Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
Combining Sustainability with Modular Platform Design: Insights from the Circuit Breaking Industry
Lupo, Alessandra (1); Panarotto, Massimo (1); Becattini, Niccolò (1); Lanzoni, Luca (2); Rossi, Marco (2)
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Langner, Christopher; Kreimeyer, Matthias; Panarotto, Massimo; Cascini, Gaetano; Browning, Tyson R.; Eppinger, Steven D.; Yassine, Ali A.
Author:
Lupo, Alessandra (1); Panarotto, Massimo (1); Becattini, Niccolò (1); Lanzoni, Luca (2); Rossi, Marco (2)
Series:
DSM
Institution:
1: Politecnico di Milano, Italy;
2: ABB, Italy
Page(s):
111-120
DOI number:
ISBN:
NA
ISSN:
NA
Abstract:
Sustainability is becoming increasingly critical for industries developing products and technologies for the energy sector. However, current Design for Sustainability approaches such as ecodesign and LCA often constrain the innovation potential in early product development, focusing on incremental improvements (e.g. material changes) rather than radical architectural changes (like modularity). For this reason, the present study proposes a comprehensive approach to sustainability, integrated into the consolidated product platform design methodology. This approach integrates LCA-based analyses with circular strategies to identify sustainable redesign opportunities within product architectures. Next, multiple Design Structure Matrices derived from Enhanced-Functions Means models are combined to explore a wide design space of product architectures alternatives involving mechanical, electronic and software solutions. The analysis carried out on an Air Circuit Breaker explored various architectures and suggested modular solutions to increase repairability of a key component. The resulting modular platform satisfies both sustainability and the other Non-Functional Requirements.
Keywords:
