Streamlined Life Cycle Assessment tool for injection molding of plastic components: a literature review
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paper_title: Review of life cycle assessment towards sustainable product development

paper_content:

Nowadays, environmental problems have aroused public awareness about the trade-off between economic growth and environmental conservation. In this regard, sustainable development plays a crucial role in striking a balance between the demands of social productivity and the reserves of natural resources. In the realm of sustainable development, life cycle assessment (LCA) is an important tool to assist in ensuring proper sustainability through assessing the environmental impacts of product designs. Unlike previous reviews, which mainly focus on LCA methodology, this paper presents LCA related studies from the perspective of product development applications. In this article, the approach on how LCA can be used in product development is introduced step by step, from concept design, part design, and process design to decision making. The applications of LCA come in different forms such as impact assessment, selection, classification and decision support. The issues or challenges with respect to the four steps of LCA (i.e. goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact analysis, and interpretation) have been examined and investigated. Corresponding models and theories for coping with these challenges are reviewed. In particular, widespread and popular analytical tools are identified and highlighted. Considering the vague measurement of environmental impact in an agile manufacturing system, it is suggested that the development of LCA should keep pace with the advancing complex product development system. Overall, this article sheds light on the trend of LCA applications in sustainable product development and provides the prospect of promising research directions for LCA researchers and practitioners.
---
paper_title: Incorporating lean thinking and life cycle assessment to reduce environmental impacts of plastic injection moulded products

paper_content:

Abstract In the last decades, environmental footprint of the product manufacture has emerged as an important public concern, causing manufacturers to re-assess their product's environmental impacts. Responding to global outcry on global warming, world leaders have agreed to limit global temperature rise to less than 2 °C above the temperature in pre-industrial times. As a result, governments and industrial leaders around the world have proposed a roadmap for 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The aim of this work develops a novel approach of linking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Lean manufacturing to reduce the negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection moulded product. Products that use plastic as their primary source of raw materials are mainly produced by plastic injection processes. Although plastic injection moulding has many benefits such as ‘high production rates’, there is a lack of through investigation on the effects of this process has on the environment such as climate change, ozone depletion etc. This paper proposes a novel cross-functional mapping approach of linking lean-thinking and LCA. The implementation case study has been presented with the view to re-assess carbon footprint of an existing plastic product. The reported implementation work demonstrates that the adaptation of lean thinking and LCA could significantly minimise negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection product. A case study indicates that the overall environmental impact has been reduced by approximately 40% in climate change, human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, acidification and eco-toxicity.
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paper_title: EcoDesign: what's happening? An overview of the subject area of EcoDesign and of the papers in this special issue

paper_content:

EcoDesign is a concept including human sustainability priorities together with business interrelations. Its main objective in the improvementof product development methods is to reduce environmenta ...
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paper_title: Environmental decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts: applicability of life cycle thinking in development planning and implementation

paper_content:

Abstract According to the targets set for sustainability, integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs is one of the main goals for development projects. A major challenge in the development field is cross-sectoral integrated planning and achieving multi-stakeholder consensus for collaborative joint projects, especially when sustainability is a goal. This increases the complexity of the multi-stakeholder interaction in decision making and requires enhanced mechanisms for stakeholder participation, coordination, and commitment beyond narrow self-interest. A critical aspect in the decision making process is to enable stakeholders to not only interpret and make decisions based on expert judgments, but also to appropriately involve the relevant parties in the research and decision making process. Therefore, scientific analyses in multi-stakeholder contexts have to be more transparent, participatory, and stakeholder-based in order to provide useful information to assist responsible decision making. This paper presents an outline of a stakeholder-based life cycle assessment approach that can be used to support sustainable decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts. The framework is discussed and compared to other common methods used to support environmental decision making in development projects. We argue that the fundamental concept of life cycle thinking can be effectively used to incorporate stakeholders in the research and decision making process, which can lead to more comprehensive, yet achievable assessments in collaboration with stakeholders. Life cycle thinking is not just a way to examine environmental impacts of activities, but also a way to comprehend and visualize a broader set of upstream and downstream consequences of decisions in development planning and implementation. A life cycle framework including the mapping of stakeholder involvement at each activity in upstream and downstream stages would give stakeholders a holistic view that they otherwise may not have.
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paper_title: Ecodesign maturity model: a management framework to support ecodesign implementation into manufacturing companies

paper_content:

Abstract Over the last few decades, ecodesign has emerged as a promising approach to integrate environmental concerns into the product development and related processes. Ecodesign aims to minimize environmental impacts throughout the product's life cycle, without compromising other essential criteria such as performance and cost. Despite the potential benefits of ecodesign and the existence of several tools and techniques for product design, the actual application of ecodesign has not reached companies worldwide, mainly due to difficulties in ecodesign implementation and management. This paper introduces the ecodesign maturity model, a framework aimed at supporting the ecodesign implementation process. Based on a diagnosis of the current maturity profile of a company's product development and related processes regarding ecodesign implementation, the model proposes the most suitable ecodesign practices and improvement projects to be applied, by adopting a continuous improvement approach for process improvement. The model is thus intended to support ecodesign managers in their deployment of strategic and tactical roadmaps for ecodesign implementation. The paper discusses the main concept of the model and the results of its application into a large manufacturing company. In addition to the academic benefits related to the systematization of the ecodesign knowledge, the application of the model is shown to provide companies with: a benchmarking of ecodesign practices; an assessment of strengths and weaknesses; and a common language and a shared vision for ecodesign implementation.
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paper_title: Ecodesign field of research throughout the world: mapping the territory by using an evolutionary lens

paper_content:

Abstract The development of environmentally friendly products is one of the key contemporary trends in the environmental management and planning field of knowledge. Ecodesign is considered a practical mechanism for integrating environmental considerations throughout the life cycle of the product. Within this scope, the aim of this paper is to systematize the publications on ecodesign and to propose the historical evolutionary phases of this area, considering important characteristics such as geographical distribution. To this end, a bibliometric analysis was performed by identifying key papers, authors, and journals that deal with the theme and the history of the number of papers published. Among the results, a recent growth in publications was found, with a wide range of authors conducting research and publishing papers on the subject. The majority of research is conducted in European countries, especially France and Nordic region. Most journals that publish papers on ecodesign are from the environmental field as opposed to those that deal with new product development and innovation and project management. This work also identifies historical research phases; among the most recent, it is possible to notice efforts to link ecodesign with other areas of management, such as the fuzzy method, lean product development, and project management.
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paper_title: Drivers and barriers for implementation of environmental strategies in manufacturing companies

paper_content:

Abstract In order for environmental strategies to come into effect in industry practice, they need to be implemented and applied in daily business routines. Based on a dedicated comprehensive international survey in product developing and manufacturing companies, this paper identifies major current drivers for implementing product life cycle oriented environmental strategies but also barriers and obstacles that need to be addressed. On this basis it provides a number of recommendations for manufacturing companies as well as policy makers to consider for a successful implementation of strategic environmental goals in manufacturing industry.
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paper_title: Defining the challenges for ecodesign implementation in companies: Development and consolidation of a framework

paper_content:

This study addresses the problem of the slow take-up of ecodesign in industry by identifying and categorising the implementation challenges faced by practitioners. Case studies from nine manufacturing companies from five different countries are reported based on interviews with key ecodesign personnel. A literature-derived framework is used to analyse each case, allowing for robust cross-case analysis. Challenges are identified in five areas: strategy, tools, collaboration, management and knowledge. The management category of challenges is the most frequently mentioned by the companies sampled. The tools category is not as prominent as might have been expected given the on-going focus on tool development within this field. The main contributions of the study are the updating of the main challenges for ecodesign implementation faced by industry, and the development of a rich framework of challenges, including new challenges not previously mentioned in the literature. It is suggested that the framework can be used (and evolved) by other ecodesign researchers when developing surveys or questions for in-depth case study interviews as this will facilitate more robust comparisons between studies and support the development of a more consolidated body of knowledge in this field.
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paper_title: Review of life cycle assessment towards sustainable product development

paper_content:

Nowadays, environmental problems have aroused public awareness about the trade-off between economic growth and environmental conservation. In this regard, sustainable development plays a crucial role in striking a balance between the demands of social productivity and the reserves of natural resources. In the realm of sustainable development, life cycle assessment (LCA) is an important tool to assist in ensuring proper sustainability through assessing the environmental impacts of product designs. Unlike previous reviews, which mainly focus on LCA methodology, this paper presents LCA related studies from the perspective of product development applications. In this article, the approach on how LCA can be used in product development is introduced step by step, from concept design, part design, and process design to decision making. The applications of LCA come in different forms such as impact assessment, selection, classification and decision support. The issues or challenges with respect to the four steps of LCA (i.e. goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact analysis, and interpretation) have been examined and investigated. Corresponding models and theories for coping with these challenges are reviewed. In particular, widespread and popular analytical tools are identified and highlighted. Considering the vague measurement of environmental impact in an agile manufacturing system, it is suggested that the development of LCA should keep pace with the advancing complex product development system. Overall, this article sheds light on the trend of LCA applications in sustainable product development and provides the prospect of promising research directions for LCA researchers and practitioners.
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paper_title: Life Cycle Assessment as Entrepreneurial Tool for Business Management and Green Innovations

paper_content:

A transition for a green economy has encouraged companies to use new tools which promote internal corporate entrepreneurship, increase the competitiveness and achieve sustainable results. This article presented a theoretical discussion of how the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can presents as an entrepreneurial tool for modern business management and green innovation. Studies of LCA were analyzed showing benefits and applications in the areas of strategic planning, production, process of development of products, search and development, social and environmental responsibility, and marketing. As for green innovations, there were analyzed studies of innovations in products, processes and services. The tool assists in making sustainable decisions, fortifies the management of the business processes, the management of operations and the promotion of greener innovations.
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paper_title: Life Cycle Assessment Tool in Product Development: Environmental Requirements in Decision Making Process

paper_content:

Abstract In recent years, sustainable development has acquired a relevant position in our society. In this context, the design of modern products must consider these issues when creating eco-friendly and socially acceptable solutions, seeing sustainability as a matter of optimization in the use of available resources along the entire product lifecycle. This research aims to propose a dedicated Environmental Assessment Framework, using LCA methodology allowing designers to make environmental sustainability as an achievable and measurable requirement for developing new products. The case study presented is adapting the Life Cycle Assessment framework in the household refrigerator sector, of comparison between conventional gas-compression refrigeration and magnetic cooling system. The critical point of magnetic refrigerator is the presence of rare earths, and for this reasons a Life Cycle Assessment toll is needed to investigate the whole lifecycle.
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paper_title: A life cycle framework to support materials selection for Ecodesign: A case study on biodegradable polymers

paper_content:

Abstract Nowadays society compels designers to develop more sustainable products. Ecodesign directs product design towards the goal of reducing environmental impacts. Within Ecodesign, materials selection plays a major role on product cost and environmental performance throughout its life cycle. This paper proposes a comprehensive life cycle framework to support Ecodesign in material selection. Dealing with new materials and technologies in early design stages, process-based models are used to represent the whole life cycle and supply integrated data to assess material alternatives, considering cost and environmental dimensions. An integrated analysis is then proposed to support decision making by mapping the best alternative materials according to the importance given to upstream and downstream life phases and to the environmental impacts. The proposed framework is applied to compare the life cycle performance of injection moulded samples made of four commercial biodegradable polymers with different contents of Thermo Plasticized Starch and PolyLactic Acid and a common fossil based polymer, Polypropylene. Instead of labelling materials just as “green”, the need to fully capture all impacts in the whole life cycle was shown. The fossil based polymer is the best economic alternative, but polymers with higher content of Thermo Plasticized Starch have a better environmental performance. However, parts geometry and EoL scenarios play a major role on the life cycle performance of candidate materials. The selection decision is then supported by mapping the alternatives.
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paper_title: Incorporating lean thinking and life cycle assessment to reduce environmental impacts of plastic injection moulded products

paper_content:

Abstract In the last decades, environmental footprint of the product manufacture has emerged as an important public concern, causing manufacturers to re-assess their product's environmental impacts. Responding to global outcry on global warming, world leaders have agreed to limit global temperature rise to less than 2 °C above the temperature in pre-industrial times. As a result, governments and industrial leaders around the world have proposed a roadmap for 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The aim of this work develops a novel approach of linking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Lean manufacturing to reduce the negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection moulded product. Products that use plastic as their primary source of raw materials are mainly produced by plastic injection processes. Although plastic injection moulding has many benefits such as ‘high production rates’, there is a lack of through investigation on the effects of this process has on the environment such as climate change, ozone depletion etc. This paper proposes a novel cross-functional mapping approach of linking lean-thinking and LCA. The implementation case study has been presented with the view to re-assess carbon footprint of an existing plastic product. The reported implementation work demonstrates that the adaptation of lean thinking and LCA could significantly minimise negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection product. A case study indicates that the overall environmental impact has been reduced by approximately 40% in climate change, human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, acidification and eco-toxicity.
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paper_title: Environmental impact analysis of the injection molding process: analysis of the processing of high-density polyethylene parts

paper_content:

Abstract This paper studies the environmental impact of the injection molding process by carrying out a life cycle assessment. A review of how EcoInvent's Life Cycle Inventory database characterizes this process has been conducted, and a new methodology based on that analysis has been carried out. Aspects such as the infrastructure of the factory or waste treatment are part of the environmental impact of the injection molding process, but the most significant factor is electricity consumption; therefore, electricity consumption measurements of the process have been performed. This environmental analysis has been applied to the processing of several parts made of high-density polyethylene, which have been characterized by measuring the electricity consumption. As a consequence of this work, it has been proven that electricity consumption can be used as an injection molding machine selection criteria, from an environmental standpoint, as it produces the highest environmental burden of the process.
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paper_title: Injection moulding unit process for LCA: Energy intensity of manufacturing different materials at different scales

paper_content:

It is not common to accompany material development by a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) during the research and development phase. It is the aim of the study at hand to present environmental aspects of the manufacturing of different polypropylene composites by injection moulding in comparison to the neat polypropylene. The process analysis following two injection-moulding experiments revealed that the total specific energy consumption of injection moulding of seven different materials and on different scales ranges from 1.6 MJ/kg to 3.5 MJ/kg. On the level of an ex-ante LCA from cradle-to-factory gate, injection moulding can be rated from being a negligible to an important contributor.
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paper_title: A life cycle framework to support materials selection for Ecodesign: A case study on biodegradable polymers

paper_content:

Abstract Nowadays society compels designers to develop more sustainable products. Ecodesign directs product design towards the goal of reducing environmental impacts. Within Ecodesign, materials selection plays a major role on product cost and environmental performance throughout its life cycle. This paper proposes a comprehensive life cycle framework to support Ecodesign in material selection. Dealing with new materials and technologies in early design stages, process-based models are used to represent the whole life cycle and supply integrated data to assess material alternatives, considering cost and environmental dimensions. An integrated analysis is then proposed to support decision making by mapping the best alternative materials according to the importance given to upstream and downstream life phases and to the environmental impacts. The proposed framework is applied to compare the life cycle performance of injection moulded samples made of four commercial biodegradable polymers with different contents of Thermo Plasticized Starch and PolyLactic Acid and a common fossil based polymer, Polypropylene. Instead of labelling materials just as “green”, the need to fully capture all impacts in the whole life cycle was shown. The fossil based polymer is the best economic alternative, but polymers with higher content of Thermo Plasticized Starch have a better environmental performance. However, parts geometry and EoL scenarios play a major role on the life cycle performance of candidate materials. The selection decision is then supported by mapping the alternatives.
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paper_title: Estimating energy consumption of injection moulding for environmental-driven mould design

paper_content:

Abstract Supporting environmentally-conscious design of moulds is the ultimate objective of the here presented advisory tool. Relying on a careful estimation of the energy used for the injection moulding process, the designer is guided towards the development of green(er) solutions. As shown by literature and through a preliminary LCA screening analysis, most of the environmental impacts of a mould are directly connected to the energy consumed during the injection phase. This paper proposes a guideline for a reliable and sensitive energy estimation of the injection moulding process, taking into account not only the part and the material to be moulded, but also the specifications of the mould, the injection moulding machine and the injection moulding process parameters. The accurate estimation of the energy consumed may radically improve the estimation of the overall environmental impacts of the mould and of the moulded product, and provide a value-added support for eco-driven decision making since the mould design phase. This work aims at contributing to the development of new methodologies to help injection moulding industry to develop more sustainable parts, moulds and processes.
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paper_title: Incorporating lean thinking and life cycle assessment to reduce environmental impacts of plastic injection moulded products

paper_content:

Abstract In the last decades, environmental footprint of the product manufacture has emerged as an important public concern, causing manufacturers to re-assess their product's environmental impacts. Responding to global outcry on global warming, world leaders have agreed to limit global temperature rise to less than 2 °C above the temperature in pre-industrial times. As a result, governments and industrial leaders around the world have proposed a roadmap for 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The aim of this work develops a novel approach of linking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Lean manufacturing to reduce the negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection moulded product. Products that use plastic as their primary source of raw materials are mainly produced by plastic injection processes. Although plastic injection moulding has many benefits such as ‘high production rates’, there is a lack of through investigation on the effects of this process has on the environment such as climate change, ozone depletion etc. This paper proposes a novel cross-functional mapping approach of linking lean-thinking and LCA. The implementation case study has been presented with the view to re-assess carbon footprint of an existing plastic product. The reported implementation work demonstrates that the adaptation of lean thinking and LCA could significantly minimise negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection product. A case study indicates that the overall environmental impact has been reduced by approximately 40% in climate change, human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, acidification and eco-toxicity.
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paper_title: LCI Databases Sensitivity Analysis of the Environmental Impact of the Injection Molding Process

paper_content:

During the last decades, society’s concern for the environment has increased. Specific tools like the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and software and databases to apply this method have been developed to calculate the environmental burden of products or processes. Calculating the environmental impact of plastic products is relevant as the global plastics production rose to 288 million tons in 2012. Among the different ways of processing plastics, the injection molding process is one of the most used in the industry worldwide. In this paper, a sensitivity analysis of the environmental impact of the injection molding process has been carried out. In order to perform this study, the EcoInvent database inventory for injection molding, and the data from which this database is created, have been studied. Generally, when an LCA of a product is carried out, databases such as EcoInvent, where materials, processes and transports are characterized providing average values, are used to quantify the environmental impact. This approach can be good enough in some cases but in order to assess a specific production process, like injection molding, a further level of detail is needed. This study shows how the final results of environmental impact differ for injection molding when using the PVC’s, PP’s or PET’s data. This aspect suggests the necessity of studying, in a more precise way, this process, to correctly evaluate its environmental burden. This also allows us to identify priority areas and thereby actions to develop a more sustainable way of manufacturing plastics.
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paper_title: Effects of environmental impact based on alternative materials and process selection in automotive component design

paper_content:

Recent literature in automotive research indicates that studies of the environmental impact mostly concern metal-based components. Environmental effects are mainly analyzed using “environmental performance indicators” and “life cycle assessment” techniques. Therefore, a knowledge gap in the field of studying automotive plastic components should be conducted based on analyzing material and manufacturing processes selection at the design stage. The research is focused on a plastic component previously unexplored and analyzed using tools that have not been employed for this application. A computer-aided tool was used to model the part and its associated sustainability function was used to analyze its environmental impact. The component was analyzed using different materials and manufacturing processes, then redesigned to be more ergonomic. The improved component design was manufactured using rapid prototyping and a consumer preference survey was conducted to determine which component was preferred. The resea...
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paper_title: Environmental impact analysis of the injection molding process: analysis of the processing of high-density polyethylene parts

paper_content:

Abstract This paper studies the environmental impact of the injection molding process by carrying out a life cycle assessment. A review of how EcoInvent's Life Cycle Inventory database characterizes this process has been conducted, and a new methodology based on that analysis has been carried out. Aspects such as the infrastructure of the factory or waste treatment are part of the environmental impact of the injection molding process, but the most significant factor is electricity consumption; therefore, electricity consumption measurements of the process have been performed. This environmental analysis has been applied to the processing of several parts made of high-density polyethylene, which have been characterized by measuring the electricity consumption. As a consequence of this work, it has been proven that electricity consumption can be used as an injection molding machine selection criteria, from an environmental standpoint, as it produces the highest environmental burden of the process.
---
paper_title: A life cycle framework to support materials selection for Ecodesign: A case study on biodegradable polymers

paper_content:

Abstract Nowadays society compels designers to develop more sustainable products. Ecodesign directs product design towards the goal of reducing environmental impacts. Within Ecodesign, materials selection plays a major role on product cost and environmental performance throughout its life cycle. This paper proposes a comprehensive life cycle framework to support Ecodesign in material selection. Dealing with new materials and technologies in early design stages, process-based models are used to represent the whole life cycle and supply integrated data to assess material alternatives, considering cost and environmental dimensions. An integrated analysis is then proposed to support decision making by mapping the best alternative materials according to the importance given to upstream and downstream life phases and to the environmental impacts. The proposed framework is applied to compare the life cycle performance of injection moulded samples made of four commercial biodegradable polymers with different contents of Thermo Plasticized Starch and PolyLactic Acid and a common fossil based polymer, Polypropylene. Instead of labelling materials just as “green”, the need to fully capture all impacts in the whole life cycle was shown. The fossil based polymer is the best economic alternative, but polymers with higher content of Thermo Plasticized Starch have a better environmental performance. However, parts geometry and EoL scenarios play a major role on the life cycle performance of candidate materials. The selection decision is then supported by mapping the alternatives.
---
paper_title: Ecodesign field of research throughout the world: mapping the territory by using an evolutionary lens

paper_content:

Abstract The development of environmentally friendly products is one of the key contemporary trends in the environmental management and planning field of knowledge. Ecodesign is considered a practical mechanism for integrating environmental considerations throughout the life cycle of the product. Within this scope, the aim of this paper is to systematize the publications on ecodesign and to propose the historical evolutionary phases of this area, considering important characteristics such as geographical distribution. To this end, a bibliometric analysis was performed by identifying key papers, authors, and journals that deal with the theme and the history of the number of papers published. Among the results, a recent growth in publications was found, with a wide range of authors conducting research and publishing papers on the subject. The majority of research is conducted in European countries, especially France and Nordic region. Most journals that publish papers on ecodesign are from the environmental field as opposed to those that deal with new product development and innovation and project management. This work also identifies historical research phases; among the most recent, it is possible to notice efforts to link ecodesign with other areas of management, such as the fuzzy method, lean product development, and project management.
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paper_title: Exploitation scenarios in industrial system LCA

paper_content:

Purpose: This paper considers the variabilities that exist in the exploitation of a complex industrial system. Our scenario-based LCA model ensures the reliability of results in situations where the system life cycle is very uncertain, where there is substantial lack of data and/or where time and resources available are limited. It is also an effective tool to generate exploitation recommendations for clients. Method: Existing quantitative uncertainty methods in LCA require a huge amount of accurate data. These data are rarely available in simplified and upstream LCA for complex industrial systems. A scenario-based approach is the best compromise between acceptable quality of results and resources required. However, such methods have not yet been proposed to improve the environmental knowledge of the system in the case of exploitation scenarios. The method proposed here considers a limited number of scenarios (3 or 4) that are defined using the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) matrix. Using results from past projects, relevant parts of the system are listed, and expert knowledge and parameters are associated with these parts and quantified. A classical LCA process then provides the results for the different scenarios. Results and discussion: The method was applied to an Alstom Grid AC/DC conversion substation for the primary aluminium industry. A previous study had limited scope, as the life cycle was poorly understood. Relevant parts were thus clearly identified: spare parts program, transport failures, preventive and corrective maintenance, updates and revampings, lifetime modulation and end-of-life. Four scenarios were considered: best case, worst case, baseline (expected future) and a highly different alternative. Results show the pertinence of considering several exploitation scenarios when the life cycle is not predictable, as the environmental impacts may vary widely from one case to another. A sensitivity analysis also shows that some relevant parts such as updates and revampings will need to be carefully considered in futures studies. Conclusions: The consideration of three exploitation scenarios (best case, baseline and worst case) appears to be extremely pertinent when considering simplified LCA of industrial systems with high uncertainties and limited time and resources. This model is also very useful to generate good practice and recommendations towards clients, thus initiating a dialog centred on eco-design and continuous improvement.
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paper_title: PIQET: the design and development of an online ‘streamlined’ LCA tool for sustainable packaging design decision support

paper_content:

Background, aim and scope ::: ‘Streamlined’ life cycle assessment (LCA) tools hold out the possibility of providing LCA information quickly and easily in order to support a variety of decision-making environments and situations. The utility of such tools is closely related to the accuracy needs and possibilities, and the particular decisions to be supported. In order to facilitate the provision and application of LCA information in decision making during packaging design, development and utilisation, there is a prima facia case for a ‘streamlined’ LCA tool, provided it meets a set of requirements, including functionality, accuracy, validity, reliability and usability.
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paper_title: Simplification strategies for mechatronic products: a methodology proposal

paper_content:

The promotion of efficient use of resources is at the core of the Europe 2020 Strategy and its flagship initiative on “A Resource Efficient Europe”. Ambitious goals are defined, whose achievement requires actions across different sectors. Mechatronic products play an important role in this framework for three main reasons: (i) the high energy and resource consumption they generate; (ii) the volume of products traded on the international market, since mechatronics cover products ranging from small and large household appliances, to cars, planes, robots and manufacturing machines; (iii) they are replaced before becoming obsolete, making the end of life management challenging. The Ecodesign Directive is supporting the improvement of the environmental performance of this product group by providing measures to intervene in the design process, the phase that determines 80% of the whole environmental impact generated by a product or service. However, designers often struggle with the inclusion of environmental considerations into the design process and further supporting measures are necessary. To address this challenge, the G.EN.ESI research project was launched in 2012, aimed at developing a software engineering platform of different tools that support designers’ choices from an environmental point of view. The main goals of the platform are: to exploit the interoperability of the design tools traditionally used in the product development with the environmental assessment ones; to allow for a rapid environmental assessment of design choices, by adopting simplified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools. As far as simplified LCA is concerned, different simplification techniques have been developed and are available in the scientific literature, but a general agreement on which strategy is more robust has not yet been found. However, many agree that the availability of detailed LCA studies for specific applications is important to define simplifying methods for those applications, together with the exchange and availability of relevant data along the supply chain. Building upon these two concepts, this paper presents the approach developed for simplifying LCA within the GENESI platform, with an application to the product “cooker hood”. The repeatability of the strategy to other product groups is also discussed, together with the next development steps.
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paper_title: Integration of Environmental Assessment in a PLM Context: A Case Study in Luxury Industry

paper_content:

Nowadays, the environment becomes a major issue in our society. It gives rise to regulations, market demand and stakeholder’s pressure which are concerning companies. These latter have to reduce the negative impact of their new product by eco-design and adopting a continuous improvement for their existing product portfolio. To do so, environmental assessment system is needed. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the most known and recognized. However, this method is complex, requires significant resources and a large amount of accurate data. We propose a methodology to connect a simplified LCA tool with PLM system and ERP to evaluate an entire product portfolio at any time. This will allow design teams to consider the environmental issues in early design phase and gives the companies a global vision of their product portfolio. This methodology is experimented with packaging products of luxury brand, using the Teamcenter PLM system and a Simplified LCA Tool.
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paper_title: Use of LCA as a Tool for Building Ecodesign. A Case Study of a Low Energy Building in Spain

paper_content:

This paper demonstrates how to achieve energy savings in the construction and operation of buildings by promoting the use of life cycle assessment techniques in the design for new buildings and for refurbishment. The paper aims to draw on the application of a specific methodology for low energy consumption, integrated planning, environmental performance evaluation of buildings, and design for sustainability and LCA techniques applied to buildings. The ENergy Saving through promotion of LIfe Cycle assessment in buildings (ENSLIC) methodology based on LCA for use in an integral planning process has been promoted to stakeholders who require a means to optimize the environmental performance of buildings. Feedback from the stakeholders has facilitated the creation of simplified LCA guidelines, a systematic approach guiding the user through the alternative options regarding software choices, their strengths and weaknesses, the databases available, the usefulness of different indicators, aggregation, definition of limits and options for simplifying the process. As a result, this paper presents the applied results of a case study where this methodology is implemented serving as an energy savings evaluation tool for decision makers, end-users, professionals involved in the different stages of construction, etc. Finally, it is demonstrated how LCA can facilitate comparisons between different buildings, showing the influence of all variables on a building’s life cycle environmental impact and showing the potential for energy savings. Removing market barriers to sustainable construction is actually stricter and this is good news for promoting higher energy efficiency in buildings.
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paper_title: An evidential reasoning-based AHP approach for the selection of environmentally-friendly designs

paper_content:

Abstract Due to the stringent environmental regulatory requirements being imposed by cross-national bodies in recent years, manufacturers have to minimize the environmental impact of their products. Among those environmental impact evaluation tools available, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is often employed to quantify the product's environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle. However, owing to the requirements of expert knowledge in environmental science and vast effort for data collection in carrying out LCA, as well as the common absence of complete product information during product development processes, there is a need to develop a more suitable tool for product designers. An evidential reasoning-based approach, which aims at providing a fast-track method to perform design alternative evaluations for non-LCA experts, is therefore introduced as a new initiative to deal with the incomplete or uncertain information. The proposed approach also enables decision makers to quantitatively assess the life cycle phases and design alternatives by comparing their potential environmental impacts, thus effectively and efficiently facilitates the identification of greener designs. A case application is carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach.
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paper_title: Exploitation scenarios in industrial system LCA

paper_content:

Purpose: This paper considers the variabilities that exist in the exploitation of a complex industrial system. Our scenario-based LCA model ensures the reliability of results in situations where the system life cycle is very uncertain, where there is substantial lack of data and/or where time and resources available are limited. It is also an effective tool to generate exploitation recommendations for clients. Method: Existing quantitative uncertainty methods in LCA require a huge amount of accurate data. These data are rarely available in simplified and upstream LCA for complex industrial systems. A scenario-based approach is the best compromise between acceptable quality of results and resources required. However, such methods have not yet been proposed to improve the environmental knowledge of the system in the case of exploitation scenarios. The method proposed here considers a limited number of scenarios (3 or 4) that are defined using the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) matrix. Using results from past projects, relevant parts of the system are listed, and expert knowledge and parameters are associated with these parts and quantified. A classical LCA process then provides the results for the different scenarios. Results and discussion: The method was applied to an Alstom Grid AC/DC conversion substation for the primary aluminium industry. A previous study had limited scope, as the life cycle was poorly understood. Relevant parts were thus clearly identified: spare parts program, transport failures, preventive and corrective maintenance, updates and revampings, lifetime modulation and end-of-life. Four scenarios were considered: best case, worst case, baseline (expected future) and a highly different alternative. Results show the pertinence of considering several exploitation scenarios when the life cycle is not predictable, as the environmental impacts may vary widely from one case to another. A sensitivity analysis also shows that some relevant parts such as updates and revampings will need to be carefully considered in futures studies. Conclusions: The consideration of three exploitation scenarios (best case, baseline and worst case) appears to be extremely pertinent when considering simplified LCA of industrial systems with high uncertainties and limited time and resources. This model is also very useful to generate good practice and recommendations towards clients, thus initiating a dialog centred on eco-design and continuous improvement.
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Title: Streamlined Life Cycle Assessment tool for injection molding of plastic components: a literature review

Section 1: INTRODUCTION
Description 1: Introduce the growing concern for environmental management in organizations and the importance of integrating eco-design with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify environmental impacts, particularly in plastic injection molding processes.

Section 2: METHODOLOGY
Description 2: Describe the research methodology, including the applied nature of the study, the databases used, and the steps followed for data collection and analysis.

Section 3: Eco-design
Description 3: Discuss the concept of eco-design, its importance in sustainable product development, challenges, barriers to implementation, and the role of LCA in supporting eco-design.

Section 4: Life Cycle Assessment
Description 4: Explain the LCA method, its objectives, phases, and the benefits of using LCA to quantify and compare the potential environmental impacts throughout a product's lifecycle.

Section 5: Structure of Life Cycle Assessment
Description 5: Provide details on the structure of LCA as guided by ISO standards, including its phases: definition of objective and scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.

Section 6: Streamlined Life Cycle Assessment
Description 6: Introduce the concept of Streamlined LCA, its benefits, and strategies for simplifying LCA to make it quicker and more cost-effective while still providing reliable results.

Section 7: Plastic Injection Molding
Description 7: Examine plastic injection molding, its significance, environmental impacts, and the need for systematic evaluations like LCA and eco-design to assess and improve its environmental performance.

Section 8: Life Cycle Assessment in Plastic Injection Molding
Description 8: Review studies applying LCA in the plastic injection molding process to understand environmental impacts, potential optimizations, and energy consumption concerns.

Section 9: Eco-design in Plastic Injection Molding
Description 9: Discuss the benefits of applying eco-design principles to injection molding, focusing on alternative materials and recycling to reduce environmental impacts.

Section 10: Assessment Tools Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Eco-design
Description 10: Describe tools that use LCA to support eco-design decisions, noting the different levels of complexity and the advantages of Streamlined LCA tools in decision making and sustainable product development.

Section 11: CONCLUSIONS
Description 11: Summarize the findings from the literature review, emphasizing the importance of LCA and eco-design in reducing environmental impacts in plastic injection molding, and suggest areas for future research and tool development.