Manufacturing in Urban Settings: Pivotal Concepts and Characteristics
In an effort to demystify city-based manufacturing, we present a quick reference guide to terms commonly employed by the Cities of Making project and our articles. Feel free to suggest additions [1].
Terminology for Urban Manufacturing
Acoustic Attenuation
The process of minimizing noise levels, achieved through measures such as soundproofing or manufacturing in detached units.
Additive Manufacturing
Also known as 3D printing, this technology is a key component of Industry 4.0, facilitating cleaner, quieter production of parts compared to traditional methods. Additionally, it promotes micro-manufacturing and offers high levels of customization. By reducing waste and facilitating downcycling, productivity can increase by up to 30% [2].
Agglomeration Economies
The principle of reducing costs by minimizing travel times and distances required for accessing essential resources, skills, and transportation.
Anaerobic Digestion Facility
An energy-generating plant that utilizes organic waste as a primary source of renewable energy [3].
CNC Machines
Advanced manufacturing equipment, encompassing computer programmed mills, lathes, and 3D printers, enabling high-precision production without the need for a manual operator. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control.
Densification
Strategies to optimize land usage, primarily by increasing the concentration of similar activities on a specific site. This method is often referred to as industrial intensification.
Distributed Manufacturing
The practice of manufacturing products at smaller, dispersed locations instead of centralized factories, made possible by Industry 4.0 technologies such as 3D printing and cloud-based computing [4].
Division of Labor
The process of breaking down tasks into individual, repetitive micro-activities, enabling unskilled workers to perform their tasks more efficiently [5].
Drosscape
A term describing an area characterized by dereliction and potential for redevelopment and repurposing for urban manufacturing, often the result of former economic or industrial activities.
Economies of Scale
The cost-efficiency achieved by consolidating multiple business functions in a centralized location or under a single business entity, although businesses may become more vulnerable to changing market forces [6].
Energy Cascading
A method to maximize resource effectiveness by using biomass to produce goods with the highest potential economic value over multiple lifetimes. Energy recovery is viewed as a last resort, applied only after all higher-value products and services have been exhausted [7].
Energy Recovery
The conversion of waste materials into heat, fuel, or electricity. Preferences should be given to reuse and recycling before using waste materials in energy recovery.
Externalities
Unintended consequences or nuisances caused by manufacturing processes, such as noise, dust, fumes, or traffic flows.
Additional Concepts in Urban Manufacturing and Sustainable Development
Fablab
Collaborative spaces enabling small-scale manufacturers to design and produce goods using digital technologies.
Foundational Economy
Provides basic goods required for urban life, making cities robust and adaptable to competition, change, and innovation. Infrastructure maintenance, construction, and food production form a large part of the foundational economy.
Localisation Economies
The clustering of complementary businesses together, benefiting from easier collaboration and reduced transportation and space requirements.
Multiplier Effect
The local reinvestment resulting from import replacement, with city-scale impacts. Affordable, sustainable products made locally generate increased profits and stimulate further local economic activity.
Secondary Raw Materials
Recycled materials obtained from production waste or End-of-Life (EoL) products for use in manufacturing processes.
Sustainable Urban Planning
The design of urban spaces to be environmentally friendly, socially equitable, and resilient, incorporating green spaces, renewable energy, and smart infrastructure.
Urban Agriculture
The cultivation of plants and sometimes animals within urban areas, contributing to local food security and utilizing underused spaces [8].
Urban Regeneration
The renewal of urban areas in decline, primarily focusing on restoring economic viability and improving the built environment.
[1] For additional terms not covered in this guide, consult relevant project publications or websites.
[2] 'Eco Design for Additive Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping,' Procedia Engineering, [online], https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128173532000037
[3] 'The State of the Art in Anaerobic Digestion and Its Applications,' RSC Advances, [online], https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/ra/c8ra08719d
[4] 'Distributed Manufacturing for Demand-Driven Production,' Polymer Degradation and Stability, [online], https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0923964117300013
[5] 'The Origin of the Division of Labour and Its Implications for Growth and Development,' Journal of Economic Perspectives, [online], https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jep.20.2.193
[6] 'Economies of Scale and Scope in the Manufacturing Sector,' Handbook of Industrial Economics, [online], https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118982936.ch6
[7] 'Energy Cascading as a Material Flow Perspective in Sustainable Product Design and Industrial Ecology,' Ecological Economics, [online], https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800912001848
[8] 'Urban Agriculture: Diversified Crops and Techniques,' Agriculture and Human Values, [online], https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10460-016-9700-z
- The concept of sustainability in urban planning involves designing cities to promote education and self-development opportunities, incorporating smart infrastructure for technology utilization.
- In the realm of business, finance can play a crucial role in promoting urban regeneration initiatives that foster a lifestyle more centered around sustainability and community.
- As technology continues to advance, education-and-self-development in fields such as additive manufacturing and Fablabs becomes increasingly important to maintain competitiveness within industries, specifically within the city-scale manufacturing sector.
