GENETIC ALGORITHM OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCT DESIGN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCTION JULIROSE GONZALES THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FACULTY OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR 2018 ABSTRACT The growing environmental awareness of today’s consumers has put the manufacturing companies with the burden of taking responsibility for their own product’s environmental impact. This incited the need to develop product management systems which focus on minimizing a product’s impact across its life cycle. However, a survey conducted on Malaysian design companies suggests that there are no systems available for them to include environmental considerations in their product design processes. This dissertation presents a study on product design optimization which focuses on the inclusion of the potential environmental impact in the design consideration. The aim of this research is to develop a methodology that will aid designers to reduce the potential environmental impact of a product’s design, which does not require them to train additional skills in environmental impact analysis. Analysis of the effect of changing the product design parameters such as its dimensions, and basic features on the environmental impact of machining process in terms of its power consumption, waste produced and the chemicals and other consumables used up during the process is the key method in this research. A novel feature-based product design methodology based on an integrated CAD-LCA approach is developed which analyzes a product design’s environmental impact. Genetic Algorithm is applied to the product design parameters to create a feedback system in order to get the best possible product design solutions with the least environmental impact within the product design functionality limitation. The results using the proposed methodology yields 50 pareto optimal design solutions for every run, allowing the designers the freedom to choose the suitable design. The developed methodology aids designers in providing design solutions that satisfies the customer requirements and at the same time adding value to their work through the suggestion of eco-friendly alternatives. ii ABSTRAK Kesedaran alam sekitar yan semakin meningkat terhadap pengguna hari ini meletakkan syarikat-syarikat pembuatan terbeban mengambil tanggungjawab terhadap impak alam sekitar produk mereka sendiri. Ini mencetuskan keperluan untuk membangunkan sistem pengurusan produk yang memberi tumpuan untuk mengurangkan kesan produk di dalam seluruh kitaran hayatnya. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian yang dijalankan ke atas syarikat- syarikat reka bentuk di Malaysia mendapati bahawa tidak terdapat sistem yang mengambil kira akan kesan alam sekitar dalam proses reka bentuk produk mereka. Disertasi ini membentangkan kajian berkenaan produk pengoptimuman reka bentuk yang mengambil kira akan potensi kesan-kesan alam sekitar dalam menimbangkan reka bentuk yang sesuai. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk membangunkan satu kaedah yang akan membantu pereka untuk mengurangkan potensi kesan alam sekitar untuk reka bentuk produk, yang tidak memerlukan mereka untuk menambah kemahiran tambahan semasa menjalankan analisis kesan alam sekitar. Analisis kesan perubahan parameter reka bentuk produk seperti dimensi, dan ciri-ciri asas mengenai kesan alam sekitar daripada proses pemesinan, penggunaan tenaga, sisa yang dihasilkan, bahan kimia dan bahan lain yang digunakan semasa proses adalah kaedah utama dalam kajian ini. Bagi merealisasikan kajian ini, model CAD sesuatu produk dengan senario reka bentuk yang berbeza digunakan, Analisis penggunaan tenaga yang menggunakan kesan alam sekitar kaedah kalkulator maju. Sisa yang dihasilkan, dan barangan yang digunakan seperti pelincir dan penyejuk, dianalisis dengan menggunakan faktor pelepasan alam sekitar. Kaedah pengoptimuman menggunakan Algoritma Genetik digunakan untuk parameter reka bentuk produk kaedah ini untuk mendapatkan dimensi produk terbaik yang menghasilkan kesan alam sekitar paling sedikit dalam proses pemesinan. Keputusan metodologi yang dicadangkan menghasilkan 50 pareto penyelesaian reka bentuk optimum kepada tiap larian, membolehkan pereka bentuk kebebasan memilih reka bentuk yang sesuai. iii Metodologi yang dibangunkan membantu pereka bentuk memberi penyelesaian reka bentuk yang memuaskan keperluan pelanggan dan juga menambah nilai kepada kerja mereka melalui cadangan alternatif mesra alam. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all those who have supported in the production of this thesis, those from the Jebatan Kejeruteraan Rekabentuk dan Pembuatan and from the Office of the Vice Dean for Post-graduate studies, particularly to Kak Nasriyah and Kak Lijah for all the time that I would knock at their doors asking for favors claiming the title “my administrative superheroes”. A special thanks to the technicians from whom I learned side by side the CNC machine and Injection molding machine for the lessons learned after breaking several tool bits. A special mention to Mohd. Fauzi, Ahmad Fauzi, and Nasrul of the UM JKRP Technical staff and to Yahya of University Malaysia Pahang for letting me use their Milling machines even beyond working hours. Kudos to my fellow sustainable manufacturing group members, with whom I spent countless hours in establishing the foundations of the group. I will treasure our moments together from working on projects, traveling to conferences, and winning awards. But most especially, I thank you for the healthy competition. It always keeps me on my toes and serves as motivation to push onwards. Congratulations, Dr. Raja and Dr. Novita! A heartfelt thanks to my Japanese hosts during my research stay in Keio University, namely Prof. Hideki Aoyama and the JICA and AUN/Seed-Net staff, who were very hospitable. I learned a lot about new technologies and methods, which were not available at hand. I also treasure the memories and Japanese culture that I picked up along the way. To Dr. Salwa, who took the challenge to take me under her wing. I appreciate your methods and advise in structuring the thesis in its entirety. Methodical thinking has always been my weakness and with your help, you guided me through it. Thank you for having patience to deal with a difficult student like me. v To Prof. Zahari, who has been a second father. Almost a third of my life, was under your supervision, since Master’s thesis until Phd. (that was almost 8 years in total, did it really take that long?) I owe you my success and I will never forget that. Thank you for not giving up on me. And lastly, to my family, who supported me every step of the way. My personal cheerers who always say that I can do it, when at times I want to give up, giving me sound advice in times when I don’t think straight. Thank you all and I love you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. ii ABSTRAK .................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... x LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Motivations for this research .................................................................... 2 1.1.1.1 Legislation ........................................................................................ 2 1.1.1.2 Eco-design Practice by Malaysian companies ................................... 3 1.1.1.3 Research Strategies ........................................................................... 4 1.2 Research Aim and Objectives ......................................................................... 5 1.3 Scope and Limitations..................................................................................... 6 1.4 Thesis Structure .............................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................... 9 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Sustainable Manufacturing ............................................................................ 12 2.2.1 Life Cycle Thinking ............................................................................... 13 2.3 Eco-Design in Product Development ............................................................ 17 2.4 Eco-Design Methods ..................................................................................... 19 2.4.1 Guideline based methods – Standards and Handbooks ........................... 19 2.4.2 Checklist method ................................................................................... 22 2.4.3 Design for X .........................................................................................