When designing a new cooling display cabinet for supermarkets and delicatessens, Electrolux had to meet some complex requirements. Along with being cost-effective and meeting traditional customer expectations for product appearance and performance, the cabinet had to meet stringent targets for environmental friendliness. This article details how the Swedish manufacturer rose to these demanding challenges
The company chose European design consultant TNO Industrial Technology (TNO) of Culemborg, Netherlands, to help create an environmentally friendly design. Design for Environment (DFE) software, a joint development between TNO and Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc. (Wakefield, RI), was chosen to simulate the disassembly and environmental impact of the product at the end of its life. The DFE software calculated the financial return at each stage of disassembly and displayed the results graphically. The cost incurred to disassemble each item in the cabinet could then be compared with the recovery value of the item. The software also calculated disposal costs for the remainder of the product that would not be disassembled. Out of this research, the Chameleon, an environmentally friendly cooling display, was developed.