In the Loop – Sustainable, Circular Product Design and Critical Materials

Katherine Whalen; David Peck

doi:10.20965/ijat.2014.p0664

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IJAT Vol.8 No.5 pp. 664-676

doi: 10.20965/ijat.2014.p0664

(2014)

Paper:

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In the Loop – Sustainable, Circular Product Design and Critical Materials

Katherine Whalen and David Peck

Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft, the Netherlands

Received:

April 23, 2014

Accepted:

August 26, 2014

Published:

September 5, 2014

Keywords:

gaming, product design, scarce materials, rare earth elements, circular economy

Abstract

Globally there is increasing concern about a range of materials which have been termed critical materials. This paper defines critical materials as single elements, which are metals, at risk of supply constraints, financially costly, price volatile, deemed economically important and difficult to substitute as a result of their special or unique properties. These metals are used in engineering, technology applications, and product designs. They are widely used and of high value in the field of Automation Technologies. Previous studies have shown that awareness and understanding about critical materials in companies is low. This paper outlines a novel approach to address the company gap in knowledge through the development and testing of a specially developed serious game called ‘In the Loop: The Critical Raw Materials Game.’ Developed from prior research, company case studies, and literature, the game serves as a catalyst for informed discussion about the topic of critical materials. The results of the testing demonstrate the applicability of the approach to the automation technology field and present a roadmap going forwards.

Cite this article as:

K. Whalen and D. Peck, “In the Loop – Sustainable, Circular Product Design and Critical Materials,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.8 No.5, pp. 664-676, 2014.

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References

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This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] I. Moerland-Masic, “Critical Materials in the Netherlands – response from the technological industry,” Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2012.

[2] [2] M. Pellegrini (W.G. chair), “Report on Critical Raw Materials for the EU, Report of the Ad hoc Working Group on defining critical raw materials,” European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry, May 2014.

[3] [3] A. Greenfield and T. E. Graedel, “The omnivorous diet of modern technology,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol.74, pp. 1-7.

[4] [4] J. E. Tilton, “Depletion and the long-run Availability of Mineral Commodities,” Report published by IIED forWBCSD,Washington D.C., p. vi (preface), 2011.

[5] [5] S. Duclos, “GE Global Research Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology,” USA, Feb. 10, 2010.

[6] [6] J. Grantham, “Living on a finite planet (where no-one likes to hear bad news), published in The Future in Practice: The State of Sustainability Leadership 2012,” University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge, 2012.

[7] [7] M. Vroom, “Critical materials from a wind turbine industry perspective,” Sustainable Energy Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, p. 11, 2012.

[8] [8] R. Dobbs et al., “Resource revolution : meeting the world’s energy materials food and water needs,” McKinsey Global Institute, 2011.

[9] [9] B. Lee et al., “Resources Futures,” Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs), p. 59, 2012.

[10] [10] J. Kooroshy, “Rare Earths After the Hype: Current Situation and Key Trends,” presentation to 1^st Working Group Meetings of the European Rare Earths Competency Network (ERECON), Research Fellow – Energy, Environment and Resources Chatham House, Royal institute of Int. Affairs, Brussels, Oct. 23, 2013.

[11] [11] M. Catinat et al., “Critical Raw Materials for the EU – Report of the ad-hoc working group on defining critical raw materials,” Brussels, Belgium, EU, p. 43, 2010.

[12] [12] CRM InnoNet, “Poster highlighting the progress of CRM InnoNet over the last year,” Apr. 2014,
http://www.criticalrawmaterials.eu/documents/ [accessed on July 2014].

[13] [13] K. Shiojiri, “Towards New Model on Efficient Management of Critical Materials,” Opening remarks at the Third Trilateral EU-USJapan Conference on Critical Materials, Brussels, Belgium, May 2013.

[14] [14] C. Candelise, M. Winskel, and R. Gross, “Implications for CdTe and CIGS technologies production costs of indium and tellurium scarcity,” Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol.20, Issue 6, pp. 816-831, 2012.

[15] [15] C. Evans et al., “A sustainable materials management case study: critical metals and mobile devices,” 2011, http://www.oecd.org/env/waste/ [accessed on Jul. 2013]

[16] [16] B. K. Meyer and P. J. Klar, “Sustainability and renewable energies – a critical look at photovoltaics,” Phys. Status Solidi RRL, Vol.5, Issue 9, pp. 318-323, 2011.

[17] [17] F. Melcher and H.Wilken, “Die Verfügbarkeit von Hochtechnologie – Rohstoffen,” Chemie in unserer Zeit, Vol.47, Issue 1, pp. 32-49, 2013.

[18] [18] B. Buijs, H.Sievers and L. A. T. Espinoza, “Limits to the critical raw materials approach,” Proc. of the ICE-Waste and Resource Management, Vol.165, Issue 4, pp. 201-208, 2012.

[19] [19] S.Massari and M. Ruberti, “Rare earth elements as critical raw materials: Focus on international markets and future strategies,” Resources Policy, Vol.38, Issue 1, pp. 36-43, 2013.

[20] [20] T. E. Graedel et al., “On the materials basis of modern society,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 2013.

[21] [21] M. Buchert, D. Schüler, and D. Bleher, “Critical metals for future sustainable technologies and their recycling potential,” UNEP, Freiburg, Öko-Institut, 2009.

[22] [22] Y. Nomaguchi et al., “Study on Knowledge-Based Product Design Framework for Facilitating the Interaction of Model Based Development and Prototyping,” Int. J. of Automation Technology, Vol.8, No.3, 2014.

[23] [23] M. Fargnoli, “Design Process Optimization for EcoDesign,” Int. J. of Automation Technology, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 33-39, 2009.

[24] [24] E. Kunii et al., “Proposal of Consistency Management Method Between Product and its Life Cycle for Supporting Life Cycle Design,” Int. J. of Automation Technology, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 272-278, 2012.

[25] [25] H. Wouters and D. Bol, “Materials Scarcity,” Stichting Materials Innovation Institute (M2i), The Netherlands, 2009.

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[29] [29] A. Kohler, C. Bakker, and D. Peck, “Critical materials: a reason for sustainable education of industrial designers and engineers,” European J. of Engineering Education, Vol.38, Issue 4, pp. 441-451, 2013.

[30] [30] H. Schoolderman and R. Mathlener, “Minerals and metals scarcity in manufacturing: the ticking timebomb,” Sustainable Materials Management, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, The Netherlands, 2011.

[31] [31] D. Bol and T. Bastein. “Kritische materialen en de Nederlandse technologische industrie,” Stichting Materials Innovation Institute (M2i) and TNO, The Netherlands, 2012.

[32] [32] K. Dewulf, “Play it forward, A game-based tool for Sustainable Product and Business Model Innovation in the Fuzzy Front End,” Paper presented at the Knowledge Collaboration & Learning for Sustainable Innovation, ERSCP-EMSU conf., Delft, 2010.

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