That’s good news – especially as interest in sustainable materials – and the ability to access a comprehensive, up-to-date sustainable materials database grows among the product design community.
This jointly developed sustainable materials design tool, which is intended to simplify the process for specifying suitable, safe and eco-friendly materials during the product design phase, is aimed at industrial designers, mechanical engineers and others seeking to create more sustainable products.
However, as noted in an earlier blog post on this topic, ultimately such technology could prove to be of tremendous value in not only helping companies to design more sustainable products, but to both anticipate and avoid the risks and penalties associated with the use of materials that might later be identified as hazardous or restricted, as well.
As noted in a related article on the subject, the software supports sustainable design by allowing designers to measure various environmental impacts of their design decisions - including carbon and energy consumption- and then making suggestions for comparable materials that would reduce the environmental impact of the design without compromising integrity.
This jointly developed sustainable materials design tool, which is intended to simplify the process for specifying suitable, safe and eco-friendly materials during the product design phase, is aimed at industrial designers, mechanical engineers and others seeking to create more sustainable products.
However, as noted in an earlier blog post on this topic, ultimately such technology could prove to be of tremendous value in not only helping companies to design more sustainable products, but to both anticipate and avoid the risks and penalties associated with the use of materials that might later be identified as hazardous or restricted, as well.
It’s all part of next-generation product design, a topic that is explored in greater detail in our upcoming research study, “Sustainability and the Product Lifecycle: A Report on the Opportunities, Challenges and Best Practices for Sustainable Product Design and Manufacturing.”
Do you have what it takes to design sustainable products? Or wish you did? Tell us more. By taking this short survey, you’ll be helping to shed light on this very important – and often highly debated – topic. Whether you’re a sustainability expert or just beginning your journey – your feedback is invaluable.
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