Title: Total performance design of product life cycle considering future uncertainties

Authors: Shinsuke Kondoh, Nozomu Mishima, Keijiro Masui, Mitsutaka Matsumoto

Addresses: Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing Group, Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tsukuba East, 1-2-1, Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8564, Japan. ' Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing Group, Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tsukuba East, 1-2-1, Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8564, Japan. ' Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing Group, Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tsukuba East, 1-2-1, Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8564, Japan. ' Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing Group, Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tsukuba East, 1-2-1, Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8564, Japan

Abstract: Product life cycle design has gained increasing interest in recent years due to growing concerns about environmental problems. In general, there exist significant uncertainties (e.g., operating conditions, user preference, post-consumer product collection rate, etc.) in the product life cycle, requiring a design method that is robust and tolerant against these uncertainties. To this end, this paper discusses design strategies for products and their life cycle to enhance total performance as a defence measure. Based on the discussion, a robust design method is proposed for maximising environmental and economic performance for the product life cycle. The effectiveness and feasibility of this method are demonstrated through a simple example of laptop computers.

Keywords: product life cycle; future uncertainties; robust design; total performance; Taguchi methods; environmental load; product value; life cycle cost; LCC; life cycle options; LCOPs; reuse; recycling; product design; sustainable design; ecodesign; laptop computers; computer design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDE.2009.030176

International Journal of Design Engineering, 2009 Vol.2 No.3, pp.278 - 298

Published online: 11 Dec 2009 *

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