Sustainable Manufacturing and Design: Concepts, Practices and Needs

TLDR

Sustainability in manufacturing and design requires tools such as design for environment and life‑cycle assessment, and is expected to become a key priority shaping future operations and technologies. The study investigates the importance of integrating sustainability with manufacturing and design to improve competitiveness, profitability, and productivity, and calls for further research and collaboration to advance technology transfer. Companies that adopt a sustainability focus and build a sustainability culture are more likely to succeed in enhancing design and manufacturing.

Abstract

An investigation is reported on the importance of integrating sustainability with manufacturing and design, along with other objectives such as function, competitiveness, profitability and productivity. The need of utilizing appropriate tools like design for environment, life cycle assessment and other environmentally sound practices that are cognizant of the entire life cycle of a process or product is highlighted. It is likely that sustainability and environmental stewardship will be increasingly important considerations in manufacturing and design in the future and are likely to influence the main priorities for advancing manufacturing operations and technologies. Designers and manufacturing decision makers who adopt a sustainability focus and establish a sustainability culture within companies are more likely to be successful in enhancing design and manufacturing. It is concluded that more extensive research and collaboration is needed to improve understanding of sustainability in manufacturing and design, and to enhance technology transfer and applications of sustainability.