Implementing circular economy principles in micro heat sink development: A techno-economic-sustainability analysis

Abstract

Sustainable manufacturing solutions are urgently needed with rising environmental pressures and cost volatility. This paper investigates sustainable product development strategies for micro heat sinks by integrating circular economy principles, emerging technologies, and green manufacturing practices. Analysing a UK–China cross-case hybrid production model, the study compares strategies in terms of energy efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact. The hybrid approach balances economic, ecological, and resource consumption goals by producing simpler components in-house while outsourcing complex parts. Results show a 19 % reduction in carbon emissions, 29 % energy savings, and 43 % cost reduction. Sustainable design, green manufacturing, and end-of-life management further contribute to environmental benefits. Machine learning models validated the cost-saving outcomes, achieving R² values exceeding 0.98. Finally, the study proposes a Sustainable Hybrid Intelligence Framework (SHIF) to demonstrate the feasibility of hybrid manufacturing as a sustainable solution for future micro heat sink production.