Enterprises must become ‘sensing, smart and sustainable (S³)’ to face global challenges related to local, national and global market dynamics. Therefore, reconceptualisation and redesign in these enterprises must accommodate emergent technologies, new practices and strategies. In this sense, enterprises have used new product development as a strategy for remaining competitive in the marketplace; thus, they can provide a new generation of products offering solutions to contemporary social problems and responding to changing consumer demands. These new-generation products are mostly technology-based and consider sustainable objectives. In this context, concepts such as sensing, smart and sustainable products (S³ products) have emerged to satisfy different social requirements. Therefore, this work focuses on providing a reference framework that presents a systematic process for the development of S³ products. This reference framework is based on the integrated product, process and manufacturing system development reference model. The main objective of this work is to fill the gap vis-à-vis the current lack of design roadmaps that permit the development of this new generation of products in S³ enterprises. The development of a reconfigurable micro-machine tool is presented as that of an S³ product.

Assistive technology (AT) design is critical in enabling functionality for people with disabilities, blending essential elements of both practical utility and user experience. Traditionally, AT has successfully addressed core functional needs, such as enabling cursor movement and clicking actions with devices like computer mice. However, a comprehensive approach to AT design also necessitates a thorough consideration of sensory feedback, including tactile sensations, ergonomics, and auditory cues like button click sounds. These aspects are not merely supplementary but are integral to the device’s functionality, enhancing user interaction and long-term comfort, especially for individuals with motor impairments. In this work, we present MouseClicker, a mechatronic AT to surrogate physical agency over a computer mouse and to foster the haptic sensory experience of clicking on it tailored specifically for an individual with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) who faces challenges in using a standard mouse due to severe hand motor impairments. Our design aims at replicating the holistic experience of clicking a mouse, from its functional mechanical actions to its nuanced tactile and auditory feedback. This work details the MouseClicker’s design and reports on an exploratory user study aimed at identifying optimal vibrotactile feedback parameters – such as location, and intensity – that represent mouse button clicks. MouseClicker presents a step forward in AT design by integrating the functionality, sensory feedback, and the overall experience of taking control over non-AT devices.

This paper reports on a comparative study realized to contrast between the part code generated by two different CAM systems and one part program generated by the authors. This comparison addresses in particular tool path, but also includes number of lines, cycle time and energy consumption. The comparison is carried out through a case study: a mechanical component was designed so as to produce a number of CNC part programs generated with two different CAM systems; one more program was directly programmed by the authors in the machine tool's controller. Different sample parts were produced using the same machine tool, tooling and process parameters; and measurements of energy consumption and cycle time were gathered. The results show differences between the tool paths generated by each approach and are used by the authors to further define strategies to produce trajectories that could reduce cycle time and energy consumption

The energy analysis of injection moulding processes is influenced by complex interactions amongst the moulded part, its material, the injection machine, the process parameters and the environmental conditions. The availability of energy usage analyses that comprehend information on specific materials and machine kind is limited. This paper reports a study that estimates and analyses the power usage profile (PUP), the specific energy consumption (SEC), and the energy distribution at an operation level of two different injected parts made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and produced in a hybrid injection moulding machine. The methodology followed by the authors incorporates an experiment carried out in an industrial facility. A large sample size, and data-acquisition and data post-processing processes to obtain an accurate PUP and SEC are used. A breakdown of the energy consumed by the injection moulding process of the parts studied at an operation level using Sankey diagrams is discussed. The study results are used to identify strategies to reduce the energy consumed by the processes. The methodology employed, and the strategies reported could be used with other plastic parts regardless of the material and machine used. The results reported are new experimental data useful input for theoretical models.

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