sustainability

Article
Application of Green Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical
Engineering: Education, Scientific Research, and Practice
Mengdi Gao 1,2 , Qingyang Wang 1, *, Nan Wang 1,3 , Zhilin Ma 1 and Lei Li 2
1 School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000, China;
mengdgao@163.com (M.G.); szxywn@126.com (N.W.); mazhilin018@163.com (Z.M.)
2 School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; lei_li@hfut.edu.cn
3 School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology,
Xuzhou 221116, China
* Correspondence: qingy_wang@163.com; Tel.: +86-17805575586

Abstract: Green design and manufacturing strategies are necessary to cope with the current resource,
energy, and environmental problems of the manufacturing industry. To meet various enterprises’
needs for green design and manufacturing, colleges and universities should integrate these concepts
into their curricula. This study discusses the application of green strategies in the mechanical
engineering field from the viewpoints of teaching, scientific research, and practical education. Based
on its development and a basic connotation analysis, this study highlights the challenges and urgency
of incorporating green concepts into teaching and research modules of mechanical engineering,
as well as methods and implementation strategies to incorporate them in professional curricula
using teaching method reform and the teaching and research integration method. An experimental
training course of advanced manufacturing processes at the authors’ institution was amended to
emphasize the integrated application of green design and manufacturing. This integration not only
enriches the field of mechanical engineering but also provides scientific research directions and



methods to educators, along with new ideas to imbibe students with mechanical talents for their


technical development. These efforts lay the foundation for the sustainable development of China’s
Citation: Gao, M.; Wang, Q.; Wang,
manufacturing industry.
N.; Ma, Z.; Li, L. Application of
Green Design and Manufacturing in
Keywords: green design; green manufacturing; manufacturing industry; mechanical major;
Mechanical Engineering: Education,
Scientific Research, and Practice.
teaching reform
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237. https://
doi.org/10.3390/su14010237

Academic Editor: Barbara Motyl

1. Introduction
Received: 2 November 2021 The manufacturing industry is the backbone of the Chinese national economy, making
Accepted: 18 December 2021 it an important embodiment of industry competitiveness as well as the main economic
Published: 27 December 2021 guarantee of national security. The rapid development of the Chinese economy has brought
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral about conflicts between the natural environment and the nation’s need for resources, includ-
with regard to jurisdictional claims in ing the waste of resources caused by edge materials, debris, and decommissioned products,
published maps and institutional affil- which occur within the manufacturing process, while the natural growth of available energy
iations. no longer meets the needs of the nation’s economic development. Simultaneously, a large
number of waste liquids, residues, and greenhouse gas emissions are also generated in
the manufacturing process [1–3]. Therefore, green design and manufacturing concepts are
rapidly gaining popularity in manufacturer development [4].
Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. In recent years, various countries have successively implemented new green manufac-
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. turing strategies and policies. The United States pursued the Advanced Manufacturing
This article is an open access article
Partnership Program (AMP v2.0); in 2019, the United States listed sustainable manufac-
distributed under the terms and
turing (i.e., green manufacturing) as one of the key technologies needed to revitalize the
conditions of the Creative Commons
manufacturing industry [5]. The European Union (EU) is currently implementing the EU
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
Horizontal 2020 program and plans to invest 3818 million Euros into research on green
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
manufacturing [6]. In October 2020, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee
4.0/).

Sustainability 2022, 14, 237. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010237 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 2 of 14

of the Chinese Communist Party proposed the promotion of green development strategies,
insisting on the concepts of green, silver, and golden mountains [7]. China has thus accel-
erated its promotion of green industry strategies and low-carbon development, thereby
improving the quality and stability of its various ecosystems and has comprehensively
improved the efficiency of its resource use. Therefore, green manufacturing strategies are
necessary for realizing environmentally conscious goals.
The goal of talent cultivation in the mechanical engineering field within Chinese
undergraduate colleges and universities is to train students with basic knowledge and
application abilities in mechanical design, manufacturing, electromechanical engineering,
and automation. Additionally, they are exposed to work that is closely related to the
manufacturing industry, such as working with industrial robots, intelligent machinery, and
other high-tech products, which allows them to effectively use their mechanical knowledge.
The development of China’s manufacturing industry cannot occur without the cultivation
of these talents among aspiring students. Therefore, it is both urgent and necessary to
integrate the principles of green design and manufacturing into the teaching and practice of
mechanical qualifications in order for future workers in this field to cope with the current
environmental problems faced by the manufacturing industry.
At present, some colleges and universities, situated both domestically and abroad,
have integrated the concepts of green design and manufacturing into the teaching curric-
ula of mechanical modules. Many higher education institutions are also offering related
courses. Cheng Huanbo, a representative of the Nanjing Institute of Engineering, analyzed
the necessity of establishing a green manufacturing course for mechanical engineering in
colleges and universities and describes the training objectives and main teaching content of
a green manufacturing course, the principles and teaching practice systems of integrating
green manufacturing theory and methods into mechanical engineering qualifications, and
the teaching of these theories and methods within this subject area [8]. Geng et al. [9]
propose to cultivate interdisciplinary green manufacturing experts with a global perspec-
tive by adopting advanced education strategies and teaching methods in the mechanical
manufacturing curriculum. This international approach to teaching requires universities
to instill cutting-edge knowledge and engineering experience in students and hone their
expertise in green manufacturing. Peng et al. [10] stated that more attention should be paid
to the macro-control and supervision of green technologies in the Jiangsu manufacturing
industry, as well as the optimization of environmental management and the strengthening
of incentives for the promotion of green-innovative talents. Lin et al. [11] introduced green
chemistry case studies into their laboratory courses. During the course of this experiment,
students gained basic experience in electrochemistry and acquired analytical, critical think-
ing, and scientific literacy skills. Their results serve as a case study for green chemistry
education, considering students’ knowledge of the field of renewable and clean energy.
Abroad, Tseng [12], from the University of Texas, proposed the combination of green
energy and manufacturing, as well as its integration into the teaching of manufacturing
courses, to solve the challenges faced by this industry. Additionally, to help Kansas State
University students understand green energy manufacturing, some content related to this
subject was added to the “Introduction to Manufacturing Processes and Systems” course at
Kansas State University (IMSE 250) [13]. Narayanan et al. [14] noted that the concept of
green sustainability could be improved through manufacturing education. By attaching
importance to the concept of green sustainability, they proposed a possible method to
modify the content of the “Manufacturing Technology” course in graduate education.
The above research shows that the concept of green design and manufacturing has
been integrated into the manufacturing process in all walks of life. When the modern me-
chanical industry is faced with a choice regarding the treatment of environmental resources,
it is necessary to perform green design and manufacturing interventions. Various scientific
researchers and research institutions are sparing no effort to perform the latest research
work related to green manufacturing and have achieved fruitful research results. Such as
the purpose of Xiong et al.’s work was to propose and develop a green manufacturing
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 3 of 14

strategy for furniture enterprises, strengthening the development of green furniture prod-
ucts, improving the production mode of green furniture, and promoting the coordinated
development of green production in the furniture industry [15]. In short, the study focused
on green design and manufacturing of the furniture industry. In Jnr et al.’s work, a model
was developed based on diffusion of innovation theory and sustainable life cycle process
identified through a literature review; then, a survey method was employed. The results
revealed that the internal and external characteristics influenced enterprise sustainability
innovativeness [16]. Gaikwad et al. presented a systematic literature review and analysis
concerning a possible framework, compatibility, drivers, and barriers for integrating three
manufacturing strategies: Lean, Green, and Six Sigma [17].
However, it can be seen from both the teaching work of green design and manufac-
turing and the status quo of relevant teaching reform in colleges and universities (both
domestic and international) that the integration teaching of green design and manufactur-
ing and machinery is still insufficient. The mechanical engineering specialty in China only
focuses on the teaching of product design theory and method, manufacturing technology,
equipment, and engineering practice and training in the traditional sense of mechanical
manufacturing. Green manufacturing is lagging in some developed countries in Europe
and the United States in both application and teaching of theoretical methods. In China,
only a small percentage of colleges and universities have implemented courses related
to green manufacturing, and the theory and methods of green manufacturing have not
been effectively integrated with professional teaching. Only by integrating green man-
ufacturing into the mechanical engineering specialty can the deficiency of the existing
manufacturing theory and method be circumvented, and the mechanical engineering
talents be trained with green concepts for the successful implementation of sustainable
development strategies by various enterprises. Our study specifically intended to provide
a teaching reform method from the perspectives of course teaching, scientific research, and
mechanical engineering practice to meet the demand for talents in the field of green design
and manufacturing.

2. Objects and Framework

The machinery sector primarily provides production equipment to various industries
and is also an important source of energy conservation and emission reduction, resulting
in environmental pollution control. Statistical data indicate that the mechanical industry
accounts for a large proportion of the energy consumption of the whole industry, with
certain high-energy-consuming equipment causing high levels of pollution during their
manufacture. Their demand for energy is so great that it is imperative to implement green
design and manufacturing concepts. It is not only necessary to apply these concepts to
all the equipment produced by the mechanical engineering sector but also to ensure that
the operation cycle of such equipment is designed using these environmentally conscious
concepts [18].
This is the core strategy for a transformation and upgrade of this sector, as well as a
necessary requirement for the integration of the mechanical industry with green design
concepts. Not only does the impact on the environment and its resources need to be con-
sidered, but also the constant improvement of the efficiency of using these resources [19].
This would involve the use of green materials to perform sustainable design and the adop-
tion of green production technologies to ensure that the products are also energy saving,
recyclable, and reusable, meaning that the overall construction machinery production cycle
is comprehensively environmentally conscious. Only through this can the concepts of
green design and manufacturing engulf the entire mechanical manufacturing process. This
focused supervision and management will result in the improvement of pollution control
and resource efficiency. Therefore, to adapt to the green development of the manufac-
turing industry, each enterprise is carrying out corresponding reforms, with the urgent
demand for talents in green design and manufacturing concepts, as well as professional
knowledge in this area. Therefore, in the training of mechanical professionals, whether
 cle is comprehensively environmentally conscious. Only through this can the concepts of
green design and manufacturing engulf the entire mechanical manufacturing process.
This focused supervision and management will result in the improvement of pollution
control and resource efficiency. Therefore, to adapt to the green development of the man‐
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 ufacturing industry, each enterprise is carrying out corresponding reforms, with the ur‐
4 of 14
gent demand for talents in green design and manufacturing concepts, as well as profes‐
sional knowledge in this area. Therefore, in the training of mechanical professionals,
whether it is in theoretical
it is in theoretical teachingteaching or in engineering
or in engineering practice,practice, each college
each college and university
and university should
should integrate the concept of green design and manufacturing into
integrate the concept of green design and manufacturing into the knowledge developmentthe knowledge de‐
velopment and professional
and professional skills
skills training training
of their of their students.
students.
The
The methodological framework
frameworkisisshownshownininFigure
Figure1.1.This
Thisstudy
studyintroduces
introduces prevail‐
prevailing
ing research
research of green
of green design
design andand manufacturing
manufacturing to show
to show its key
its key concepts,
concepts, research
research direc‐
direction,
tion, and future
and future development.
development. Considering
Considering the talent
the talent demand,demand, cultivation
cultivation method,method, and
and educa-
educational reform of the mechanical major in colleges and universities,
tional reform of the mechanical major in colleges and universities, the current problemsthe current prob‐
lems and challenges
and challenges of integrating
of integrating green green
designdesign and manufacturing
and manufacturing conceptsconcepts into me‐
into mechanical
chanical
education education are discussed.
are discussed. The authorsThe authors
proposepropose corresponding
corresponding curriculum
curriculum devel‐
development
opment
methodsmethods and emphasize
and emphasize its application
its application within thewithin the mechanical
mechanical engineering
engineering field
field through
the combination
through of green design
the combination of green and advanced
design and manufacturing technologies
advanced manufacturing within the
technologies
practical
within theteaching
practicalprocess.
teaching process.

Current status analysis Research object Challenges and methods

► The teaching practitioners clearly

Key concept
understand the necessity of
integrating the concept of green
design and manufacturing into the
Research Green design and teaching of mechanical specialty
direction manufacturing
► Green design and manufacturing
concept integrated into the courses
Future of machine major
Intergation

development
► The method of integrating the
concept of green design and
Talent Demand manufacturing into the teaching of
mechanical specialty through
teaching reform
Cultivation
Mechanical major ► Integration of teaching and
method
research in green design and
manufacturing
Educational
reform

Integration green design and manufacturing in mechanical major from education, scientific
research, and practice

Figure 1. Methodological framework.

Figure 1. Methodological framework.

3.
3. Current
Current Research
Research on
on Green
Green Design
Design and
and Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Based
Based on scientific studies and publishedpapers
on scientific studies and published papersof
ofseveral
severalmajor
majorresearch
researchorganiza‐
organiza-
tions,
tions, both national and international, the main research direction of green
both national and international, the main research direction of green design
design and
and
manufacturing is based on the product life cycle, which can be divided into green de-
sign, green production, remanufacturing, and life cycle analysis and evaluation. The
authors analyzed and described the current situation and main contents of these major
research directions.
Green design is also known as ecological design (i.e., design for the environment) or
environmentally conscious design [20,21]. Across the product’s life cycle [22], its environ-
mental attributes (detachability, recyclability, maintainability, reusability, etc.) should be
considered as the primary design objectives to meet the requirements of environmental
 manufacturing is based on the product life cycle, which can be divided into green design,
green production, remanufacturing, and life cycle analysis and evaluation. The authors
analyzed and described the current situation and main contents of these major research
directions.
Green design is also known as ecological design (i.e., design for the environment) or
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 environmentally conscious design [20,21]. Across the product’s life cycle [22], its environ‐ 5 of 14
mental attributes (detachability, recyclability, maintainability, reusability, etc.) should be
considered as the primary design objectives to meet the requirements of environmental
objectives
objectives and
and to
to ensure
ensure that
that function,
function,service
servicelife,
life,quality,
quality,and
andother
otherrequirements
requirementsare are
met[23]. Green design involves redesign, connection technology,
met [23]. Green design involves redesign, connection technology, process design, process design,
knowl-
knowledge engineering,
edge engineering, computer
computer integration,
integration, and artificial
and artificial intelligence
intelligence [24].
[24]. Its Its content
main main
content can be divided into the design application, method tool, and product data
can be divided into the design application, method tool, and product data layers. The main layers.
The maincontents
research researchofcontents of each
each level level are
are shown in shown
Figure in2. Figure 2.

Design application layer

Iterative
Green design Optimization object Integration of green Evaluation and Detailed green
determination of
optimization and its direction practice shooting decision making of design optimization
detailed scheme
potential assessment recognition scheme concept scheme scheme acquisition
parameters

Method tool layer

Task planning Product multi Mechanical model Task planning
Product LCA Product chemical
model of green attribute analysis of model of green
simulation model reaction model
design evaluation model products design

Axiomatic design
Checklist tools TRIZ theory Checklist tools QFDE Design for “X”
method

Integration of common and characteristic technology tools and methods

Product data layer

Database / knowledge base center Data acquisition / sensor Input / scan code

PDM Recycling information

CAX ERP MES CRM Operation / maintenance
/PLM management

Material provider Outsourcing parts processor Product manufacturer Transporter User Repairer Recycler

Data integration

Figure 2. Hierarchy
Hierarchy of
ofgreen
greendesign
designresearch
researchcontent.
content.

Green production
Green productionisisaacomprehensive
comprehensivemeasure measurethat
thataims
aimstotopromote
promoteenergy‐saving,
energy-saving,
consumption reduction, and pollutionpollution reduction
reduction while
whileusing
usingmanagement
managementand andtechnology
technol‐
to implement
ogy to implementpollution control
pollution acrossacross
control the entire industrial
the entire production
industrial process
production so as to
process somini-
as
mize
to the amount
minimize of pollutants
the amount createdcreated
of pollutants [25–27].[25–27].
Production focusesfocuses
Production on the onmanufacturing
the manu‐
process,
facturinginvolving
process, cutting, milling,
involving forming,
cutting, 3D printing,
milling, forming, and
3D other processes
printing, and [28].
otherRelated
pro‐
research includes
cesses[28]. Relatedenergy
researchconsumption analysis
includes energy and modeling,
consumption equipment
analysis energy-efficient
and modeling, equip‐
design,
ment important process
energy‐efficient parameter
design, important optimization, and process
process parameter improvement
optimization, [29,30].
and process im‐Ge-
netic algorithms,
provement [29,30].multi-objective
Genetic algorithms,optimization, neuraloptimization,
multi‐objective network algorithms, energy al‐
neural network con-
sumption modeling
gorithms, analyses, machine
energy consumption modeling learning models,
analyses, and other
machine methods
learning models, areand
often used
other
for process
methods areoptimization
often used for[31,32].
process optimization [31,32].
Remanufacturingisisaasystem
Remanufacturing systemengineering
engineeringprocess
processthat
thatconsiders
considers the
the life
life cycle
cycle man-
man‐
agement of
agement of product
product parts[33].
parts [33].ItItinvolves
involvesrefurbishing
refurbishingthe
theproduct’s
product’soriginal
originalpartspartswith
with
remanufacturing molding
remanufacturing moldingtechnology
technology(including
(includinghigh‐tech
high-techsurface
surfaceengineering
engineeringand and other
other
processing technologies)totorestore
processing technologies) restore their
their size,
size, shape,
shape, andand performance
performance to form
to form remanu-
remanufac‐
factured
tured products
products [34,35].
[34,35]. It mainly
It mainly includes
includes the reuse
the reuse of remanufactured
of remanufactured old partsoldon parts
newon
new products,
products, combinedcombined with
with the the recovery
recovery and improvement
and improvement of the performance,
of the performance, reli-
reliability,
ability, and life of parts in their long-term use through remanufacturing, to ensure that
the equipment reaches its best performance while resulting in minimum environmental
pollution, maximum resource use, and minimum input cost. Remanufacturing engineering
is regarded as both a supplement to and the current development of advanced manufac-
turing technologies, in addition to being a new industry with great potential in the 21st
century [36–38]. The remanufacturing process generally includes eight steps: product
cleaning, target object disassembly, cleaning, testing, remanufacturing parts classification,
remanufacturing technology selection, remanufacturing, and inspection [39,40]. The key
technologies and processes of remanufacturing are shown in Figure 3.
 maximum resource use, and minimum input cost. Remanufacturing engineering is re‐
garded as both a supplement to and the current development of advanced manufacturing
technologies, in addition to being a new industry with great potential in the 21st century
[36–38]. The remanufacturing process generally includes eight steps: product cleaning,
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237
target object disassembly, cleaning, testing, remanufacturing parts classification, remanu‐
6 of 14
facturing technology selection, remanufacturing, and inspection [39,40]. The key technol‐
ogies and processes of remanufacturing are shown in Figure 3.

Radiographic
Dry ice cleaning Ultrasonic cleaningt Molten salt cleaning Laser cleaning Plasma cleaning
testing

Penetrant testing
End-of-life product Logistics Dismantling Cleaning Testing

Magnetic particle
testing

Workshop level Product level Part level Repairing

Electromagnetic
detection

Remanufacturing
products
Testing Assembling Assessment Machining Ultrasonic testing

Arc surfacing repair Laser cladding Brush plating repair Plasma cladding Thermal spray repair

Figure 3.
Figure 3. Remanufacturing
Remanufacturingflow
flowand
anditsitsmain
maintechnologies.
technologies.

Life cycle
Life cycle assessment
assessment(LCA) (LCA)isisa amethod
method toto
evaluate
evaluate thethe
overall environmental
overall environmental impact
impact
of a product or a class of facilities from its inception to the end of its use [41].
of a product or a class of facilities from its inception to the end of its use [41]. It observes theIt observes
the relevant
relevant problems
problems fromfrom regional,
regional, national,
national, and
and globallevels,
global levels,asaswell
wellas asthat
thatofof sustainable
sustain‐
able development.
development. Therefore,
Therefore, usingLCA
using LCAtotoevaluate
evaluate thethealternatives
alternativesofof different
differentproducts
products
or facilities allows for choosing the optimal solution to these problems.
or facilities allows for choosing the optimal solution to these problems. At present, At present, the the
research status of product life cycles can be divided into three levels: theory,
research status of product life cycles can be divided into three levels: theory, methods, and methods, and
application. The
application. Thespecific
specificcontent
contentofofthese
theselevels
levelsis is
shown
shown in in
Figure
Figure4. 4.
At Atthethe
theoretical
theoretical
level, the research mainly focuses on the database, evaluation methods,
level, the research mainly focuses on the database, evaluation methods, and information and information
systems, while the life cycle method focuses on the research of socially sustainable devel‐
systems, while the life cycle method focuses on the research of socially sustainable develop-
opment, environmental management, and advanced technologies. The final application
ment, environmental management, and advanced technologies. The final application level
level involves the realization of the green certification of enterprises, parks, and products,
involves the realization of the green certification of enterprises, parks, and products, as well
as well as getting industries to form green supply chains, production processes, and pro‐
as getting industries to form green supply chains, production processes, and production
duction modes to realize the sustainable development of clean production processes
Sustainability 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW in 15
7 of
modes to realize the sustainable development of clean production processes in the field of
the field of machinery manufacturing [42,43].
machinery manufacturing [42,43].

Theory
Data quality Evaluation method Information system

Not match the domestic Not enough

Multiple integration methods commercialization
market
Multi attribute integration The function is not perfect
Accuracy is not high
Algorithm optimization The universality is not strong
Data missing

Method
Social sustainable development Environmental management Advanced technique

Cleaner production audit

Waste management Dynamic data extraction
Environmental label
Alternative development Dynamic modeling
certification
Green product development Dynamic evaluation
Environmental policy making

Application
Green certification Enterprise application Cleaner production

Green park certification Green supply chain Clean energy

Green factory certification Green production process Cleaning products
Green product certification Green product production Cleaner production process

Figure 4.
Figure 4. Research
Research status
status of
of life
life cycle
cycle analysis.
analysis.

The main research directions and methods of green design and manufacturing men‐
tioned above provide specific points for its integration into the teaching of mechanical
specialty, point out the direction of talent training of mechanical specialty, and provide a
reference and basis for the future development direction of mechanical specialty.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 7 of 14

The main research directions and methods of green design and manufacturing men-
Sustainability 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 15
tioned above provide specific points for its integration into the teaching of mechanical
specialty, point out the direction of talent training of mechanical specialty, and provide a
reference and basis for the future development direction of mechanical specialty.
the design of the product itself. For example, in the module on gear and shaft design, the
recycling
4. Integrationand of
remanufacturing
Green Design process at the end ofConcepts
and Manufacturing product life intocycles is taught; addi‐
Mechanical
Engineering
tionally, in the Education
chapter on mechanical structure design, disassembly and recyclability are
4.1.
bothGreen
fullyDesign and Manufacturing
explained. Concepts
To satisfy the needs Integrated
of product into
use, Mechanical
both economicEngineering Courses
and environmen‐
tal factors
As guided by the public and subject to basic courses of mechanical engineeringCon‐
are considered to achieve an optimal design of the product’s structure. quali-
fications,athe
cerning mechanical
concept ofsystem design, and
green design the manufacturing
concept of energy has saving is outlined,
been gradually which
introduced
teaches
into the the
basicstudents methods ofmodules
and professional productof designs that optimize
engineering this feature.
technology, with the characteristic
coursesGreen material
of the reduction
green design andtechnology
manufacturingand green additive
specialty beingmanufacturing
implemented. technology
Comprehen-
can be
sive andincorporated in the “Mechanical
innovative experiments have beenManufacturing”
designed to course. Withthe
consolidate thelearning
goal of making
of green
the manufacturing
design processconcepts.
and manufacturing environmentally sustainable, various green manufacturing
methods, including
Regarding the green
the course heat treatment
content, the subjectprocess,
of greenthe dry cutting
production was process,
used torecycling
train stu-
and remanufacturing technology, and low‐carbon manufacturing technology,
dents on how to maximize the saving of resources and energy and to reduce environmental should be
introduced to the students. The manufacturing process can be divided
pollution across the life cycle of mechanical and electronic products. It was a required into the technical
equipment,
course aimedprocess route, and
at cultivating collaborative
students’ scheduling
awareness layers. Through
of the environment, the incorporation
as well as introducing
of green
green technology
production units that
methods are involved
to them. During thein different
teaching manufacturing
of this subject, levels into the
comprehensive
teaching of mechanical
applications engineering
and summaries technologies,
of students’ students
knowledge aboutcanoptional
master both the traditional
courses, combined
manufacturing
with their use oftechnologies, as welland
new technologies as come to understand
products, have enabled the key technologies
the students of the
to consider
green manufacturing
resource use, recycling, process, which lays
environmental a theoretical
pollution, basis issues
and other for their future
more implementa‐
comprehensively,
tion ofcan
which environmentally
be embodied in cleaner production.
the following ways (Figure 5).

Cultivating mechanical engineering talents with green concept

Environmentally friendly material

technology
Green manufacturing theory and method

Product design theme

Mechanical engineering teaching

Green design theory and method

practice theme
Green manufacturing technology
Advanced manufacturing
Manufacturing process environmental theme
protection and pollution control technology

Green logistics

Production control theme

Green recycling treatment and recycling
technology

Basic tests Design comprehensive experiment Research innovation experiment

Figure 5. Integration of green manufacturing theory and methods.

Figure 5. Integration of green manufacturing theory and methods.

In the
In the “Mechanical
“Material Forming”
Design”course,
course,the
theselection of newtheory
green design environment‐protecting
and methods involvingma‐
terials, the use
disassembly, of retractable
recycling, energy and degenerate
saving, materials, the
and low-carbon identification
designs, and control
among others, couldofbe
forming process
integrated energy,
into this as well
course. as other
In total, 80%relevant content
of product should be is
performance incorporated
determinedinbythisthe
course.stage.
design Enhancing
Greenstudents’ awareness
design theory of greenhave
and methods environmental materials,
been integrated instilling
into the teachinginof
them a knowledge
mechanical design;ofthus,
energy optimization
students form an within the material
awareness forming process,
of integrating and giving
these concepts into
them an environmentally focused awareness of material selection, packaging
the design of the product itself. For example, in the module on gear and shaft design, structurethe
optimization, and material forming are all important facets. For example, to guarantee the
strength and safety performance of all products, the equipment’s weight should be low‐
ered as far as possible to improve its power and reduce its fuel consumption. Lightweight
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 8 of 14

recycling and remanufacturing process at the end of product life cycles is taught; addition-
ally, in the chapter on mechanical structure design, disassembly and recyclability are both
fully explained. To satisfy the needs of product use, both economic and environmental
factors are considered to achieve an optimal design of the product’s structure. Concerning
a mechanical system design, the concept of energy saving is outlined, which teaches the
students methods of product designs that optimize this feature.
Green material reduction technology and green additive manufacturing technology
can be incorporated in the “Mechanical Manufacturing” course. With the goal of making
the manufacturing process environmentally sustainable, various green manufacturing
methods, including the green heat treatment process, the dry cutting process, recycling
and remanufacturing technology, and low-carbon manufacturing technology, should be
introduced to the students. The manufacturing process can be divided into the technical
equipment, process route, and collaborative scheduling layers. Through the incorporation
of green technology units that are involved in different manufacturing levels into the
teaching of mechanical engineering technologies, students can master both the traditional
manufacturing technologies, as well as come to understand the key technologies of the
green manufacturing process, which lays a theoretical basis for their future implementation
of environmentally cleaner production.
In the “Material Forming” course, the selection of new environment-protecting ma-
terials, the use of retractable and degenerate materials, the identification and control of
forming process energy, as well as other relevant content should be incorporated in this
course. Enhancing students’ awareness of green environmental materials, instilling in
them a knowledge of energy optimization within the material forming process, and giving
them an environmentally focused awareness of material selection, packaging structure
optimization, and material forming are all important facets. For example, to guarantee the
strength and safety performance of all products, the equipment’s weight should be lowered
as far as possible to improve its power and reduce its fuel consumption. Lightweight
materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, ceramics, plastics, fiberglass, or carbon fiber
composites, are preferred.
The “Systems Engineering” course should enable students to master the analysis
methods of the product life cycle; help them to analyze the environmental impact of
products during production; teach them the use and waste processes with software tools;
and help them to understand the entire life cycle process, from production, use, recycling,
and reuse.
Finally, concerning the “Logistics Management” course, the theories and methods
of green supply chain management and reverse supply chain management need to be
increased by adding inventory control, using reverse logistics network planning, and using
production planning to provide students an understanding of the life cycles of products.

4.2. Implementation Method

In this process, correct design and manufacturing ideas and the cultivation of the
ability to solve practical problems using theoretical knowledge should be established.
Additionally, students need to understand the relevant concepts, basic theories, thinking
methods, and basic principles of green manufacturing. Furthermore, training on the basic
skills of green manufacturing should be conducted. Next, through the use of targeted
experiments, students’ perceptual knowledge can be enhanced, allowing them to master
the methods of combining green concepts with traditional design theory for product
design and the manufacturing process. The specific implementation method includes the
following aspects.
(1) Flexible teaching content: The technical systems of green manufacturing should
be combined with design, manufacture, and production management in the teaching of
mechanical engineering, with the product’s life cycle as the main focus, while including
this in the different courses of this qualification; that is, the different integration points of
green manufacturing’s content should be selected and connected in an orderly manner;
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 9 of 14

(2) The variety of teaching methods: This involves inviting experts in green production
and engineering who are personally engaged in research in such enterprises to conduct
a series of lectures to improve students’ understanding of the development of green
production, as well as to help them understand the application of the theory and methods
of environmental sustainability in production practice. Regarding professional knowledge,
a practice and production internship with a specific project should be conducted to help
promote an understanding of the application process of green production concepts, thereby
strengthening students’ perception of this subject. The teaching content of green production
must follow the instant principle; that is, students should learn of the latest theoretical
results and methods, in real-time, during the teaching process, and the teaching content
should be in line with the most recent developments in green production. For example,
the subjects in this qualification should include the latest theories and methods, such as
low-carbon design, low-carbon production, and life cycle simulation;
(3) Diversified principles: These need to be covered as part of the course training, with
optional courses for green manufacturing content being offered, such as those on energy
saving and emission reduction technologies in the manufacturing industry, as well as
designs based on environmental awareness, non-destructive testing, life cycle engineering,
green-innovative designs, metal and non-metal regeneration techniques, and other optional
courses. It is necessary to establish these optional courses in the green manufacturing
field to support the teaching of this subject area. Proper settings for the proposed optional
courses will strengthen students’ learning and understanding of green manufacturing
theory and methods;
(4) Integrating green manufacturing theories and methods into teaching practice:
Increasing the analysis experiments of material use and resource consumption in basic ex-
periments will help to guide students’ understanding of the importance of this integration,
including concepts such as recycling carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites with
supercritical fluid, as well as analyzing the effects of temperature, pressure, and time on
recovery efficiency and quality. In the design comprehensive experiment, green product
development is conducted by combining green design theory and methods with more
innovative design techniques; from this, the software frame for analyzing the performance
of green products is created, the module function is analyzed, and the application process
of product green design theory and methods is understood. In an experiment based on
research innovation, the latest theory and achievements of the green manufacturing in-
dustry are discussed, such as the greening of the manufacturing process and the design of
integrated coolant-free processing devices.

4.3. Integrating Teaching and Research

The integration of green design methods, manufacturing concepts, main research
directions, and scientific progress of green manufacturing into mechanical engineering
education can promote the development of higher education and research on this subject.
Additionally, exploring different disciplines within the field through education and lit-
erature is necessary to comprehensively understand green manufacturing at all possible
levels. Research projects support undergraduate training through the promotion of profes-
sional and project-based teaching while achieving the inclusion of green manufacturing
theory and methods in all disciplines across education and practice innovation. This can be
achieved through the following:
(1) Education should be promoted using the latest scientific research. The scientific
research achievements of green manufacturing should be introduced in the teaching content,
curriculum design, and graduation design so that students can participate in completing
the study goals of related scientific research projects, thereby improving their cognitive
abilities around green manufacturing;
(2) The skills and knowledge of teaching staff also need to be considered. Mechanical
engineering teachers should understand and master the theory, technology, and methods
 Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 10 of 14

of green manufacturing, in addition to improving the educational level of green manufac-

turing subjects by inviting experts in the field to give lectures;
(3) To improve students’ cognitive abilities around green manufacturing, and to
strengthen their conceptions of it, various green manufacturing science and technology
innovation competitions are currently held. In the future, the cultivation of green man-
ufacturing talents should focus on the three fields of professional technology, business
management, and skills while also including the three levels of technical equipment, pro-
cess route, and collaborative scheduling levels to cultivate mechanical engineering talents
with green concepts.

5. Application of Green Design and Manufacturing Combined with Advanced

Manufacturing Technologies
5.1. Practical Teaching Reform Means
At present, the authors’ institution has implemented additive manufacturing (3D print-
ing) related experimental training courses. The teaching goal is to assist students in master-
ing the basic theoretical knowledge of 3D printing, learning the operation of multiple 3D
modeling software, practicing the operation of related layered processing software, and
learning the operation of related 3D printers while working in a team setting to complete
the corresponding tasks. The final training task of this course involves the use of different
additive manufacturing equipment to process a simple mechanical solid part (Figure 6)
with the shape and size parameters of the selected parts shown in Table 1. To integrate
the concepts of green design and manufacturing into the teaching of this course, an ex-
perimental task has been incorporated to clarify the energy consumption characteristics
Sustainability 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW
and equipment energy efficiency of different additive manufacturing equipment11that of 15
are
processing the same workpiece.

l6
r1
h2
l5
h3
r2

l3
l4 l2
l1
r3 h1

Figure 6. 6.
Figure Models of of
Models additive manufacturing
additive parts.
manufacturing parts.

Shape
Table1.1.Shape
Table and
and size
size parametersofofthe
parameters theprocessed
processedadditive
additivemanufacturing
manufacturingparts.
parts.

l1 l l1 l3 l3l4 l4 l5 l5 ll66
Shape and size parametersShape and size parameters2 l2 (mm)
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
(mm) (mm)(mm)(mm) (mm)
(mm)
Value Value
40 28 40 28 28 2816 16 7 7 44
r1 r2 r1 r 3 r2 r3h1 h1 h2 h2 h
h33
Shape and size parametersShape and size parameters
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
(mm) (mm)(mm)(mm) (mm)
(mm)
Value Value
8 6 8 3 6 36 6 12 12 16
16

During
During training, after
training, thethe
after parts are modeled
parts are modeledand sliced, according
and sliced, to the to
according model pro‐
the model
cessing software
processing corresponding
software correspondingto the
to three different
the three additive
different manufacturing
additive manufacturing equipment
equipment
devices,
devices,the students
the studentssetset
the parameters
the parameters ofof
the corresponding
the corresponding parts and
parts andthen import
then importthem
them
into the corresponding equipment for forming. At present, the “3D printing
into the corresponding equipment for forming. At present, the “3D printing application application
innovation center” has three kinds of additive manufacturing equipment: the JGAURA‐
A8S (FDM experimental equipment), the UNIONTECH‐RS3000 (SLA experimental
equipment), and the BLT‐S210 (SLM experimental equipment). The power meter of the
AWS2103S Plus is used to measure the real‐time power consumption of this additive man‐
 Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 11 of 14

innovation center” has three kinds of additive manufacturing equipment: the JGAURA-A8S
(FDM experimental equipment), the UNIONTECH-RS3000 (SLA experimental equipment),
and the BLT-S210 (SLM experimental equipment). The power meter of the AWS2103S
Plus is used to measure the real-time power consumption of this additive manufacturing
ability 2022, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW equipment when processing parts (Figure 7). The energy consumption12ofofthe
15 three additive
manufacturing equipment pieces, each of which is processing the same part, is obtained
through corresponding data processing. The test results are shown in Table 2.

Figure 7. Schematic of the

Figure experimental
7. Schematic testing
of the system. testing system.
experimental

Table 2. Experimental
Table 2.energy consumption
Experimental energyand equipmentand
consumption energy efficiency
equipment under
energy different
efficiency addi‐
under different additive
tive manufacturing modes.
manufacturing modes.

ocessing Total Energy Consumption of Forming Energy Consumption of Energy Efficiency of Equipment
Total Energy Consumption Forming Energy Consumption Energy Efficiency of
Method Processing MethodEj (kJ)
Equipment of Equipment EPart Epart‐j (kJ)
j (kJ) of Part Epart-j (kJ) ηj% Equipment ηj %
FDM FDM
1361.763 1361.763
1222.908 1222.908
89.80% 89.80%
SLA SLA2316.870 2316.870 1840.781 1840.781 79.45% 79.45%
SLM SLM28,144.673 28,144.673 23,669.116 23,669.116 84.10% 84.10%

By analyzing the energy consumption

By analyzing of the three kinds
the energy consumption of theof equipment
three kinds of used to pro‐used to process
equipment
cess the same thepart, students
same discovered
part, students that the that
discovered SLMthe equipment has the has
SLM equipment greatest total total energy
the greatest
energy consumption and part
consumption andforming energyenergy
part forming consumption,
consumption, followed by theby
followed SLA, and and then the
the SLA,
then the FDM FDMprocess, with the
process, total
with theenergy consumption
total energy of the SLM
consumption equipment
of the and its and its part
SLM equipment
part forming energy
formingconsumption being more
energy consumption thanmore
being 20 times
thanthat of thethat
20 times FDM, respectively.
of the FDM, respectively. This
This is becauseisthe
because the of
material material
the SLM of process
the SLMisprocess is metal powder,
metal powder, meaningmeaning
that it is that
com‐it is completely
pletely meltedmelted
down anddown and
then then deposited,
deposited, resulting
resulting in it consuming
in it consuming more energy.
more energy. There‐ Therefore, the
SLM undergoes
fore, the SLM undergoes a higha energy
high energy consumption
consumption process.
process.
By comparing By thecomparing
three typesthe three types students
of equipment, of equipment,
couldstudents
discovercould discover
that their energythat their energy
efficiency is approximately 80%, with the energy efficiency
efficiency is approximately 80%, with the energy efficiency of the FDM equipment being of the FDM equipment being
the highest at nearly 90%, and the energy efficiency of
the highest at nearly 90%, and the energy efficiency of the SLA equipment being the low‐ the SLA equipment being the
lowest, which is because of the different energy consumption
est, which is because of the different energy consumption of the auxiliary units of these of the auxiliary units of these
equipment types.equipment
The FDM types. The FDM
equipment hasequipment
the advantageshas the of advantages
having a simpleof having a simple structure
structure
and fewer energy‐consuming components in its control and auxiliary units, meaning that
it has the highest energy efficiency. Furthermore, the SLA equipment’s auxiliary unit has
many energy‐consuming components and a complex control system, which leads to high
auxiliary energy consumption and low energy efficiency overall.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 12 of 14

and fewer energy-consuming components in its control and auxiliary units, meaning that
it has the highest energy efficiency. Furthermore, the SLA equipment’s auxiliary unit has
many energy-consuming components and a complex control system, which leads to high
auxiliary energy consumption and low energy efficiency overall.

5.2. Discussion of Practical Teaching Reform

The rapid development of any technology cannot occur without the appropriate talent
training being imparted to its main participants. At present, undergraduates majoring
in mechanical engineering in China primarily learn about product design theory and
methods, manufacturing technologies and equipment, engineering practice training, and
other content from the traditional mechanical manufacturing field. The subject of green
design and manufacturing is slightly insufficient in both theoretical and practical teaching;
although some colleges and universities have offered courses related to this subject, it has
still not been effectively integrated with the current teaching modalities. Therefore, to
adapt to the modern teaching environment and the requirements of enterprises for green
production-related talents, it is urgent to train students in high-quality skills, providing
them with a wide range of knowledge in this subject area. Only when green theory and
methodologies are integrated into the teaching of major mechanical projects can the existing
problems in this industry be effectively compensated with sustainable development.
The development of the above training content not only enables students to understand
and master the latest developments in advanced manufacturing technologies but also
integrates the concept of green manufacturing into their education and training so that they
can clearly describe the energy consumption tests of different equipment types, as well
as the analysis methods of industrial energy consumption characteristics, thus enriching
the overall training content. These results provide a method and experimental basis for
the quantification of additive manufacturing energy consumption, energy conservation,
and emission reduction while also laying a foundation for students to engage in scientific
research in the future.

6. Conclusions
To adapt to the green development of the manufacturing industry and to meet the
needs of manufacturing enterprises for green design and manufacturing talents, this study
analyzed the emergent developmental processes of green design and manufacturing. Based
on the current teaching reform of concepts of green design and manufacturing being
integrated into the teaching curricula, the problems and challenges faced by current manu-
facturing and talent demand have been discussed. By formulating the basic connotation of
these concepts, analyzing the current research body and its main direction in terms of green
design and manufacturing, and acknowledging the urgent need for an integration of green
design and manufacturing into the teaching and research of mechanical qualifications,
this study puts forward novel methods of integrating this concept into the curriculum of
mechanical engineering, the implementation mode of this teaching reform, and the integra-
tion method of these concepts into both teaching and scientific research. Combined with
the integration of green manufacturing concepts in advanced manufacturing technology
experiments and training courses at the authors’ institution, the integration application
of green design and manufacturing in the teaching and scientific research of mechanical
engineering is possible.
The application of green design and manufacturing in the teaching, scientific research,
and practice of the mechanical engineering qualification not only enriches the current
curriculum of this course from the perspective of teaching reform but also provides scientific
research directions and methods for most university teachers, along with new ideas for
the realization of the training goals of mechanical talents oriented to the development
of enterprises and current technology. Regarding students’ self-development, it lays the
foundation for students engaging in scientific research at a later stage. In the future, this
achievement can be extended to be applied to talent training and curricula reform of other
Sustainability 2022, 14, 237 13 of 14

related majors. The difficulty is that this is a gradual process of reform that may take a long
time to achieve.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, M.G. and Q.W.; methodology, Z.M.; investigation, N.W.;
data curation, Z.M.; writing—original draft preparation, M.G.; writing—review and editing, Q.W.
and L.L.; funding acquisition, M.G., Q.W. and L.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published
version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.
52005146), the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (Nos. 2008085QE265 and 2008085QE232),
the Domestic Visiting and Study Program for Outstanding Young Backbone Talents in Colleges and
Universities (No. gxgnfx2021151), School level key project of natural science of Suzhou Univer-
sity (2019yzd03) and the Quality Engineering Project (Nos. szxy2020sfzx02, szxy2020szkc04, and
szxy2020jyxm05).
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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