Ecodesign of mechanical components

Ecodesign is an approach to product (and packaging) design that minimizes the environmental impact of products of equal performance, throughout their life cycle, as part of a process of continuous improvement and controlled cost. In English, we speak of ecodesign or DFE (Design For Environment).

In practical terms, this means that the company will have to implement design actions that take the environment into account.

Mechanical engineering products, like all products, have an impact on the environment at every stage of their life cycle:

• production requires raw materials, energy, water... Raw materials, for example, may contain hazardous substances, particularly heavy metals that are non-biodegradable and bioaccumulative (lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, mercury, etc.);

• in terms of their use, these products consume energy, but may also use consumables (process fluids, coolants, etc.), and are transported in packaging, which has an impact on the environment through emissions into the air or water, and consumption of rare or non-renewable resources;

• in terms of their maintenance (cleaning, maintenance operations, etc.), products can also generate pollution, in particular from the fluids used, which can create polluting effluents or waste;

• After use, products and packaging generate other pollutant emissions, particularly during disposal. However, recycling them can reduce their environmental impact;

• finally, abandoned products pollute the environment; for example, heavy metals can diffuse into the soil and disrupt ecosystems.

The stakes, detailed in this article, are crucial for manufacturers who design mechanical components, given the regulatory requirements, applicable standards and environmental criteria that are increasingly present in customers' invitations to tender and specifications.

To minimize a product's impact on the environment (throughout its life cycle), it is therefore necessary to take action at every stage of the life cycle, right from the design stage, by implementing an eco-design methodology. This article explains the main concepts behind this methodology, and provides examples of its implementation.