From Open-Source 3D Printing to Industrial Manufacturing. A Life Cycle Assessment Study on Handy Multitool

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a tremendous change in people’s behaviour, particularly with regard to direct contact with contaminated objects. Handy, a multipurpose tool to help prevent the spread of the virus, was designed as a response in 2020. Initially, it was shared as an open-source, 3D-printable device to allow contactless interaction with objects. Later, market demand increased, and the decision was made to manufacture Handy for mass distribution. This paper reports the methodological process for a Life Cycle Assessment aiming to understand the feasibility for mass manufacturing at an affordable cost that would allow people all over the world to use it sustainably. The CES Granta software was used to benchmark materials for industrial manufacturing and to analyse the LCA, aiming to achieve an optimal trade-off when transitioning from a 3D printing manufacturing process to a mass manufacturing process.