DLR Group

Thirty years ago, technology that required any sort of electronics was new to most people. Personal computers were a quirky luxury, cell phones, for the most part, were still giant bricks with incredibly short battery life and only capable of making phone calls, and no one was aware of this thing called the World Wide Web outside of universities or the Government. Ten years ago, you could barely book a plane ticket, rent a car, or watch any real video on demand. On the manufacturing side, automation and integration of technology was mostly limited to simple machine language and process controls running rudimentary robotics. Today, technology is moving data at petaflops per second coupled with machine learning, advanced AI, and automation over networks that would have made past generations dizzy with wonder and it keeps growing exponentially.

With this explosion of electronics integration into everyday technologies and manufacturing processes, we have generated not only amazing solutions to a multitude of problems, but unfortunately, generated an increasing problem of E-Waste, of which over 50-million tons and growing in the US and Europe are generated each year with only about 20% being recycled.  Additionally, the resources to produce these technologies that keep our economy humming are finite and shrinking as raw materials. 

The recent chip shortage left many industries in the lurch scrambling for anything they could get their hands on, slowing or stopping production, or having to delay shipping and sales severely impacting revenues. One such industry that was hit hard was the consumer electronics industry fueled by a global pandemic that created unprecedented demand for technology that could accommodate remote work and keep us entertained but could not keep up with that demand over materials shortages and long lead times. Having recently attended one of the largest technology trade shows in the US, InfoComm; most manufacturers expressed reluctance at promising shipping dates of products as they are still playing catch up do to shortages in materials and chips. Many also had stymied innovation and new product releases as they were still working to fill new orders and revenues were either flat or decreased from lower-than-expected sales ability (not demand), hindering R&D budgets and new product development.

To combat this problem, the concept of 360-degree life-cycle manufacturing has emerged as a promising solution. This concept is a comprehensive approach to improving the resource pipeline by finding ways to reduce waste, harness new materials that are better for the environment and more sustainable against disruptions, as well as improve overall product efficiencies and life cycles. 360 Life-cycle manufacturing is a comprehensive approach that looks at cradle-to-grave of a product and how it can have the minimal impact on the environment and resources while improving upon its use and functionality and longevity with responsible end-of-life management.

“Creating a solid look at the longevity of a product is a fundamental principle of a 360 approach.”

Many manufacturers have taken on the task of lean manufacturing (Six Sigma) and lean management approaches which is a great start. However, too often this starts and ends at the dock door with focus being only on from the time the raw materials show up through when the product ships or hits the consumer’s doorstep. A true 360 approach goes beyond that by looking at the raw materials themselves, including sourcing, transportation and process of creating them.  From there, it looks at first, second, and even third life opportunities of the products after it leaves the manufacturing facility into end of life. Here is where we are in an exciting time, is that artificial intelligence can be a big asset in this. Leveraging AI to streamline sourcing, improve operations, reduce waste, and develop better strategies for what happens to the product once its useful life is done.

Creating a solid look at the longevity of a product is a fundamental principle of a 360 approach. Focusing on modular designs, durable materials, and repairability that can extend a products usefulness, improve the raw material pipelines, and reduce a products overall environmental impact. Additionally, this can create a secondary or tertiary market for a brand’s product by placing that brand in front of future potential customers that get to experience the product despite not being a first generation. Although this is not necessarily a new idea, it is typically third parties that foster this over the OEM disconnecting the end user from the OEM.  One such organization that helps in this is SAVe a Second Life. This organization is in the pro audiovisual industry and is part of the Sustainability in Audiovisual (SAVe.org) non-profit who has a mission to reduce e-waste in the AV industry. By working directly with manufacturers and end users to get useful products from a second owner, they keep E-waste out of landfills and develop those relationships for future product users. Additional economic opportunities exist, anticipated to be a global one trillion-dollar industry, is recycling, refurbishing, and extraction of end-of-life products. Environmentally it is sound but also creates job opportunities, revenue generations, and feeds that pipeline of raw materials. Partnerships with the OEM side of the equation helps to further that brand market, increase that brand’s reputation, and fuel’s a better supply chain for new product development and creation.

By adopting a 360-degree life-cycle manufacturing process, companies achieve several benefits including environmental conservation, economic opportunities, enhanced reputation, and improved materials access. Embracing this through collective effort can pave the way towards a more sustainable future for everyone.

Author Bio:

Raymond Kent is a senior design leader in the architecture and engineering market sector and has written and presented extensively on technology and sustainability for many market channels.  Additionally, Raymond serves on several board of directors that include technology sector manufacturers.