Verso un metodo ingegneristico per includere i tre pilastri della sostenibilità e della circolarità nella progettazione di prodotti meccatronici

The escalating awareness of environmental and social responsibility, coupled with an increasing consumer demand for sustainable products, presents a profound shift in the dynamics of product design. Concurrently, movements like Zero Waste Europe, or Right to Repair have empowered consumers to advocate for a circular economy, urging the removal of barriers that inhibit product repair and promote longer product lifespans. The confluence of heightened consumer expectations and evolving European political priorities has prompted an urgent need to address sustainability and circularity in the design of mechatronic products. A holistic approach that considers the environmental, economic, and social dimensions across the whole lifecycle of a product is essential. This research work endeavours to develop an eco-design methodology that incorporates sustainability – encompassing its three pillars – and circularity principles into the design of mechatronic products, culminating in a comprehensive sustainability index for each analysed product. This methodology integrates environmental, economic, social, and circular indicators to guide the sustainable design of mechatronic goods. The methodology is divided into five primary phases, ranging from product classification to life cycle engineering, sustainability index assessment, implementation of eco-design methodologies, and final report production. Each phase is meticulously designed to provide designers with actionable insights for enhancing sustainability. The applicability of this methodology is substantiated through two compelling case studies within the mechatronic product family (i.e., household appliances). In the case of an electric oven, the methodology revealed that the social dimension presented the greatest challenge, with the methodology’s stringent evaluation standards posing a hurdle. Furthermore, the environmental and economic indicators fell below acceptable thresholds. The application of the methodology resulted in a remarkable 32% enhancement in the overall sustainability of the oven. Specifically, the social aspect was ameliorated by ensuring workers’ rights and freedoms were upheld throughout the supply chain. The environmental and economic indicators also saw substantial improvements. In the case of the cooker hood, the focus was put in the environmental aspect, followed by the economic one. Through the methodology, those dimensions were addressed, and eco-design actions were focused on improving the product’s efficiency during its use. By replacing the motor and optimizing manufacturing and other eco-design actions, the cooker hood’s sustainability index increased by a remarkable 39%. This clearly demonstrates the substantial impact that eco-design measures can have on the sustainability of mechatronic products. Additionally, this research work proposes developing a sustainability label that would empower customers by giving them clear, understandable information about the effects of a product at every stage of its lifecycle. With the help of this label, which rates products from A to G, consumers can make well-informed choices based on social, economic, environmental, and circular factors. The research further identifies areas for future work, including the integration of detailed data from Digital Product Passport (DPP) to enhance data reliability, the potential application of Machine Learning to streamline Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) phase, exploring the methodology’s extension to various product categories, and developing a software program to automate the methodology. In conclusion, this research work addresses the comprehensive dimensions of sustainability and circularity, promoting the application of eco-design methodologies and contributing to the ongoing paradigm shift towards more environmentally responsible and sustainable product design.