1.

Introducing our product

1.1.Product name and function
1.2.Brief description of our product
1.3.Research on the existing products
1.4.Identification of the weak points of the product design and of any harm and danger
in case of malfunction or abuse

1. INTRODUCING OUR PRODUCT

1.1.Product name and function
The product chosen for this project
is a clothing iron. A clothing iron, also
referred to as simply an iron, is
a small appliance: a handheld piece of
equipment with a flat, roughly
triangular surface that, when heated, is
used
to
press
clothes
to
remove creases. It is named for the
metal the device is commonly made
of, and the use of it is generally
called ironing. Ironing works by
loosening the ties between the long
chains of molecules that exist
in polymer fibber materials. With the
heat and the weight of the ironing
plate, the fibbers are stretched and
the fabric maintains its new shape
when cool. Some materials such as
cotton require the use of water to
loosen the intermolecular bonds.
Many materials developed in the
twentieth century are advertised as
needing little or no ironing.
1.2 Brief description of our
product
The specific model we chose is a
no name, likely a cheap electric iron
which was probably designed
disregarding concerns for the environment and with cost effective yet energy consuming
technologies. There is therefore room for several improvements.

1.3 Research on existing

products
Irons differ in a number of
ways,
including
soleplate
material, size, weight, and
features. Virtually all of the irons
we tested were equal to the task
of removing wrinkles from a
range of fabrics. And you don't
have to spend a lot to get very
good performance. All household
irons are very similar in
construction and function. They
all use electricity supplied by
mains via a cable to the iron unit which converts the electricity into heat.
Steam irons allow a small amount of hot steam to be applied to clothes when they are
being ironed, making creases disappear faster and reducing the time spent ironing.
Features like auto shutoff, self-cleaning, separate controls that let you set the amount of
steaming, and vertical steaming capabilities that were once available only on fairly
expensive irons are now standard on less-expensive models. Also, most new models can
use water from the tap, thanks to an anti-calcium valve or a resin filters.
Familiar names such as Black & Decker, Hamilton Beach, and Sunbeam still sell a lot
of irons but you can also find models from T-Fal, Panasonic, and Rowenta. These profiles
will help you to compare steam irons by brand.
Black & Decker
The major brand in the category, Black & Decker offers a wide range of irons with
varying types of sole plates, including stainless steel, nonstick, and the newly introduced
ceramic. New technology from the brand is the availability of steam on all temperature
settings, including at low temperatures. They are sold at department stores, Target,
Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and through online retailers. Prices range from $20 to $80.
Euro-Pro Shark
This is a mid-market brand whose products have a retro look or stainless-steel
styling. Euro-Pro irons are sold at appliance stores, Sears, Target, Best Buy, Kohl's, and
Macy's, and at online retailers. Prices range from $30 to $100.
GE
GE steam irons are a value brand with basic features. They're sold at Walmart, and
cost $20 to $30.
Hamilton Beach
Hamilton Beach, a major brand, makes irons that are a bit more upscale and
expensive than those from its sibling brand Proctor Silex. They are sold at department
stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, appliance stores, and online retailers. Prices range from $30
to $80.

Panasonic
Panasonic irons are in the mid-market range. The brand offers models both with
stainless-steel or ceramic soleplates. Cordless models are also available. Panasonic irons
are sold at Walmart, Target, Sears, and appliance stores, and on Amazon.com and other
online retailers. Prices range from $40 to $120.
Rowenta
This European brand is positioned as a premium brand. The models include either
stainless-steel or nonstick soleplates. These irons have many features. They are sold at
department stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, Target, specialty stores, and online. Prices
range from $50 to $150.
Sunbeam
This brand sells products in the lower to midrange category, both nonstick and
stainless-steel soleplates. They are sold at a range of retailers, including department
stores, Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Prices range from $20 to $60.
T-Fal
T-Fal irons have a nonstick soleplate, They're sold at most major retailers, including
Walmart, Target, and Kohl's, and at Amazon.com and other online retailers. Prices range
from $30 to $90.
1.4 Weak points in the products design
The major issue is that most of the plastic parts are made using injection moulding,
a process which is very energy consuming. The conversion from electric energy to heat, in
this particular model, is not really the most efficient and also heat loss due to materials
nature does not allow optimization. Because the sole plate is made of iron, heating and
cooling are both relatively slow processes.
Danger comes from the sole plate which is heated metal. On the sides of the base
sheet, there is no protection and a less thermo-conductive isnt implemented to reduce risk
of injury.

2. Modeling the lifecycle of our product

2.1. General qualitative description of the different life cycles stages of our product
Products vary on their effects to the environment greatly, this is due to the different
stages of their life cycle. In order to understand the effects of a products life it has to be
broken down into stages. The acquisition and processing of raw materials into workable
materials, the processing of the material into shapes, the assembly of the parts which can
often involve finishes such as de burring, paint and fixings, packaging the product involving
more materials, transporting, the use (which could mean the product requires electricity to
work) and the end of life, which can sometimes allow a product to be completely recycled
or could mean being put in a landfill to leach chemical into the soil. These stages can be
assessed and then re addressed by changing the process in any number of ways.
As our product is made from many different parts and materials it is highly likely that
they were made by different factories and brought together for assembly and finishing. The
greater distance a product has to travel from raw material to the consumer and finally its
disposal the greater the negative impact the product will have on the environment.
The diagram bellow shows the stages of the irons life cycle:

Due to the intricacy and requirements of the product it has many stages of
production involving different materials and processes all of which make it more energy
and resource intensive to make and harder for disassembly at end of life.
2.2. Materials and technology for our product
Raw Materials
Irons are made primarily of plastic and metal (aluminium/iron and steel). The
materials often come to the factory in the form of plastic resins, aluminium or iron ingots,
and steel sheets. The metal is used to make the sole plate, thermostat and other internal
mechanisms. Plastics are used to make the exterior and handle, as well as the water tank.
Certain components, like the spring for the thermostat, cord, plug, and related connections
are usually outsourced by iron companies.
Cast iron used in base
The Manufacturing Process
Cast iron is used in this particular case for a part of the sole plate. A steel sheet is
later applied by pressing.
Although cast iron is one of the oldest materials in engineering, it is seeing
something of a rebirth of fortunes in the modern world with regards environmental impact
and sustainability. This is based on the fact that Cast Iron does not rust in the traditional
sense, it oxides very slowly. On a practical note, this slow oxidation makes iron very long
lasting.
Cast iron uses 97% re-cycled material in the manufacture of gutters and rainwater
systems, which in turn are 100% recyclable. Cast iron which has come to the end of its
long life has a residual value by taking it to a scrap merchant. Cast iron can be re-melted
and made into new.
The main drawbacks in the production stage of cast iron are the amount of energy
used for heating and melting and the carbon dioxide emissions which are, on a big picture,
harming the environment.
Polypropylene used in handle
Properties

Polypropylene is the fastest growing plastic in use with market shares increasing 67 percent a year exceeded only by polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene(1p1). It is one of
the lightest thermal plastics 0.9g/cc, can be brittle in sub-ambient temperatures although
has a melting point of 130-170c, and has excellent chemical resistance.(1p1).Excellent
resistance to stress and has high resistance to cracking along with high operational
temperatures and is not known to leech toxins. It can be manufactured using injection
moulding, blow moulding, extrusion, blown and cast and thermoforming.

Material acquisition
The main issue with polypropylene, as like most plastics, is that it is made from a fossil
fuel, oil. The process of extracting oil has many negative effects on the surrounding
environment whether it be land or sea. It is not simply drilling for oil, the infrastructure that
comes with it has detrimental impacts, requiring huge natural and technical resources.
When an oil source is found they clear the area and level it, destroying biodiversity and
agricultural land in some cases. They then build access roads with manoeuvring areas to
allow the flow of large Lorries to transport machinery, supplies and oil, which uses large
amounts of fossil fuels. The area is then filled with fuel intensive machinery run on
combustion engines. In the case of shale oil, which are common due to low level of oil
reservoirs, hydraulic fracturing is used. Shale is the hardest to obtain and therefore the
highest level of resources is required. Fracturing fluids contain hazardous substances, and
flow back in addition contains heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, and radioactive
materials from the deposit (6p17). This water if improperly disposed of can get into ground
water leading to contamination from methane and potassium chloride leading to
salinization. The process also emits carcinogens into the air especially in tight knit drilling
regions. Radioactive particles, particulates, NOx, NMVOC, CO2 hydrocarbons and
benzene in some cases have also been found. Other effects are noise pollution, odours,
vibrations, induce earthquakes, spills from accidents (especially in marine spills) , injuries
to workers. Large resources of water are required for cooling, lubricating of drilling heads,
removal of drilling mud and during hydraulic fracturing.

Polymerisation
Crude oil is a complex mix of thousands of compounds so it needs to be processed,
refined. Crude oil is distilled into fractions, naphtha is crucial element for plastic production.
There are two major steps, polymerisation and polycondensation. (2) Polypropylene is
prepared by polymerizing propylene, a gaseous by product of petroleum refining, in the
presence of a catalyst under carefully controlled heat and pressure(1p2). This process
requires energy intensive machinery and produces harmful emissions and waste.
Process- Injection moulding
Injection moulding is one of the preferred methods of moulding as it allows high
detail at fast speeds. Unfortunately this type of manufacture is energy intensive due to
heating of material and injection process. The moulds themselves also require a great deal
of machine time and energy to be produced perfectly. Energy is required in the form
electricity, natural gas, diesel and gasoline. This produces green house emissions such as
CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and sulphuric oxide. Water is required constantly to cool the
moulds to allow the product to set solid and lubricating oil is needed to allow machines to
run effectively. Before the moulding can take place, behind the scenes there is a lot of solid
waste production such as contaminated resin, hydraulic oil and packaging from incoming
deliveries of supplies which also requires fuel for the vehicles. One positive is that material
left in the moulds that is wasted can be ground back down and reused on-site.(7)
Recyclability
Although a recyclable material the rate for bottle recycling has settled at 25%(3) due
to poor information and infrastructure. Cannot decompose into the environment at a
comparable rate to waste generation(3). As it is used in many containers and disposable
products is can be found on beaches, road sides, public areas and must be collected for
disposal creating visual pollution and danger to wildlife. It accounts for 60-80 percent of
marine debris accumulated on ocean shores(3) This is critical to marine life due to
ingestion of particles , entanglement which can lead to reduced reproduction abilities and
death(3) The release of hazardous emissions from incineration of municipal solid waste
(MSW) also creates negative externalities, gases released from decomposition processes
from plastics present in MSW include cyclic chlorinated hydrocarbons, hydrogen chloride
and dioxins from PVC incineration can be very toxic to animal species. The corrosive
fumes released from plastic combustion can also increase acidity levels in the atmosphere
leading to acid rain.(3)

ABS
Its the name given to a thermoplastic family. Its called engineering plastic, due to the
elaboration and processing being more complex than for the common plastic.
For the molding of the ABS the principal process that is used is the injection molding. We
will show a short description of the process in four steps:

The principal problem related with the ABS and the process of injection moldings is that there are
some smelly materials out there that can be harmful to you. As far as the final product, if
improperly disposed of such as NOT recycling the products after usage, it will stay in the landfills
for years. Is important recycling the ABS, in this way the ABS can be used over and over again
saving the landfills from becoming contaminated with these items. The ABS is friendly with
natural resources. It can be made from natural gas. Nowadays the effort is focusing in use less raw
material to make the products. Generally the injection molding has low environmental impact.

2.3 Transport, Distribution and Use scenarios

Transport
Transport has a varying impact on the environment depending on the distance
travelled and the efficiency of packing and weight of product. Less developed countries are
usually exploited for cheap labour and materials which generally involves a large distance
for the product to travel to reach consumers. This has high environmental impact as
requires a lot of fuel to carry a product long distance. Impacts such as greenhouse gasses,
particulates from tyres, land degradation in areas where Lorries travel on dirt roads,
biodiversity loss through new roads to improve transport time. Our product was likely mass
produced in an area where cheap labour could be exploited and shipped to consumer
areas often thousands of miles away. This has great impacts due to the large amount of

energy required, often by fossil fuel burning vehicles, to transport the goods across those
distances.
Distribution
Once the product has arrived at the distributor the journey hasnt ended. It then
needs to be transported to shops and stored which will then require consumers to travel to
the shops potentially using fossil fuel burning cars and then return home where the product
can be used.
Use
Modern irons are run off mains electricity supply via a cable. This electricity varies in
environmental impact depending on where the electricity is sourced. For instance
electricity from Denmark where they make great efforts into renewable energy, such as
wind, would have less effect than using electricity from china where they produce a lot of
electricity using coal, a non-renewable fossil fuel. It is hard to estimate how long each
consumer will use the product but assumptions can be made to build a product that will
live up to the life expectancy expected by the consumer.
2.4 End of life- options
The construction of the components is not designed to be removed easily this
means that although many of the parts contained in the product such as the plastics and
the metals could be recycled they are unable to be attained easily and therefore will be
disposed of intact in a landfill. At the end of life the iron and steel components, as well as
some of the plastics could be recycled.

3. Product analysis by using Eco IT 99 software

3.1 What Eco IT 99 Software is
ECO-it allows you to model a complex product and most of its life cycle in a few
minutes. ECO-it calculates the environmental load, and shows which parts of the product's
life cycle contribute most. With this information you can target your creativity to improve
the environmental performance of your product (9)
Eco-it makes the figures very visual by comparing results in graphs, this allows even a
viewer with very little knowledge of a products impact can see how the different aspects
compare to one another, often with surprising results.
1 eco point is the equivalent of the average Europeans impact over a year.
In order to give a simple, visual look at the different impacts certain aspects were
left out such as the electronics components as these are complex to calculate and as the
same electronics will likely have to be used in our redesign. Assumptions also had to be
made regarding the use of the product. We have calculated our result on the basis that the
iron will be used for 1 hour per week over a lifespan of 5 years. We also made the
assumption all the pieces are manufactured in the same factory, in China, and assembled
on site ready for transportation stage via lorry to Romania. Although the body of our
product is made from ABS, Eco-it didnt have it in its data base, so we chose a similar
material HDPE. This was also the case with the base cover, for which we had to choose
chromium steel as stainless steel wasnt available. The intricate nature of this product
required 9 different injection moulds, some very small some very large. The injection
mouled parts from each material were added up and the mean value of the mass was
used across each injection mould process to give an easier to read result and a good
interpretation. Due to the type construction, the product is not designed to be
disassembled, therefore on the disposal stage it will go straight into a landfill intact.
The graphs below give a visual representation of the different impacts in relation to
one another, with a description of the results below them.

3.2 Introducing the production stage data of the chosen product

Production of the Handle ( Polypropylene )

This table highlights that the impact of Polypropylene is over double than all of is
processing added together. Therefore the material would be first to be reevaluated.
Although there is less than half the amount of polypropylene to HDPE they have a similar
impact, polypropylene 8.4 and HDPE 10. This also suggests that polypropylene should be
changed for a greener material.
Production of the body ( HDPE )

This highlights the same that the material, in this case HDPE is over double the
impact of its processing.
Production of base (cast iron)

The impact of producing the base greatly over-shadows the use of plastics. The
properties of cast iron are ideal for use in an iron but we will address possible alternatives.
Production of base cover (Chromium steel)

Impact of the material greatly out weighs its production therefore the same process
could be used with a more responsible material.

Production of the Iron in total

This graph shows the difference that the transport has over the rest of production. If
changes were made to the manufacturing and processing of the product it would not have
that big an impact on the reduction of points due to the weight of the transports impacts.
The transport stage is our key area.
3.3 Introducing Use stage data
In Use

This shows the amount of points used during the products 5 year lifetime based on
1 hours use per week using electricity from Romania. This impact changes with the
source, electricity solely produced from wind farms would show a great reduction.

Transport by lorry from China to Romania

Transport accounts for 4 times as much as the use of the product during its entire
life span. Clearly this is one of the first issues to reasses.
3.4 Introducing End of Life stage data
End of life

This graph would be dramatically different if the product could be dissasembled,

avoiding the landfill and allowing materials to be recycled, reducing impact from future
products.

3.5 Conclusions regarding the environmental impact of the analyzed product

Almost all of the points in the green production stage is from transport, threfore in order
to reduce the points it will need to use cleaner transport or move the factory closer to the
consumer. The Use stage can be reduced by increasing the efficiency of the products
convertion of electricity into heat.

4.

Improvement strategies for the chosen product

4.1 Strategies to improve the product in the raw materials stage

Although PP and ABS both have high eco points they are the best material for the job
due to density to strength ratio and machinability. However the manufacturing process can
be replaced.
The iron on the sole plate needs to be replaced. Aluminum alloys, or just plain
aluminum may be the solution.
4.2 Strategies to improve the product in the manufacturing stage
The number of injection moulds can be reduced, if not entirely replaced with parts
made by vacuum forming.
Unfortunately theres nothing to be done for the base, which needs to be cast.
However, like mentioned before, the iron can be replaced with a more abundant metal
which does not require that much energy to melt and cast.
4.3 Strategies to improve the product in the transport and distribution stage
Transported in pieces tightly packed and assembled by consumer or store. Clean fuel,
sustainable biodiesel. Move closer
4.4 Strategies to improve the product in the use stage
The efficiency can be increased by the use of cast aluminum, because the time
required to heat and cool the iron decreases.
Also a sensor can be implemented, to prevent the energy consumption in case the iron
is forgotten plugged in.
4.5 Strategies to improve the product in the end of life stage
Designed to be disassembled easily, electronics separate easily from recyclable
materials and materials clearly labeled as recyclable.

5. Eco Re-Design
5.1 Thermal Forming ABS
For the final design of the plastic parts, thermal forming replaces injection molding
due to the multiple advantages:
Within the product development
cycle the combination of tooling
and production time provides a
measure of comparison. For
pressure forming, the typical
tooling time is 0-8 weeks, and first
production
typically
happens
within 2 weeks of that. With
injection molding, tooling usually
takes 12-16 weeks with up to four
more weeks for production.
So, thermoforming clearly is
the preferred manufacturing
technology when time-to-market is an important consideration
Part Cost Comparison
The cost comparison chart uses the total aggregate cost of parts and tooling for a large
plastic part. With annual quantities of up to about 3000 parts, thermoforming is a better
choice based solely on the economics.
Mold (Tooling) Cost Comparison
The size of the plastic part is also a
consideration in the tooling cost. As the
size of the part increases, so does the
disparity in tooling costs between
thermoforming and injection molding. For
a 20" x 30" part, the injection molding
tooling is about twice the cost of
thermoforming. With a 50" x 60" part,
injection molding is more than three
times the cost. So as the size of the part increases, the economics of thermoforming are
better.

5.2 Aluminum soleplate

For the iron soleplate, cast aluminum will replace the cast iron. While Aluminum has an
atomic number of 13 and an atomic weight of 26.981539 g mol, Iron has an atomic number
of 26 and an atomic weight of 55.845 g mol.
When comparing the prices, Aluminum is more expensive than Iron. This is because
extraction of Aluminum from its ore is quite expensive than extraction of Iron from its ore.
However, Aluminum is the most abundant metal available in the earth. On the other hand,
when comparing the melting point, cast iron comes with a higher melting point of 1175 1290 Celsius, Aluminum has a melting point of 660.37 Celsius, so a lot of the extra cost
can be recovered by just the energy saved for its processing. Al is also more ductile than
iron. In terms of malleability, Aluminum is second among metals. It is also placed sixth in
terms of ductility.
Well, another difference that can be seen is that Iron is magnetic and Aluminum is
nonmagnetic and will not interfere with the electronic parts. Aluminum is a better conductor
of electricity and heat so it will heat up faster, and after the iron is unplugged, it will also
release that heat to the surrounding air faster, decreasing by a small amount the danger of
a household fire.
5.3 Transportation
The fuel consuming transportation can be dramatically improved by manufacturing
the components of the clothing iron in-country, since the market for the product will be the
national one. Therefore, the only transportation needed is along the national railways
between the manufacturing factories of some of the components to the main company
where only the assembly is made.

5.4 Presenting the new product

The sole plate is made of tow components: the sole plates body made of cast
aluminum and the sole plate coating made of a stainless steel sheet.
The plates body needs to be cast because it needs to have an inside housing
where the steam forms. This manufacturing process, although not the most
environmentally friendly, is still less energy consuming and less pollutant than the casting
of iron. Like mention at chapter 5.2, aluminum has a lower melting point than iron, and is
more thermo-conductive. It heats up faster, and cools down faster and its more abundant.
The plates coating is made out of a thin sheet of stainless steel which is cut at
sharp angles like in the figure below, to avoid material loss.

The plastic base of

the clothing iron is made of
an ABS thermoforming
sheet, which is later
machined to remove the
cap, and to provide fixation
elements and screw holes.
The shape of the plastic
base is very simple, to
reduce even the energy on
making the mould, and at
the same time to provide
appropriate angles for an
effective
and
precise
thermoforming process.

The upper casing of

the clothing iron is also
made by thermoforming
but the material this time is
polypropylene, because its
higher away from the tank
and the heating base of
the iron. Again the shape is
designed to be very simple
and effective for both
mould and the casing
itself. Close attention was
given not to allow inward
surfaces or angles at
which the vacuum process
would not stick the plastic to the moulded form.
While the shapes of the parts in the new design for the clothing iron are all simple,
attention was also given to the aesthetic part. The blocky look is in fact sufficiently
aerodynamic not to stall the movement while ironing. Also the look is in fact futuristic as it
is simple, and because no other clothing iron had this approach, the customers will surely
appreciate the change.

The handle is made by thermoforming as well as the plastic buttons and adjusters
on the clothing iron. Because these are all small pieces, a single mould will be made for

them and they all can be manufactured from the same ABS sheet.

References

1. http://books.google.ro/books?
id=AWaSJd9Non8C&pg=PA14&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

2. http://www.plasticseurope.org/what-is-plastic/how-plastic-is-made.aspx
3. http://www.lurj.org/article.php/vol3n2/plastic.xml
4. http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/dangers-of-plastic
5. http://www1.american.edu/ted/projects/tedcross/xoilpr15.htm
6. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201107/20110715ATT2
4183/20110715ATT24183EN.pdf

7. http://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Education-Resources/Publications/LCI-ofPlastic-Fabrication-Processes-Injection-Molding-and-Thermoforming.pdf

8. http://www.willsmith.org/climatechange/domestic.html
9. http://www.pre-sustainability.com/eco-it