships between design decisions and the ultimate overall worth of a design. The conventional approach to design evaluation is limited in two respects. First, the direct measurement of attribute performance levels does not reflect the subsequentworth to the designer. Second, ad hoc methods for determining the relative importance or priority of attributes do not accurately quantify beneficial attribute tradeoffs. This information is critical to the iterative redesign process. A formal Methodology for the Evaluation of Design Alternatives (MEDA) is presented which resolves these problems and can be used to evaluate design alternatives in the iterative design/redesign process. Multiattribute utility analysis is employed to compare the overall utility or value of alternative designs as a function of the levels of several performance characteristics of a manufactured system. The evaluation function reflects the designer's preferences for sets of multiple attributes. Sensitivity analysis provides a quantitative basis for modifying a design to increase its utility to the decision-maker. Improvements in one or more areas of performance and tradeoffs between attributes which would increase desirability of a design most are identified. A case study of materials selection and design in the automotive industry is presented which illustrates the steps followed in application of the method.

Incorporating component reuse, remanufacture, and recycle into product portfolio design

Abstract: Product take-back laws have been enacted in the Netherlands, and the European Commission is expected to follow suit. The legislation mandates that manufacturers bear the economic burden of collection and disposal of products at the end of their useful lives. Reuse or remanufacturing of some components might be more cost-effective than disposal and provide an opportunity for recovery of their economic value. However, manufacturers have not traditionally engaged in the long-range planning over several product lifecycles that cost-effective reuse or remanufacturing requires. This paper develops a model for incorporating long-range planning for component reuse in product design. The model employs a product portfolio approach based on market segmentation, rather than a single product. The model is embedded in a decision tool that aids in determining when a product should be taken back, and which components should be reused, recycled, or disposed. A case study of a line of personal computers (PCs) demonstrates an implementation of the model. It also shows that if product take-back is mandated, it is in the PC manufacturer's best interest to shift from selling a product to essentially selling a service by controlling when the product is taken back and, thus, effectively creating a leasing program. The portfolio approach creates opportunities for the design engineer to distribute the cost, reliability, and environmental impacts of component reuse, remanufacture, and recycling in such a way that the end result is higher customer satisfaction than designing one product for all customer groups.