A comparison of four sustainable manufacturing strategies

Effective use of materials is one possible component of a sustainable manufacturing strategy. There are many such strategies proposed in the literature and used in practice, with confusion over what they are, what the differences among them may be and how they can be used by practitioners in design and manufacture to improve the sustainability of their product and processes. This paper reviews the literature on sustainable manufacturing strategies that deliver improved material performance. Four primary strategies were found: waste minimisation; material efficiency; resource efficiency; and eco‐efficiency. The literature was analysed to determine the key characteristics of these sustainable manufacturing strategies and 17 characteristics were found. The four strategies were then compared and contrasted against all the characteristics. While current literature often uses these strategy titles in a confusing, occasionally inter‐changeable manner, this study attempts to create clear separation between them. Definition, scope and practicality of measurement are shown to be key characteristics that impact upon the ability of manufacturing companies to make effective use of the proposed strategy. It is observed that the most actionable strategies may not include all of the dimensions of interest to a manufacturer wishing to become more sustainable, creating a dilemma between ease of implementation and breadth of impact.     

Decision support for sustainable manufacturing using decision guidance query language

Sustainability has become a very significant research topic as it impacts many different manufacturing industries. Therefore, the technologies for monitoring, analysing, evaluating and optimising the sustainability performance of manufacturing processes and systems are very critical for decision makers on the shop floor. This paper introduces a decision guidance management system that provides actionable recommendations through quantitative analysis of the sustainability measures of manufacturing processes and systems based on life cycle assessment. The system determines decision preferences through dynamically collected data and decision makers' responses, taking into account the prevailing constraints. Optimal decisions can be derived using mathematical and constraint programming. By using decision guidance query language, this methodology allows users to make optimal decisions without an extensive mathematical or operations research background. Knowledge of relational databases is sufficient for a user to formulate the optimisation problem and obtain optimal solutions. The methodology is demonstrated with a machining operation case study, in which a list of sustainability metrics are identified and sustainability modelling methods are proposed. Important sustainable machining performance measures are optimised, resulting in actionable recommendations.     

Performance evaluation of lean sustainable systems using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system: a case study

The modern manufacturing organisations have been adopting both lean and sustainable manufacturing paradigms to survive in the competitive environment. Lean and sustainable strategies aim at achieving productivity improvement by streamlined processes and waste elimination. The performance of such integrated lean sustainable system has to be assessed to ensure whether the strategic objectives are in line with customer value and to identify improvement opportunities that enable and enhance the competitive advantage of an integrated lean sustainable system. This paper presents the formulation of conceptual performance evaluation model to assess lean sustainable systems. Appropriate performance indicators have been identified and adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system approach is used to evaluate lean sustainability. A case of automotive component manufacturing firm in Indian scenario is exemplified. Based on the evaluation, lean sustainability index was computed and the firm was found to be ‘Averagely Lean Sustainable’. Further improvement actions to enhance the lean sustainable performance were planned and implemented. The developed performance evaluation model is capable of effectively evaluating the lean sustainable performance of manufacturing firms and has more practical relevance.     

An integrated approach for improving energy efficiency of manufacturing process chains

The rising energy prices and increasingly imposing regulations have drawn attention for improving the energy efficiency of manufacturing processes. Over the past decade, different approaches have been developed to target from individual unit processes to entire manufacturing systems. However, each model or approach has limitations in terms of the efficiency improvement. Thus, an integrated approach is proposed to overcome these limitations combining unit process energy consumption models with production system simulation. The outcome potentially leads to a more energy-efficient production and process planning, which considers the dynamics of individual processes as well as the entire system. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the approach and its benefits.     

Metamodelling-based Product Family Design of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is stimulated by the need to replace non-renewable energies with sustainable and more environment-friendly new energy types. PHEVs benefit from a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor with a rechargeable and larger battery pack than conventional hybrid vehicles. In order to maximise customer satisfaction and motivate replacement of the conventional vehicles with this new technology, the design of PHEVs requires sufficient differentiation in the product specifications for diverse market segments. The added set-up time, processes, costs and longer lead time for designing and manufacturing a diverse range of such vehicles is a hurdle towards increasing their diversity. This study proposes an efficient product family design (PFD) method for mass customisation of the PHEV powertrains. The methodology is less dependent on expensive simulations due to use of metamodelling and non-conventional sensitivity analysis. The PFD concept and its implications to a family of five PHEVs are investigated, and benefits as well as limitations of a sustainable development for this complex product are discussed.     

Evaluation of sustainability using an integrated approach at process and product level: a case study

The present world is facing problems like rapid depletion of natural resources and undesired environmental changes on a global scale. Manufacturing organisations are realising the importance of mitigating the present crisis and are adopting sustainable manufacturing principles. Since it is important to achieve sustainable manufacturing, sustainability assessment models were developed. Sustainability assessment models have their own drawbacks and may not provide clear scope for complete sustainable development. A system approach has been developed to overcome this shortcoming by integrating various sustainability assessment models that are already in practice. This article reports the advantages of collecting the advantages of individual sustainability assessment models and how the implementation of the integrated approach has helped to identify the current sustainability level and the scope for future developments in an automotive industry.     

Computing sustainable manufacturing index with fuzzy analytic hierarchy process

The growing industrial interest in adopting sustainability programmes has ushered in studies regarding sustainability indicators which have continually flourished in current literature. However, limited attention is given to the development of priority ranking, which is an important input for any adopting firm. This paper presents a hybrid multi-criteria approach in determining priority areas in sustainable manufacturing (SM). Using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to address uncertainty in hierarchical decision-making, this paper determines SM priority strategies and eventually identifies even lower level strategies. The computed sustainable manufacturing index is presented at both the organizational and operational levels for a real case study of an industrial plastic manufacturing firm. This work provides a detailed and transparent hierarchical decision-making approach based on SM framework, the use of which could be valuable to practicing managers across industries in their pursuit of greater sustainability.     

Sustainability risk identification in product development

Sustainability-related issues present significant financial, strategic, compliance and operational risks to manufacturers. Many of these risks directly or indirectly result from the way a product is designed and managed across its life cycle. Assessing sustainability risk (S _R) at the product design stage is crucial for the development of products that both minimise sustainability risk exposure and are environmentally sustainable. Managing the costs associated with these risks requires risk management intervention at the design stage before these costs are committed throughout the life cycle (production, use, end-of-life). The goal of the sustainability risk assessment (SRA) methodology is to provide an approach to comparing the financial cost of a ‘sustainable product’ vs. an ‘unsustainable product’, by factoring in the effects of S _R on life-cycle cost. The SRA methodology demonstrates that, in some cases, sustainable products cost less than unsustainable products when sustainability risk is considered in the costing analysis. This paper outlines the first step of the SRA methodology, which is a process for identifying S _R inherent in the product life cycle. Once key risks are identified, the subsequent steps of the SRA assess and prioritise these risks for treatment through changes to product design and materials composition.     

Laying a solid foundation for sustainable development in Bolivian mountain villages

In Bolivia, recent decentralisation policies have broadened the participation of local actors in development processes. However, development is far from sustainable, and poverty and natural resources degradation still increase. The challenge is to develop strategies that achieve the genuine participation of poor farmers in natural resources management and sustainable development. The logical strategy, which was developed and validated in five Bolivian mountain villages, is an example. In this strategy, first a solid foundation for sustainable development is laid, with activities focussing on five basic conditions for sustainable development in rural villages: leadership and organisation, responsible participation, effective collaboration, mutual trust and environmental awareness. The results show that the existence of a solid foundation is crucial for the success of other development activities, such as soil and water conservation activities. However, given that 2 years after the project’s withdrawal the firmness of the foundation had slightly weakened, it was concluded that a better integration of these villages in local development processes is essential to profit from the new dynamics. This is especially true for soil and water conservation. To achieve this integration, municipalities—with the support of international development agencies—must be encouraged to invest in laying this solid foundation in rural villages and in facilitating follow-up activities to keep the dynamic process going. This study shows that such investments result in better organised villages, more equality, and the genuine participation of more people in sustainable village development. Effective collaboration and accountability at institutional level are, however, required.     

Design methodology for active disassembly based on the decapitated head method

Due to the characteristic that shape memory materials can quickly return to their original shape and have large deformation, such materials can be used as the connection in active disassembly devices. However, existing active disassembly devices typically require two moulding steps and complicated machining processes that result in high manufacturing cost. The active disassembly device based on the proposed decapitated head method has only one moulding step and lower manufacturing cost. Its disassembly mode is local damage disassembly, which can decrease the active disassembly cost and improve disassembly efficiency. This paper describes the active disassembly theory and the design methodology based on the decapitated head method, and then analyses the design criteria and feasibility of this method with a real case study.     

Indicator framework for sustainable production planning and controlling

Production facilities serve to transform raw materials into products, usually with the goal of achieving a designated output, in terms of quantity and quality, with the minimum of cost and labour. With the aid of production planning and controlling (PPC) systems, raw material inputs, and labour can be planned to achieve a determined output of products. In general, the role of environmental and social aspects is neglected in production planning processes. Because of the growing pressure from politics and customers, sustainable production of products is becoming more important. One possibility for supporting sustainable manufacturing is, to integrate sustainable aspects in the production planning process. This paper presents input and output information for current PPC systems and discusses the need for additional information necessary for sustainable PPC. For this approach, a text review of cooperate social responsibility (CSR) reporting indicators provided by the GRI was performed. Based on the text review, an input-output model has been developed for conventional and another one for sustainable PPC systems. Through the comparison of the two input-output models, challenges and requirements for sustainable PPC systems have been defined as a basis for future work and analyses.     

Energy consumption analysis of ABS plastic parts injected in a hybrid injection moulding machine

The energy analysis of injection moulding processes is influenced by complex interactions amongst the moulded part, its material, the injection machine, the process parameters and the environmental conditions. The availability of energy usage analyses that comprehend information on specific materials and machine kind is limited. This paper reports a study that estimates and analyses the power usage profile (PUP), the specific energy consumption (SEC), and the energy distribution at an operation level of two different injected parts made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and produced in a hybrid injection moulding machine. The methodology followed by the authors incorporates an experiment carried out in an industrial facility. A large sample size, and data-acquisition and data post-processing processes to obtain an accurate PUP and SEC are used. A breakdown of the energy consumed by the injection moulding process of the parts studied at an operation level using Sankey diagrams is discussed. The study results are used to identify strategies to reduce the energy consumed by the processes. The methodology employed, and the strategies reported could be used with other plastic parts regardless of the material and machine used. The results reported are new experimental data useful input for theoretical models.     

Environmental impact assessment of manufacturing processes using a combinatorial mathematics based decision making method

This paper presents a methodology for environmental impact assessment of manufacturing processes using a combinatorial mathematics based decision making method. An ‘environmental impact assessment index’ is proposed that evaluates and ranks the manufacturing processes for producing a given engineering product or component. The index is obtained from an ‘environmental impact assessment factors function’ considering environmental impact assessment factors and their relative importance for the considered application. An example is included to illustrate the approach.     

贵阳市循环经济发展度量的研究

循环经济指标体系旨在度量区域循环经济发展的系统目标和工作进展。该文在“驱动力-压力-状态-响应”（DPSR）框架下设计度量区域循环经济发展的指标体系，含有状态指标、压力指标、驱动力指标、响应指标以及分离指标共5类指标集合。其中，分离指标集合作为循环经济的特征指标来表征经济发展与资源投入和污染产出分离的效果和趋势。考察贵阳循环经济规划案例表明：贵阳如果走循环经济的发展道路，可以转变经济增长方式，实现经济增长与资源投入和污染产出的分离。     

Envisioning sustainable water futures in a transdisciplinary learning process: combining normative,explorative, and participatory scenario approaches

Competing water demands for household consumption as well as the production of food, energy, and other uses pose challenges for water supply and sustainable development in many parts of the world. Designing creative strategies and learning processes for sustainable water governance is thus of prime importance. While this need is uncontested, suitable approaches still have to be found. In this article we present and evaluate a conceptual approach to scenario building aimed at transdisciplinary learning for sustainable water governance. The approach combines normative, explorative, and participatory scenario elements. This combination allows for adequate consideration of stakeholders’ and scientists’ systems, target, and transformation knowledge. Application of the approach in the MontanAqua project in the Swiss Alps confirmed its high potential for co-producing new knowledge and establishing a meaningful and deliberative dialogue between all actors involved. The iterative and combined approach ensured that stakeholders’ knowledge was adequately captured, fed into scientific analysis, and brought back to stakeholders in several cycles, thereby facilitating learning and co-production of new knowledge relevant for both stakeholders and scientists. However, the approach also revealed a number of constraints, including the enormous flexibility required of stakeholders and scientists in order for them to truly engage in the co-production of new knowledge. Overall, the study showed that shifts from strategic to communicative action are possible in an environment of mutual trust. This ultimately depends on creating conditions of interaction that place scientists’ and stakeholders’ knowledge on an equal footing.     

A FRAMEWORK FOR PROCESS INDICATORS TO MONITOR FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: PRACTICE TO AN URBAN WATER SYSTEM

Although very often used, the concept of sustainable development has not yet been perceived pragmatically. Due to its process nature, in this paper, we argue that sustainable development is a process in which the essential feedback loops, or Viability Loops as we name them, in the system in question are kept healthy and functional. This process deals with evolutionary changes with the end point not known in advance. According to this perception, measurement of sustainable development does not make sense. Rather, we should look for the process indicators to monitor systems for sustainable development. The purpose of the paper is to develop a methodology to deal with monitoring systems for sustainable development and its practice in an urban water system. Using a system dynamics approach, the paper adopts a systemic monitoring framework based on the idea of Viability Loops to define process indicators to monitor systems for sustainable development. To illustrate the application of the framework, its practice in the urban water system of Tehran, the capital of Iran, is provided as an example. The example of the urban water supply system of Tehran is given as a case study, albeit with some unavailable data. Here, four typical viability loops are discussed. The results of this application show that the flows of informative signals are lacking. Adopting the process indicators, we can see the gaps between the public perceptions of water abundance, the costs of water provision and energy utilizations, and what is going on in the reality are getting wider. That indicates that the viability loops are not functional enough to produce effective changes to offset the reinforcing mechanisms. The sustainable development of the system is impaired due to the persistence of those reinforcing mechanisms.     

Design concept for an ecological relaxing textile product using solar energy

We can enhance our quality of life and reduce environmental impacts by making improvements in textile product design. By thinking about the environment when we design, choose and use technology, we can play an important part in building a better world for the future. If we are going to live in a sustainable way, the technology that we use has to be sustainable.

This paper provides an insight into how the design of textile products could provide for a more sustainable future. It describes a design concept for an ecological relaxing textile that uses photovoltaic cells to collect and store solar energy and to power an electronic relaxing system. This design may help improve our quality of life now and in the future.

The raw materials and processes, the electronic devices and the dimensions of solar energy for this application are analysed from an environmental perspective. The solar relaxing textile can facilitate our daily life by providing increased comfort and well being, and also acts as an indirect message to use renewable energy within textile support, in order to preserve our ecology.     

Societal implications of nanotechnology: occupational perspectives

Nanotechnology-infused products have begun to enter the market in spite of the fact that many sectors of society are still debating whether or not exposure to such products will result in detrimental side effects. Due to a lack of regulation of nanoproducts, it is difficult to track these products to assess how they interact with humans and the environment. Acknowledging this limitation, several studies are starting to investigate situations where individuals are exposed to nanoparticles in the workplace; it is to be noted that manufacturing of materials is the first stage in the product life cycle where exposure may occur. This paper reviews and discusses the potential societal implications associated with the manufacturing of nanoparticles: health concerns, workers’ perceptions, rights, ethics, and the role of policy and regulation. Scenarios are presented, possible implications are discussed, and recommendations are given for appropriate action. Finding the right solution to the identified implications represents a critical challenge. In summary, it is imperative that all stakeholders including industry, academia, government entities, and the public adopt a proactive attitude to ensure that nanotechnology matures in a sustainable manner.     

Impacts of climate change on lakes and reservoirs dynamics and restoration policies

Meteorological-driven processes exert large and diverse impacts on lakes and their water quality; these impacts can be hydrologic, thermal, hydraulic, chemical, biochemical, or ecological. The impact of climate change on Lake Tahoe (California–Nevada) was investigated here as a case study of climate change effects on the physical processes occurring within lakes. The already published trends of meteorological variables were used to assess the effects of global warming on Lake Tahoe dynamics. Records from the period 1969–2002 show that Lake Tahoe has became warmer and more stable. A series of simulation years into the future (i.e., 2000–2040) was established using flows, loads, and meteorology data sets for the period 1994–2004. Results of 40-year simulations show that the lake continues to become warmer and more stable, and mixing is reduced. Possible changes in water quality because of global warming are discussed through inference, although these are not specifically simulated. Many existing problems may be exacerbated due to climate change, yet extreme uncertainty depends on the rate and magnitude of climate change. Therefore, shifts in water quality and quantity due to climate change should be integrated into contemporary planning and management in an adaptive manner, and the research and development of impact assessment methodology should focus on approaches that can handle extreme uncertainty. The general alternatives for lake management due to climate change are discussed. Depending on the specific case, further intensive research is suggested to restore lake water quality.     

Quality of currently available methodology for monitoring viruses in the environment

A variety of methods have been proposed, developed, and evaluated for detecting viruses, especially human enteric viruses, in water, wastewater, and other environmental samples, and continued developments and improvements have led to simpler and more reliable methodology. However, the use of currently available methods is still limited primarily to special circumstances, such as investigation of waterborne disease outbreaks, research studies on virus reductions by water and wastewater treatment processes and systems, especially reuse systems, and research monitoring and surveying of natural and treated waters. Widespread and routine virus monitoring is still not possible due to technical limitations and deficiencies of present detection methods and their relatively high cost. Although continued development of new methods and further improvement of existing methods is desirable, it is perhaps more important that current methods be systematically evaluated in carefully designed collaborative (round-robin) studies and quality assurance tests. Until virus detection methods are further improved and systematically evaluated, the establishment of virus standards for such materials as water and edible shellfish requiring routine monitoring appears to be unjustified.