Topics on sustainable manufacturing, and, use of environmentally friendly treatment and resource recovery are currently very important issues for governments and industries worldwide. Environmental regulations for technical products currently focus on recycling ratios and prohibition of toxic materials. The concept of creating more use-productivity (the output of a product in relation to the materials, labor, etc.) with less resource consumption has considerable potential to a sustainable society. Sustainability in manufacturing can be defined as the application of scientific and technical knowledge to satisfy human needs in different societal frames without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Hence, the objective of this thesis is to identify a research and development plan for sustainable manufacturing focusing on enhancing use-productivity.
