Designing major appliances: A decision support model

Abstract

Although competitors from low-cost countries are pushing manufacturers to lowering prices and replace the production [1] at the expense of quality, the definition of new scenarios through research and development seems the best way to succeed. This paper seeks to explain why companies should invest in the redesign of household appliances when there is a potential improvement in the sustainability of the product. This work considers home appliances investigating their disassembly, the updating of components and the management of end of life, combined with their connectivity and the communication with the final user. This research develops a multi-criteria model to select among the major appliances the most suitable to redesign, providing a ranking of alternatives. The analysis is based on the potential improvement on eco-design of products, determined on eight relevant criteria about sustainability and relationship between users and appliances. This study attempts to prove that business models based on Multi Criteria Decision Aid (MCDA) methodology, combined with two design approaches to sustainability, are able to move from linear to circular economy. Waste management and product refurbishment - through Design by Components focused on product maintenance and replacement of its parts - are, in fact, key aspects to achieve valuable results. The paper proposes an analysis of this decision process, synthesizing the most critical aspects and the result of a Multi Criteria Decision Aid intervention [2].