What is a Product Life Cycle Product Life

What is a Product Life Cycle?

Product Life Cycle Reuse, Recycle, Disposal Design Use Distribution Materials Acquisition Manufacturing Packaging Materials Processing

Design • Engineers, designers, and manufacturers research, model, and test a product before mass producing. • Products that are 9 Designing a CD: 1 designed to be Engineers use the reused instead of 2 8 design process Design thrown away prevent 3 Process 7 waste. Communicate Results Define the Problem Brainstorm Improve Design Research Test and Evaluate 6 Model or Prototype 5 Choose Best Idea 4 Develop Ideas

Materials Acquisition • All products are made from various raw materials. • Virgin materials require larger amounts of energy and deplete our natural resources. • Recycled or recovered materials reduce pollution, energy use, and the raw materials needed from the earth. Materials in a CD: Aluminum Polycarbonate Lacquer Gold Dyes Others, including water, glass, silver, nickel

Materials Processing • Materials extracted from the earth must be converted into a form that is useful for making products. • For example, wood is made into paper after several different manufacturing processes. Processing for a CD: Mined materials must be processed – Bauxite ore turned into aluminum – Crude oil combined with natural gas and chemicals to make plastic

Manufacturing • Products are made in Manufacturing a CD: factories that use a lot • Injection molding • Metallizer – reflective layer of of energy. metal • Manufacturing creates • Lacquer – protective coating waste and contributes • Screen printed to the production of greenhouse gases.

Packaging • Product packaging undergoes separate manufacturing processes that use energy and consume natural resources. CD Packaging • Jewel cases • Cardboard boxes • Shrink-wrapping

Distribution CD Distribution: • Manufactured Sent to distribution center by products are • Plane transported to the • Truck location where they • Train are sold. All use fossil fuels for energy. • Materials and parts used to make products are transported at earlier stages in the life cycle. • All transporting uses energy and creates greenhouse gases.

Use • The way products are Using a CD • If properly stored and handled, used impacts our CDs can last for decades. environment. • Take care of discs by keeping • Reusable, durable, them out of sunlight and away from heat and water. and recyclable products conserve natural resources, use less energy, and create less waste.

Reuse/Recycle or Disposal • Recycling or remanufacturing products into new commodities saves energy and reduces the raw materials used in the manufacturing process. • Throwing products in the trash ends their useful life. Reuse a CD: Share with a friend Recycle a CD: Recycling companies make CDs into: • Automotive industry parts • Raw materials to make plastics • Office equipment • Jewel cases

Product Life Cycle Reuse, Recycle, Disposal Design Use Distribution Life Cycle of a CD Manufacturing Packaging Materials Acquisition Materials Processing

Paper Life Cycle Materials Acquisition Materials Processing Packaging, Distribution, Use Manufacturing http: //www. pneb. com. au/recycling. html Recycle

Image Resources Microsoft, Inc. (2008). Clip art. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http: //office. microsoft. com/en-us/clipart/default. aspx Publishers National Environment Bureau. (2004) Newspaper and magazine recycling. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http: //www. pneb. com. au/recycling. html