In the Loop – Sustainable, Circular Product Design and Critical Materials

Globally there is increasing concern about a range of materials which have been termed critical materials. This paper defines critical materials as single elements, which are metals, at risk of supply constraints, financially costly, price volatile, deemed economically important and difficult to substitute as a result of their special or unique properties. These metals are used in engineering, technology applications, and product designs. They are widely used and of high value in the field of Automation Technologies. Previous studies have shown that awareness and understanding about critical materials in companies is low. This paper outlines a novel approach to address the company gap in knowledge through the development and testing of a specially developed serious game called ‘In the Loop: The Critical Raw Materials Game.’ Developed from prior research, company case studies, and literature, the game serves as a catalyst for informed discussion about the topic of critical materials. The results of the testing demonstrate the applicability of the approach to the automation technology field and present a roadmap going forwards.