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Product Design for a Circular Economy


July 29, 2024 • Posted by Design Bay Area

The expert panelists from the Tact‘s 2024 San Francisco Design Week event shared their best resources to help others in the product design industry adopt sustainable practices and engage in a circular economy. They will continue to collect resources and share them on their resource page. The panel discussion was recorded, and we encourage you to watch and share the video! The following is a shortened excerpt, please visit Tact’s Circular Economy page for full resources.

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds overall system health. The concept recognizes the importance of the economy working effectively at all scales—for big and small businesses, organizations, and individuals, globally and locally.

It is based on 3 Principles:

1. Eliminate waste and pollution

The first principle of the circular economy is to eliminate waste and pollution. Currently, our economy works in a take-make-waste system. We take raw materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste. Much of this waste ends up in landfills or incinerators and is lost. This system can not work in the long term because the resources on our planet are finite.

2. Circulate products and materials

The second principle of the circular economy is to circulate products and materials at their highest value. This means keeping materials in use, either as a product or, when they can no longer be used, as components or raw materials. This way, nothing becomes waste, and the intrinsic value of products and materials is retained.

3. Regenerate nature

The third principle of the circular economy is to regenerate nature. By moving from a take-make-waste linear economy to a circular economy, we support natural processes and leave more room for nature to thrive.

— Adapted from The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

— Content and images on this page is credited to Tact

Tact, Whipsaw, Informal, and iFixit, hosted an amazing event for SF Design Week. Six expert panelists, moderated by Tom Keegan, discussed practical ways to engage in a sustainable, circular economy:

About Tact:

We love that we live, work, and play in one of the leading innovation hubs of the world—surrounded by exceptional designers, entrepreneurs, and technologists. We believe that we live in a time when creativity and innovation are more pivotal than ever. It’s our mission to bring these remarkable ideas to market and into the hands of the user.

We excel at handling the complex issues and problems faced during the development and manufacturing process. We plan carefully and strategically, aligning our clients’ goals with reality while staying agile enough to do things that others could never do.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT/ENGINEERING
We offer a suite of engineering services to support hardware innovation teams and projects of all sizes. Design and in-hand functionality are paramount to our engineers who utilize a proven development process to facilitate a smooth and successful product launch.

Development Services

  • Product Definition Development
  • Product Architecture Development
  • Conceptual Mechanical Design
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Technology Investigation & Process Research
  • Ergonomic Studies & Human Body Fit Strategies
  • Mechanism Design
  • Engineering Guidance and Advice for Industrial Design Teams
  • Complex 3D Surfacing
  • Lightpipe Design & Ray Tracing
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Detailed Part Design
  • Sheet Metal Design
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Thermal Analysis
  • Program Management
  • Design for Prototype or Demo Model
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
  • Production Documentation
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • Tool Design Support
  • Test Fixture Design
  • Assembly Fixture Design
  • First Article Part Reviews
  • Engineering Support Through Production Ramp Up
  • Product Requirements Testing Support

MANUFACTURING CONSULTING
We provide worldwide supply chain management and manufacturing operations consulting. Whether you are planning a new product launch or have an active manufacturing crisis, our team of experienced professionals can provide invaluable support.

Manufacturing Services

  • Design Readiness Review
  • Schedule and Budget Planning
  • BOM and Component Cost Estimation
  • Supply Chain Definition & Development
  • Supplier Selection
  • Vendor Qualification
  • NPI Process Management
  • Document Control & PLM Guidance
  • Contract Review & Negotiation Support
  • On-Site Technical Support (US & Asia)
  • On-site Manufacturing Engineering (US & Asia)
  • Production Line Setup & Management
  • Production Planning
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Quality Management
  • DFMEA & PFMEA (Design & Process FMEA Support)
  • Yield Loss Analysis and Corrective Action Reporting
  • Component Purchasing Support
  • Assembly Jigs & Fixture Development
  • Rapid Test System Development
  • Assembly & Reliability Test Development
  • Compliance Consulting
  • Manufacturing Technology Development

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