Design for X

Resource efficiency is a key requirement in the development, use and recycling of products. Our research work in the Design for X focus area addresses this challenge from the perspective of product development. The aim is to plan the life cycle of products in advance and to support developers methodically in the product design and creation process.

Closing product, material and substance cycles, the circular economy, is an essential prerequisite for conserving resources and increasing resource efficiency. The prerequisite for this is that products can be efficiently dismantled, reused and recycled during and after the use phase. Design for Circular Economy is intended to provide the necessary (decision-making) support for the design of products. The aim of our research is to develop criteria and design principles for Design for Circular Economy and to integrate them into the product development process. To this end, we are researching the following topics:

• Investigating and evaluating the recyclability of various materials and material combinations and deriving requirements for recycling-friendly product design
• Integration of instructions and guidelines for life cycle-compatible product design into the development process and development tools