Closing The Loop On Manufacturing
Major manufacturers are leading the way out of the old into what architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart call “The Next Industrial Revolution.” In their recent book Cradle-to-Cradle the tag team propose a necessary plan for manufacturers the world over. Taking recycling to the next level they have created a design protocol to help factories behave more like forests, where nothing is wasted and where material flows are infinitely cyclic. Working with world leading manufacturers like the Ford Corporation and furniture maker Herman Miller, they have collaborated on a series of products that are designed for the environment.
The Next Industrial Revolution at Ford
Henry Ford’s iconic 20th century manufacturing plant, in which raw materials churned out completed automobiles, is now being transformed into the model of 21st century sustainable manufacturing. Constructed on the banks of the Rouge River in Dearborn, Michigan, from 1917 to 1925 the plant became one of the most respected manufacturing models of the first industrial revolution. It included all the elements needed for automobile production.
The Ford Corporation, a long time manufacturing innovator, was for a long time known for its assembly line and vertical integration and will now become a leader by embracing new values. Ford has moved away from the typical cradle-to-grave industrial approach and has plans to rebuild a productive natural landscape at their Rouge River plant, which includes wetlands, orchards, and native vegetation.
RIVER ROUGE PLANT (left): Architect William McDonough’s vision was chosen to construct the factory of the future, to re-design a healthy, productive and supportive work environment. The new River Rouge Plant will demand new standards for material flow, waste reduction, and other lean manufacturing processes. The design concept of flexibility is key, assembly lines will be able to handle three different vehicle platforms and nine different models. Finished vehicle storage space will be reduced by 50% inside and outside the plant and 90% of the vehicles produced will be shipped the same day. It is a time for adaptation, a bold response to changing markets. Ford Images Courtesy Young & Rubican.
FORD MODEL U (right): The Ford Model U concept car demonstrates the company’s environmental design values. In collaboration with MBDC the S.U.V. style car is paradoxically one of the most conscientious designs of late. Using the Cradle-to-Cradle design process the team of designers carefully considered the environmental implications of the materials used. They identified materials that were ‘biological nutrients’, that would biodegrade after their useful lifecycle like plastics made from corn and also determined the possible ïtechnical nutrients’ that could be infinitely recycled without losing their structural integrity or creating toxicity. In doing so they have created a car that is designed for disassembly instead of for the wreaking yard.
