Appliance Design - September 2008 - (Page 38) INDUSTRIAL DESIGN & HUMAN FACTORS ELECTRONICS SEEING GREEN The marketplace is beginning to overflow with computers and computer accessories that have been built with environmentally friendly materials and processes. For example, Dell recently introduced a computer called the Studio Hybrid. The Energy Star 4.0 compliant computer comes with a bamboo case, is about 80 percent smaller than a typical desktop minitower, and uses 70 percent less energy. In addition, some of the materials used in the computer were made with recycled plastics. ASUS, a Taiwan-based computer maker, recently introduced the Eco Book, a computer laminated in bamboo strips. Jellen Sun, a senior director for the company, told the London-based Guardian newspaper that the computer was built to address the growing concern about the use of plastics. Bamboo is the most sustainable raw material there is, he told the paper, and therefore they decided to combine bamboo with metal and leave out the plastic. The Eco Book’s use of bamboo evolved from the use of polycarbonate, aluminum-magnesium alloy, carbon fiber, and leather that were used in earlier notebook models. Because bamboo is a natural material, he adds, each computer is unique. Fabrik, a San Mateo, Calif., manufacturer of digital media storage products, hired Los Angeles-based SKD Designs to design hard drives that used more sustainable materials and had less of an environmental impact during processing. The industrial design firm explored new materials and manufacturing process from injection-molded starch-based biopolymers to vegetable-dyed soft goods. What they came up with was the 500 GB SimpleTech [re]drive, which features naturally finished bamboo for the top and bottom of the unit and aluminum side panels. The cast aluminum side panels serve as a heat sink, allowing the drive to operate without a fan. The extruded central chassis provides a frame onto which the pieces attach – some using a pressure fit to minimize fasteners required in assembly. The use of interchangeable parts, including mirrored panels and identical fasteners, minimizes energy and resources spent in production. Waste aluminum was recycled during manufacturing and mixed up to 30 percent with raw aluminum. Designed so that the materials are separate from one another, it is easy to disassemble and recycle at the end of its life. < The SimpleTech [re]drive from Fabrik was designed by SKD Designs. It features a bamboo top and aluminum sides that act as a heat sink. Dell’s Studio Hybrid comes with a bamboo case, is about 80 percent smaller than a typical desktop minitower, and uses 70 percent less energy. have considered similar substance restrictions that would even surpass that of RoHS. Designers also must take into account the various technical regulations that force them to use alternate materials or use different processes. For instance, the European Union’s EMC Directive puts limits on EMI emissions. Products might have to be shielded, or if the offending source of EMI is on a circuit board, the board can be shielded without having to shield the overall housing. Here, too, tradeoffs may need to be made. A simple solution is to use a metal barrier as it pro- vides inherent shielding, but this can add weight and cost. Plastics, unless augmented, have little in the way of inherent shielding. Embedding raw polymer with conductive particles such as carbon, metallic fibers or other conductive fibers, can turn a molded plastic part into a shield. Lefteri says that satisfying regulatory issues or alleviating environmental concerns may require more than just specifying low-energy materials or a biodegradable plastic, he says. At a more sophisticated level, a level he says we are entering now, the choice might be choosing a material with different mechanical prop- erties. For example, the bottled water industry produces billions of plastic bottles every year with recyclable plastics, but perhaps a better choice might be to use a more expensive, ultra stiff plastic that uses less material. A product’s impact on the environment should be considered throughout its life cycle, or from “Cradle to cradle,” according to Steven Bolton, manager of business development with MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), a Charlottesville, Va., design firm. The company recently entered into an agreement with Material ConneXion and 38 applianceDESIGN September 2008 www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com
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