Waste reduction

What should be considered when selecting materials for a product?

• Material properties

• Manufacturing processes

• Form and standard sizes

• Cost and availability

• Sustainability

How does the suitability of materials and processes change with the scale of production?

Handmade products avoid high set-up costs

CNC and CAD/CAM processes are ideal for flexible manufacture while maintaining accuracy

FINISH FROM TEAMS

How do we ensure economic use of materials?

Designs are developed to use materials economically without compromising performance.

How can waste be reduced during the cutting process?

Through the careful layout of parts using nesting or tessellation

CAD/CAM allows parts to be laid out to make optimal use of materials

The shape or size of a design may be modified to make the best use of standard materials

How do manufacturers benefit from the use of stock forms and standard sizing?

Their designs are developed to maximise output from standard sizing.

How does structural integrity relate to economical material use?

Key pressure points can be reinforced with ridges and fins so the overall wall thickness and weight can be reduced

Older materials are substituted for those with superior strength and properties

How do miniaturisation and dematerialisation help with economisation of materials?

Developments in microelectronics enable products to reduce in size

First mobile phones weighed kilos

Smaller components mean less material is required to house them

How can products be designed with their own waste streams in mind?

Waste materials and faulty parts can be recycled and reprocessed in-house

Products can be developed to encourage reuse

Design for disassembly makes products easier to fix and recycle5