Integrating environmental product design into inkjet printing supplies

In the past, product environmental design goals in Hewlett-Packard´s InkJet Supplies business were not attained because technical feasibility was not considered when setting the goals, product performance was adversely impacted by design changes, or R&D, manufacturing, and marketing teams thought it was the environmental team´s responsibility to assure the design goals were met. Assessment of the environmental team´s initial design for environment (DfE) program revealed that product environmental characteristics could be improved by setting design goals that considered customer feedback current and potential regulatory requirements, and competitor product features. New environmental design goals were selected that could be routinely integrated into the product without adversely affecting printing system performance, product costs, or time to market. Finally, the R&D, manufacturing, and marketing teams were included in goal selection to assure that they accepted responsibility for achieving the product design goals. The benefits of effective environmental product design goals are illustrated in four case studies that followed the project model. In each case, the design changes successfully improved resource efficiency and had economic and operational value. Achieving product environmental design goals requires integrated environmental, R&D, manufacturing, and marketing teams with agreed upon and technically feasible goals. Product improvements do not necessarily increase product cost or time to market. Additional environmental advancements are possible when business models and product design approaches are changed.