Challenge Summary:

The goal of this design challenge is to eliminate the concept of “waste” by designing products with materials that may be perpetually cycled to retain their value as nutrients to fuel growing global economies.

Winning Design – “Honorable Mention: MetroWay”, Cradle to Cradle Product Design Challenge

The high-traffic commuter system of New York City inspired a thoughtful product that emphasizes material choice, improves recovery of material stock, and instils regenerative solutions through a Circular Economic Model. The team’s proposal for the next generation of the MTA’s MetroCard, tilted the MetroWay, introduces a new manifesto for better manufacturing practices, and stands as an example of how Cradle to Cradle ideals could impact 7 million people on a daily basis.

Learning to use Autodesk’s Fusion 360 provided us the team the opportunity to breathe life into their concept. As a team, they created a 3D model that they could collectively and visually understand, therefore promoting discussion and facilitating better collaboration between team members. 

For this team, the advantage of Autodesk’s Fusion 360 was that it is the only cloud-based 3D modeling tool.  They were able to work together without the hassle of file transferring, formatting, or file corruption. Additionally, the access to an interactive online platform gave them a place to ask questions, join webinars, and learn from advanced users, facilitating a growing educational environment. 

Using Fusion 360 gave them the ability to rapidly create different model variations and compare a variety of materials. Fusion 360 allowed them to extract specific material information about density and mass within a given area and volume.