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Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12

www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro

Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable

electro-electronic equipments
E.R. Platcheck a,*, L. Schaeffer a, W. Kindlein Jr. b,1, L.H.A. C~andido b,1
a
Laboratory of Mechanical Transformation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500,
Caixa Postal 15.021, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
b
Laboratory of Design and Materials Selection, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Osvaldo Aranha 99/604,
90035-190 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Received 11 August 2006; received in revised form 18 September 2006; accepted 27 October 2006

Abstract

The methodologies are fundamental in the design process, tracing guidelines for the new products development. In this sense, the present
work ‘‘Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments’’ considers the application of a meth-
odology with emphasis in the Design for Environment.
Ó 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords: Industrial design; Methodology; Sustainable development

1. Introduction be questioned once it is very comfortable to pass on the prob-

The development of electro-electronic equipments and sus-
tainability are a recent combination of conditions that come
from the recognition of the importance that the design, the
production, the material selection, the kind of product, the
use and the final disposal have on the environment. That posi-
tion can perform an important guideline in the marketing and
in the design of these equipments, becoming necessary in or-
der to establish approaches and to develop methodologies for
design of more sustainable products. There are many defini-
tions of sustainable development, including this landmark
one which first appeared in 1987: ‘‘Development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs’’ (the World Com-
mission on Environment and Development’s e the Brundtland
Commission). Here we can point out that this concept should
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ55 51 30234652; fax: þ55 51 3316 6134.
E-mail addresses: erplatcheck@yahoo.com.br (E.R. Platcheck), schaefer@
ufrgs.br (L. Schaeffer).
1
Tel./fax: þ55 51 33163349.
lem for the future generations because, even today, we already
are suffering directly the problem of the non-sustainability. It
is enough to remember the enormous accumulations of waste
of the great metropolises, the greenhouse effect, the mana-
ntiales pollution, etc. So, the goal of Designers and Engineers
should be to maximize this sustainability value, minimizing
the negative environmental impacts of the product. Thus, it
is necessary to review the creation process of products and ser-
vices of electro-electronic industry in the phase of generation
of ideas. Therefore, if the concepts of sustainability are in-
serted in the first stages of the process, we will have the oppor-
tunity to maximize the global sum of the environmental values
since the beginning of the project, in a preventive way [1].
To take that posture involves a matter of obligations with
a lot of considerations that may be judged. The process of sus-
tainability can be observed in Fig. 1, which should satisfy not
only the consumer and the society but also the shareholders
and the managers, improving global life quality in whole man-
ufacture process and product lifecycle.
In fact, all products affect the environment in larger or
lesser degree in the several stages of lifecycle, that can be

0959-6526/$ - see front matter Ó 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006

Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
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2 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12
Fig. 1. Process of sustainability [2].
translated in pollution of the air, water and soil; in emissions
and residues and eventually also in disastrous effects for hu-
man health [3]. The products from the electro-electronic in-
dustry are largely consumed by the population, which does
not hesitate in discarding the old one to acquire a new model.
Nowadays, these products do not take into account the envi-
ronmental variables in their projects, hindering, or even dis-
abling, the maintenance and the separation of their materials.
To wait for the end of the project to think in the environ-
ment and to apply exclusively the technologies of end-
of-pipe, in detriment of the advantages of prevention and their
management instruments, is a mistaken vision and take to one
way e the non-sustainability e that is precisely what we have
today. The improvement of ecological efficiency of the prod-
ucts will become more and more a dynamic parameter for
the industries competitiveness. Thus, the contribution to de-
crease the environmental impacts is the prevention. That is
clearly justified, with the essential and original contribution
of the Design, since it is in the project conception stage where
is decided the main environmental characteristics of the prod-
uct and the impacts along the lifecycle.
The product design in electro-electronic industry can in fact
perform an important role in the industry sustained competi-
tiveness when emphasizing the progressive change from the
controls of end-of-pipe to preventive strategies in the initial
stages of the project and the use of technologies of cleaner
production.
Looking this scenery, this article proposes a methodology
of development of sustainable electro-electronic products,
where the environmental factors are taken in consideration
from the conception of the idea to the final product, going
through all the project stages and production. This methodol-
ogy seeks the Cleaner Production through concepts as Design
for Maintenance (DfM), Design for Assembly (DfA) and De-
sign for Disassembly (DfD).
With the introduction of this methodology, the companies
can be benefited not only with current fiscal incentives but
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
also with the reduction of the environmental impacts in the
processes of raw material extraction and the reduction of ma-
terials and components, thus decreasing the diversity of sup-
pliers. This minimizes the costs of production reducing the
final price of the product.
2. Review of the current methodologies
The methodologies of product development are essential
tools in such a competitive and restrict market. Those method-
ologies are fundamental in the design process since they trace
guidelines for the development of products and are character-
ized by studies of principles and procedures strongly guided.
The speed and the dynamics imposed by the market can
come from customers, competitors or the industry. It demands
a great flexibility. The technology minimized the time of a
product development, but the necessary research to know the
customer’s and manager’s desires is still made, in its great
part, by the designer intuition.
To help in the product development, many authors proposed
different methods. The review in this article contemplates au-
thors mainly with larger prominence in the academia.
Bomfim [4] affirms that a methodology is necessary due to
the growing complexity of the variables involved in a project
and suggests a model, presenting five mainly points that deter-
mine the development of this project, such as the Designer, the
Company, the Consumer, the Society as Institution determin-
ing the economic politics and the Product which represents
the needs of the producing and consuming market. Also, he
still points out that methods are tools used in the development
of a product and they always depend on the technical and cre-
ative capacity of who uses them.
Abramovitz [5] underlines the need to specify goals, re-
quirements and restrictions of the project, the determination
of dates to execute those stages. He turns the application of
the methodology as an instrument guiding, and defines the re-
sult of that application as the safest road in the development of
a product.
Baxter [6] prioritizes the market issues when says that the
innovation is a vital ingredient for business success, where
the planning including identification of an opportunity, mar-
keting research, analysis of the competitive products, proposal
of the new product, elaboration of the opportunity specifica-
tions and the specification of the project. These are fundamen-
tal inquiries to front the industrial competition as innovative
managerial strategy, proposing reduction of costs and creation
of an identity or style in the product.
Bittencourt [7] emphasizes that the product project begins
with the establishment of a problem, whose more common ex-
pression is a group of people’s needs that are linked with the
present problem, identifying that the re-project of a product
can be applied in the solution of a market need and that it
can appear in any stage of this product lifecycle. His method-
ology could be applied in technical improvements, market de-
mand, of safety or legal effects. Furthermore, the author
affirms that the objective of the studies on the process of prod-
uct project is to formalize a knowledge base that aids the
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E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12 3

Selection of the best system

designers in the execution of their activities. A portion of this

Definition of the problem

study involves the establishment of methodologies of product

5R’s (to rethink, to return,

not consider the concepts of to reduce, to reuse and to
Analysis of the system

sustainable development
Planning of the action

The author concerns the

recycle) but it does not

Values of the system
project.

describe as developing
products seeking the
Roosemburg and Eekels [8] affirms that the process of
Design is the conception of a specific way of problem solution,

Roozemburg
and describes the following stages of his methodology: Defini-
tion of the problem; Values of the system; Synthesis of the sys-
tem; Analysis of the system; Selection of the best system; and

-
-
-
-
-
Planning of the action. Here System is understood as the prod-
uct proposal where Designer should elaborate goals to be

creation process but does

sustainable development
The author concerns the
reached in each development stage.

- Final analysis of the

- Preliminary project
Löbach [9] affirms that the whole process of Design is both

and generation of
- Problematization

- Accomplishment
- Definition of the
a creative process and a process of problem solution material-

alternatives
ized in an industrial project. This process can incorporate the

- Analysis

problem

solution
characteristics that can satisfy the human needs in a durable

Bonsiepe
way, being able to develop in an extremely complex way de-
pending on the magnitude of the problem. He divides the pro-
cess in four different phases: Analysis of the Problem;

satisfaction of the needs

The author suggests some

aspects of the sustainable
Informational re-project - Creation of the product

development as the reuse

- Use of the product and

of parts or of the whole

Generation of Alternatives; Evaluation of Alternatives; and

- Production process

raw materials before

and the recycling of
Accomplishment of Problem Solution. Although these phases

the final disposal

are never separable in a real case, they are intertwined each
other with progresses and retrocessions during the project
process.

Bomfim
Back [10] affirms that the phases of an industrial product
project can be established in different ways with more or
less details, and determines the following main points: Study

Preliminary re-project
Conceptual re-project

instead of creating new

of project viability; Preliminary project; Detailed project; Re-

Detailed re-project

products seeking the

Documentation of

of current products
vision and tests; Planning of production; Planning of market;

Methodology only

sustainable values
for the re-project
the re-project
Planning for consumption and maintenance; and Planning of
obsolescence. The author has a global vision of the process
Bittencourt

that involves the methodology and which points have larger

or smaller impact in the development of the product and he un-
-
-
-
-
-

derlines that the cost of developing, producing and selling is

Analysis of the competition

a determinant in product lifecycle.

Proposal of a new product

of sustainable development
Identification of a need

Bonsiepe [11] concludes that the methodology does not

Research of marketing

- Project specifications
Specifications of the

have purpose in itself, it is only a single help in the projetual consider the concepts
The author does not

process, giving an orientation in the procedure of the process

and offering techniques and methods that can be used in cer-
opportunity

tain stages. In that way, he says that the Designers should

have the control and the decision of which is the best alterna-
Baxter

tive to be invested.
-
-
-
-
-

Although, each author has developed an own methodology,

of materials and sub-systems
Planning the consumption

simplification and reduction

there are topics that are inherent to all of them as, for example,
The author considers some
Planning the production

the research of the users’ needs as shown in Table 1, where the

Planning the market
Reviewing and tests
Preliminary project
Study of viabilities

concepts sustainable

researched methodologies are compared. Even so, those needs

and maintenance
Comparison of the more used methodologies

Detailed project

development like
Review of the main current methodologies

go beyond the simple use of the product during its shelf life. In
those methodologies, the reduction of raw materials, compo-
nents and sub-systems, the reuse of parts or of the whole
through the maintenance and repairs, and the recycling mainly
Back

of materials, the 5R’s (to rethink, to return, to reduce, to reuse

-
-
-
-
-
-
-

and to recycle), are concepts that should be, but are not
consider the concepts
- Development stage

strongly taken in consideration for the development of

The author does not

a more sustainable product.

- Analytic stage

of sustainable
development

The analysis of each author concludes that such methodol-

Abramovitz
- Planning

ogies are of highest importance for the development of new

Table 1

products or the re-adaptation of the existent ones. Even so,

new products are being projected without the sustainable
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
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4 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12
variables, and then, it is necessary to include them. It is known
that the investment in new products has a high cost for the
companies that develop them, mainly the ones that are pioneer
in realising them and have to minimize risks of investing in
products that can have a return below the expected. Thus,
the choice of the ideal methodology for each situation should
be defined in parallel to the study of viability of the project.
It should be verified which are the objectives or the goals to
be reached and the forecast of the investment to be applied.
The company can give emphasis to EcoDesign and, therefore,
should use a methodology that evaluates these concepts from
the creation to the recycling of the product. According to San-
tos [12], EcoDesign is a holistic view in that, starting from the
moment we know the environmental problems and its causes,
we begin to influence the conception, the materials selection,
the production, the use, the reuse, the recycling and final dis-
position of industrial products.
Some authors as, for example, Back [10] and Bittencourt
[7] suggest that product lifecycle is analyzed with the proposal
to seek the sustainable concept or re-project. But it is not an-
alyzed, in their methodologies, how to project focusing Eco-
Design, that are characterized by the concepts of Design for
Disassembly (DfD) which facilitate the reuse, the remanufac-
ture and the recycling or even the maintenance of the product
due to the development and the application of systems that
seek the separation of the materials for types or composition,
minimizing the environmental impact, reducing production
costs and allowing the companies a competitive differential
in a market that each day emphasis more the environmental
protection.
The sustainable development has been assuming a funda-
mental role in the world context because the capacity to ex-
tract raw materials of the nature is being drained in an
accelerated rhythm. Like this, the use of techniques of product
development should contain in its basis items that facilitate the
creation of products established on EcoDesign, guaranteeing
the minimum environmental impact.
According to Turra [13], EcoDesign is an ecological way of
product development that can translate in project for environ-
ment. This methodology is becoming a fundamental ally for
the technological innovation of environmental responsibility;
its possibilities are being considered vital for the warranty of
the sustainable development and for the reduction of the envi-
ronmental impact of new products. Thus, EcoDesign has its ef-
fective range in the creation of new concepts and in the arising
of new consumption patterns. It integrates the environmental
issues in the industrial design relating what is technically pos-
sible with what is ecologically necessary and socially accept-
able, face to the growing perception of the needs of
safeguarding the environment in a context of sustainable de-
velopment, that is, to assist to the needs without committing
the current and future generation.
3. Rising in screen centers
Here is shown a panorama of the visits to the dry waste
screen centers of the Metropolitan Area of Porto Alegre,
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
Brazil, and the discarded products from electro-electronic in-
dustry that do not fit the concepts of EcoDesign.
The selective waste collection is the most common way for
minimizing the residues in the metropolitan areas. In spite of
the high costs, the activity contributes to the reduction of the
residues that arrives to the urban waste landfill, for the citi-
zens’ formation, for the generation of jobs, for the reduction
of the raw material consumption no-renewed and for the im-
pact caused by no-biodegradable residues. The selective waste
collection is a stage between the separation of materials and
the reuse, remanufacture or recycling process.
On the screen centers, were found many electro-electronic
products which disassembly is not possible as shown in Fig. 2.
Among the discarded electro-electronic products, were
found both small and large appliances, composed of different
materials, mainly polymeric, metallic and composites. Those
materials are difficult to separate, disabling the economically
viable recycling of the materials. It was observed televisions
with wooden, metallic and polymeric parts that show immense
difficulties to be separated and recycled. The electric and elec-
tronic components are practically inseparable. It was also ob-
served small appliances as electric coffeemakers, telephones,
hair dryers where, in their conception processes, was not taken
in consideration the disassembly for use of its parts.
In general, even the products that facilitate partial disas-
sembly, there is a high demand of time for such as well as
lack of appropriate tools. In large appliances as refrigerators,
the careenage made of steel, after great difficulty, can be re-
moved and destined to recycling with other pieces of steel.
In this way, the irons await an attempt of dismounting. In
case, the computers’ parts, videos, televisions, etc., that are
in use conditions, can be repaired and reused, otherwise, are
classified as residue no-recyclable for the difficulty of replace-
ment of pieces and/or for the impossibility of separation of
systems and sub-systems that compose the product. For
more inconceivable than seems, great part of those products
is discarded in the own screen center waste.
The so-called ‘‘digital waste’’, composed of computers’
displays, printers and keyboards also accumulates for the
lack of appropriate tools and for the training to disassemble
them, but mainly for the difficulty of separation of sub-
systems that were fixed overlap when of the project of the
product.
In all the visited screen centers, it is noticed a great amount
of discarded products originated from the electro-electronic
industry, many in good state, needing just some repairs.
Some of those products were repaired and reused by the
own community of the screen pavilions. On the other hand,
many of the products that are not utilized again for that com-
munity are of difficult disassembly for the absence of an initial
project seeking this end (Design for Disassembly e DfD) and
also for the diversity of materials whose production process
disables the separation of them.
Thus, it is interesting to observe that the own people that
make the screen get to repair some products. These people
do not have appropriate tools as well as they do not receive
training and, even so, they get to fulfil repairs and maintenance
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
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E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12 5

Fig. 2. Electro-electronic products found in the visited screen centers.

in some products. It is a good indicative that it is possible to do
remanufacture of great part of the products nowadays dis-
carded since improved the infrastructure conditions as well
as the training of human resources. Of course, if the product
project is guided inside the precepts of EcoDesign, there
will be many possibilities of developing more sustainable
products.
In this sense, Designers, Engineers, Architects and other
Planners must adopt new methodologies for the development
of products that attend to the requirements of the sustainability
through a new project conception.
4. Proposal of a methodology for conception of
electro-electronic equipments with the view of ecodesign
The development of industrial products is a process of syn-
thesis that require multidisciplinary workgroups and teams,
where the different characteristics of a product like costs, usabil-
ity, viability of production, safety and consumption are simulta-
neously considered. Thus, that product development improves
continuously according to a spiral of activities e design, project,
manufacture and market decisions e in the way to the com-
mercialization based on inter and multidisciplinary work,
in all stages, of that fundamentally iterative process. The
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
implementation of this type of approach has been providing
to many companies to reduce substantially the duration of prod-
uct lifecycle and to provide economy of costs maximizing the
quality and the performance of industrial products.
The Methodology of EcoDesign for the Development of
Sustainable Products proposed in this article has the goal to
produce important changes in environment, society and econ-
omy, where the efforts are well succeed. Thus, Designers
should assimilate a new way to project, according to Santos
[12], based not only in the market, but guided by the triple vi-
sion that joins economic growth, environment quality and so-
cial equality. The use of methodological models based on this
vision demands a foundation that goes beyond the environ-
mental problems caused by the product to be projected. It is
necessary to think in a holistic way, considering the ethical,
social and environmental subjects involved in the product,
and to identify the best innovation opportunities.
Here, a methodology is presented, composed of four differ-
ent phases: (1) Briefing Phase; (2) Development Phase; (3)
Projectation Phase; and (4) Communication Phase. The envi-
ronmental variable was inserted in the methodology for the de-
velopment of industrial products in order to satisfy the subjects
that involve the environmental administration and the sustain-
able development.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
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6 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12
The Briefing Phase, Phase 1, is composed of different and
interlinked stages such as the client’s identification, the defini-
tion of the problem, the objectives and goals to be reached dur-
ing the projectation phase, the restrictions that will impede the
full satisfaction of these objectives and goals, the schedule, the
work program and the project costs. Fig. 3 shows the insertion
of environment variables in the Briefing Phase of the method-
ology of EcoDesign.
The definition of the problem is the recognition of the us-
er’s needs for the realization of the tasks involved in the
product performance. For such, it is important to answer the
six basic questions: WHAT is the problem/need? WHO has
the problem/need? HOW does the problem/need happen?
WHEN does the problem/need happen? WHERE does the
problem/need happen? WHY does the problem/need happen?
Those basic questions take to the realization of a pre-research,
an initial rising of data. In certain context, eventually, several
tendencies that correspond to one or more needs can be ob-
served. These tendencies, many times, are conflicting to one
another and, consequently, do not satisfy the needs. From
this, derives the concept of a PROBLEM. The problem (the
stating point for the project) results in the non-adaptation
between a system and its context or immediate environment
or between systems and sub-systems. This no-adaptation, or
disagreement situation, in its turn, is related to the fact that
certain needs are not being satisfied. That is to say the ob-
served system is not in balance. There is a lacuna between
what the system is and what it should be. Thus, we should con-
sider the several stages of the process such as the assembly of
this product during the production process considering the
concepts of Design for Assembly (DfA), the maintenance of
the product (Design for Maintenance e DfM) increasing its
shelf life, and, at the same time, in the final discard (Design
for Disassembly e DfD) in order to separate materials and
Fig. 3. Insertion of EcoDesign variables in the briefing stage of the methodology proposed.
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
sub-systems seeking their recycling/reuse. This implicates
that the needs of the user are more than the simple use of
the product, going by the replacement of pieces and sub-
systems, and the final disassembling for recycling.
The goals are declarations that indicate objectives and
actions to be reached with the project. Thus, environmental
factors should be included as goals of a project of EcoDesign
as the reduction of the environment impact caused by the
extraction and transformation of raw material, the production
and transformation processes, the use or discard of the final
product.
The restrictions of the project are declarations that indicate
limitations in the projectation phase, setting positions that
should be maintained and respected. They are no-controlled
variable related to the project problem. Environmental factors
are considered in this phase as well as the product discard at
the end of lifecycle, the discard of raw material residues dur-
ing the production process and the consumption of energy dur-
ing its use.
The Development Phase, Phase 2, is the analytical phase
for data input for the projectation process, where, instead of
looking for immediate solutions for the problems described
in the previous phase, it is made an analysis of the situation
and how the problems and needs are solved nowadays. This
phase is a rising of state of art, where resources are used as
photographic registrations, videos, interviews, surveys, re-
ports, studies, collection of articles, publications, etc., in order
to take knowledge of the important points, from how the prob-
lems are solved in the current situation to the possibilities of
mechanical systems, materials and/or control systems that
can be added in the final solution.
The insertion of the environmental variables in the develop-
ment phase is shown in Fig. 4. In the productive processes of
the current similar products, it should be considered not only
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E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12 7

Fig. 4. Insertion of EcoDesign variables in the development stage of the methodology proposed.

the production and transformation processes, assembly line,
administrative and technical aspects of the manufacture, but
also the consumption of water and energy; the origins of
raw materials; the types of generated residues and the destiny
of these.
For such, it is usual to make an analysis of the similars of
the problem, the product similars and the function similars.
For product similar is understood all the other existent indus-
trial or handmade products in the market that have the same
characteristics, accomplish the same functions and, mainly, as-
sist partly or totally the requirements listed in the problemat-
ization. For function similar is understood all the other
industrial or handmade products, existent in the market, that
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006
assist the same functions, not being necessarily the same
product. This analysis consists in decomposing in parts the
similar product in order to examine each one in relation to
the whole, seeking to know its nature, functions, relationships,
etc. The analysis of similars is composed of seven stages:
historical analysis, structural analysis, functional analysis,
ergonomic analysis, morphologic analysis, market analysis
and technical analysis, as shown in Table 2.
Still in this phase of the project, it is in the analysis of sim-
ilar that the method is restructured. When a similar is ana-
lyzed, besides all the structural, functional, ergonomic and
marketing aspects, the methodology proposes the inclusions
of the ecological aspects as follows: the analysis of lifecycle,
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8 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12
Table 2
Stages of similar analysis
Stages Procedures
Historical analysis Chronological evolution of the electro-electronic
product.
Structural analysis With which components the electro-electronic
product is composed?
Functional analysis How does the electro-electronic product work
physical-technically?
Ergonomic analysis Who is the user? Where is the product used?
What does the user think about the
electro-electronic product and its use?
What activities does the user fulfil in the task?
Which the postures that the user assumes?
Optimum adaptation between electro-electronic
product and user as acceptable limits for noise,
temperature, illumination, fatigue, weight, posture
aspects, handling, visibility, compatibility,
adaptation in the interface human-machine,
psychological aspects, etc.
Morphologic analysis Which are the existent aesthetic-formal
relationships in the electro-electronic product?
Market analysis Which is the demand of the electro-electronic
product, as well as its peculiar way of distribution?
Technical analysis Which materials and processes were used
for the production of the electro-electronic product?
assembly and disassembly aspects, packing and transportation,
recycling after the discard, generation of residues during the
shelf life, production processes, use of raw material and its
sources, generation/spending energy in the production process
as in the use of the product.
The Projectation Phase, Phase 3, is composed of different
stages that generally happen simultaneously: synthesis of the
state of art; generation of alternatives; and technical draws
of the final solution. Synthesis means composition or combi-
nation of parts or elements to produce a whole. In the synthesis
stage, the projetual parameters for the new product will be de-
termined, based on the analysis of similars and on the state of
art. Also in the synthesis stage the goals will be reviewed. In
the stage of alternatives production, the creativity should be
used to try to generate original solutions starting from a com-
position or combination of similars parts. So, the innovative
and inventive spirit of the Designer should try to act. For
such, creativity techniques are used as, for example, the brain-
storming method [14], the 635 method [11] and the three-
dimensional models [4]. In the stage of technical drawings,
all technical specifications for production will be determined
just like drawings, materials and production processes.
Fig. 5 shows the projectation phase where are refined the
main stages of EcoDesign for products development. It is in
this phase that the projectation of the product occurs through
the synthesis of the analyzed data. It should be specified and
detailed the ‘‘conception of design’’, made technical consulta-
tions, determining the dimension of parts and sub-systems, in-
dicating materials and processes for the production, making
ergonomic studies, determining finishing’s, etc., as well as de-
veloping engineering aspects: calculations, mechanisms, elec-
tro-electronics, forces, static and dynamic charges, defining
structures, surfaces and details of sub-systems junctions. It is
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also in this phase that technical drawings are developed, and
models and prototypes are built.
When the projetual parameters are determined, the Waves
of EcoDesign [15] are fundamental for a sustainable develop-
ment as: the selection of materials that result in less environ-
mental impact; the transportation system and the packing; the
consumption of energy, water and auxiliary materials as in the
production process or in the use of the final product; the prod-
uct lifecycle, the reuse, the reprocessing and the recycling of
the whole product or its parts.
In the technical drawings of the parts and pieces, it should
be observed the variables of production optimization, where
the consumption of energy can be reduced, the sub-products
can be reused and, consequently, the generated residues can
be minimized. The guidelines and rules of Design for Assem-
bly (DfA) should also be considered since they try to reduce
the amount and the diversity of components; to reduce the pro-
cesses; to optimize the handling, and mainly, to facilitate the
assembly of the pieces and parts. In the ergonomic recommen-
dations, it should be thought not only the final user, but also
the factory operator that acts in the production process, using
the precepts of Design for Assembly (DfA), Design for Disas-
sembly (DfD) and Design for Maintenance (DfM), that seek to
facilitate the reuse of pieces and components.
During the whole projectation process till the validation of
the prototype, the Concurrent Engineering should be used
[16], consisting of the execution, in parallel, of the several ac-
tivities stages, for opposition to the conventional way (Sequen-
tial). As basic characteristic of this application, the Concurrent
Engineering, lead to a decreasing of product development
time, because of the temporal parallelism of the activities,
added with the effective anticipation of project problems de-
tection. That would happen only in a late time with the em-
ployment of the Sequential Engineering, avoiding the loss of
time with the option of alternatives that would end revealing
themselves inadequate and also implying in the reduction of
development cost. Therefore, this holistic view proposed by
EcoDesign should be composed of three aspects: ‘‘economi-
cally viable’’, ‘‘environmental maintenance’’ and ‘‘social re-
sponsibility’’ that assume the same value when talking about
sustainable development. This holistic view finally takes to
a Design for Environment (DfE), since that in the moment
we know the environmental problems and their causes, we
start to influence in the conception, choice of materials, pro-
duction, use, reuse, recycling and final disposal of the product,
in what is technically possible and ecologically necessary.
The Communication Phase, Phase 4, is when data are com-
piled, and reports and visual supports are organized. It is con-
sidered a different phase due to the complexity and importance
for future projects.
5. A case study e Fish Tank Air Compressor
After the methodological subjects, it is shown how indis-
pensable is the application of this methodology to a real situ-
ation. An example of low complexity was looked for in order
to check the importance of the application of the Methodology
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E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12 9

Fig. 5. Insertion of EcoDesign variables in the projectation stage of the methodology proposed.

of EcoDesign for the Development of Sustainable Products
through the case study of a Fish Tank Air Compressor.
The project problem was the reduction of the environmen-
tal impacts after the shelf life of a Fish Tank Air Compressor
applying the methodology of EcoDesign. In general lines, this
problem can be translated as: decrease of lifecycle environ-
mental impacts of a Fish Tank Air Compressor. Starting
from the definition of the problem, the requirements of the
project can be traced such as reduction of components for as-
sembly and disassembly (DfA and DfD); reduction of the
union sub-systems; reduction of the diversity of raw material
involved in the manufacturing of sub-systems; and optimiza-
tion of the union systems seeking disassembly. Thus, in the
analysis of state of art, the study of product similar provides
the knowledge of the compressor performance, as shown in
Fig. 6.
It can be observed in the similars that the system of air
pump is fixed in the superior base in case of model A and in
the inferior base in case of model B (Fig. 7). In all the ana-
lyzed compressors, as shown in Fig. 8, the system of air
pump is composed of (1) an air collector group, (2) an oscil-
lating arm and (3) an electric-magnetic field reel. The air col-
lector group at its time is composed of a valve, a diaphragm
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
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and membranes that control the air. The oscillating arm, for
its time, is composed of a magnet and a tube.
During disassembly, it was noticed the great amount and di-
versity of screws as well as some union sub-systems like glue
that disables disassembly. The amount of components was also
observed since the air collector group needs two membranes
and the exaggerated thickness of the external box walls of
the compressors giving excess of raw material.
Thus, we began to project the new Fish Tank Air Compres-
sor using the tools proposals in the methodology of EcoDe-
sign, seeking modifications in the conception of the product
emphasizing the reduction of components without affecting
the functionality, assisting to technical, economic and environ-
ment approaches, as shown in Fig. 9.
The project included single components with functions that
were previously based on the assembly of two or more compo-
nents. It enabled the reduction of items and the application of
the pressure injection process to produce plastic items. The up-
per and lower bases are responsible for the compressor’s struc-
ture, positioning of internal components, protection of internal
components, and external appearance (esthetics) of the prod-
uct. Fixation systems were employed to these components
without the use of items such as screws, nuts or glue. One
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10 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12

Fig. 6. Fish Tank Air Compressor models A and B.

of the systems used for closing the lid is the so-called Snap-fit.
This system negates the need of screws to attach two parts. It
is worth emphasizing that the project proposed a new design
for the electric coil. In the other compressors this item is crit-
ical since it involves several materials and junction elements
that make disassemble a hard task to perform.
This new proposal of an air compressor for fish tank arose
from the principle of raw material waste reduction and im-
provement of processes. It is based on the analogy and analy-
sis of existing products available in the market. The main
concern here is the minimization of environmental impact
and industrial cost demanded by manufacturing process
through the utilization of compatible materials, the application
of the EcoDesign technique and, most of all, the reutilization of
components in order to increase cycle life and possibilities of
product recycling (Fig. 10).
When presenting this case, we conclude that such proce-
dures are essential to the development of new products. The
air compressor for fish tank, even in prototype phase, tends
to it minimizes the environmental impact once it uses the sus-
tainable concepts: the 5R’s e to rethink in the sustainability
before the conception of the products; to return parts, compo-
nents or the whole product for reuse or recycling; to reduce
raw material and components; to reuse sub-systems improving
disassembly and maintenance; and to recycle parts of the
product.
This air compressor was developed by Laboratory of
Design and Materials Selection at Federal University of Rio
Grande do Sul (LdSM/UFRGS) and won the first place at
ECODESIGN Award e FIESP/CIESP 2004 in Product Project
category.
6. Conclusions
After introducing this methodology, it can be concluded
that such procedures are essential for new products develop-
ment. It is known that the investment in research has an ele-
vated cost for the companies that develop them, mainly in
the point companies that are pioneer in their releases and
have to minimize the risk of investing in a product that can
have a return below the expected. With that, the choice of
the ideal methodology for each situation should be defined be-
fore the study of the project viability. It should be in mind,
which are the objectives or the goals to be reached, and an in-
vestment forecast of what will be applied. The company can
give emphasis to EcoDesign and, for that, should use a method-
ology that evaluates these concepts, from the creation to the
recycling and to the final disposal of product or its parts.
EcoDesign tends to minimize the environmental impacts, to
reduce production costs and to enable to the companies a com-
petitive differential in a market that, every day, gives more em-
phasis to the sustainable development, assuming, like this,

Fig. 7. Internal view of fish tank air compressor models A and B.

Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
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E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12
Fig. 8. Mechanism of fish tank air compressor model B.
a fundamental role in the world context, because the capacity
of raw materials extraction of the nature is becoming ex-
hausted in an accelerated rhythm. Thus, the use of techniques
of products development should contain, in its basis, items that
facilitate the creation of products with views to EcoDesign
guaranteeing, then, the minimum environmental impact.
That materialization basis of the sustainable development con-
cept has a gradual change, in a long term, from the current lin-
eal structures to more cyclical projectation and production,
and by the agreement upon to the EcoDesign and Cleaner
Production strategies.
To appropriate at this time that the companies mobility for
the intention of accomplishing the new manufacture in an eco-
logical conscious way is an intelligent strategy, because it is
not necessary to begin the motivation of the companies but,
simply, take advantage of the moment in that EcoDesign pro-
poses a new strategy for the products development, associated
with the system of environmental administration to the mate-
rials and production processes. Even so, the EcoDesign con-
cept is much more than a simple project variable. Due the
influence of the Design in the product conception and develop-
ment, it is necessary that this activity has social and environ-
mental responsibility with the creation of new products and the
sustainable development.
Fig. 9. Assembly of the proposed compressor and exploded view of components.
Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
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11
The professionals of Design as well as the managers should
be the main drivers of the changes in course and of the break
of paradigm of natural resources extraction to another more
developed and sustainable. That paradigms change should
happen as in the production processes as in the final products,
not just restricting to the execution of the laws, but, taking ad-
vantage of the benefits and opportunities that the environ-
mental protection can provide through the collaboration of
companies and, consequently, the growth of the production
of ecologically efficient products through the application of
EcoDesign, what certainly will bring benefits and opportuni-
ties to the companies. Inside that context, EcoDesign should
be assumed as a challenge that the companies, earlier or later,
will have to assume and, for which, they should get ready at
once.
This proposal of EcoDesign methodology here introduced
shows how essential those procedures are for the new products
development to the electro-electronic industry. With that, the
choice of the ideal methodology for each situation should be
defined in parallel to the study of project viability. It should
be in mind, which are the objectives or the goals to be reached
and an investment forecast of what will be applied. The com-
pany can give emphasis to EcoDesign and, for that, should use
a methodology that evaluates that concept from the creation to
the recycling and final discard of the product or of its parts.
Thus, taking in consideration the new European Normative
which makes the industry liable for the collection of its prod-
ucts at the end of shelf life, this methodology will allow better
materials selection and junction systems to optimize the reuse,
the remanufacture or the recycling of these products. In this
context, the companies can make agreements with coopera-
tives of screen centers offering training for the recovery parts
of the product in order to minimize costs of the process and of
the product. Engineers and Designers should project reducing
the number of components and increasing the common com-
ponents of the products.
The maintenance of life will only be possible with a respon-
sible industrial administration, where all involved in the pro-
cess will have obligations with the sustainability. Therefore,
this initiative of implementation of a macro vision of
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12 E.R. Platcheck et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xx (2006) 1e12

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Please cite this article in press as: Platcheck ER et al., Methodology of ecodesign for the development of more sustainable electro-electronic equipments, J Clean
Prod (2006), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.10.006