Abstract
Purpose
This report proposes a life-cycle analysis (LCA)-oriented methodology for systematic inventory analysis of the use phase of manufacturing unit processes providing unit process datasets to be used in life-cycle inventory (LCI) databases and libraries. The methodology has been developed in the framework of the CO2PE! collaborative research programme (CO2PE! 2011a) and comprises two approaches with different levels of detail, respectively referred to as the screening approach and the in-depth approach.
Methods
The screening approach relies on representative, publicly available data and engineering calculations for energy use, material loss, and identification of variables for improvement, while the in-depth approach is subdivided into four modules, including a time study, a power consumption study, a consumables study and an emissions study, in which all relevant process in- and outputs are measured and analysed in detail. The screening approach provides the first insight in the unit process and results in a set of approximate LCI data, which also serve to guide the more detailed and complete in-depth approach leading to more accurate LCI data as well as the identification of potential for energy and resource efficiency improvements of the manufacturing unit process. To ensure optimal reproducibility and applicability, documentation guidelines for data and metadata are included in both approaches. Guidance on definition of functional unit and reference flow as well as on determination of system boundaries specifies the generic goal and scope definition requirements according to ISO 14040 (2006) and ISO 14044 (2006).
Results
The proposed methodology aims at ensuring solid foundations for the provision of high-quality LCI data for the use phase of manufacturing unit processes. Envisaged usage encompasses the provision of high-quality data for LCA studies of products using these unit process datasets for the manufacturing processes, as well as the in-depth analysis of individual manufacturing unit processes.
Conclusions
In addition, the accruing availability of data for a range of similar machines (same process, different suppliers and machine capacities) will allow the establishment of parametric emission and resource use estimation models for a more streamlined LCA of products including reliable manufacturing process data. Both approaches have already provided useful results in some initial case studies (Kellens et al. 2009; Duflou et al. (Int J Sustain Manufacturing 2:80–98, 2010); Santos et al. (J Clean Prod 19:356–364, 2011); UPLCI 2011; Kellens et al. 2011a) and the use will be illustrated by two case studies in Part 2 of this paper (Kellens et al. 2011b).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BUWAL database (2011). Bundesamt für Umwelt. Wald und Landschaft. http://www.buwal.ch/stobobio/e/index.htm
CO2PE! (2011a) Cooperative effort on process emissions in manufacturing website. http://www.mech.kuleuven.be/co2pe. Accessed July 2011
CO2PE! (2011b) CO2PE!—taxonomy. Available from http://www.mech.kuleuven.be/co2pe!/taxonomy. Accessed 9 July 2011
DIN8580 (2003) Manufacturing processes—terms and definitions. Deutsches Institut Fur Normung E.V., Berlin
Duflou JR, Kellens K, Devoldere T, Deprez W, Dewulf W (2010) Energy related environmental impact reduction opportunities in machine design: case study of a laser cutting machine. Int J Sustain Manufacturing 2:80–98
EAA (2008) European Aluminium Association. Environmental Profile Report for the European Aluminium Industry. Life Cycle Inventory data for aluminium production and transformation processes in Europe. Available from http://www.eaa.net/upl/4/en/doc/EAA_Environmental_profile_report_May08.pdf
EBM (2010) Environmentally Benign Manufacturing: online publication list. Massachusetts Inst of Technology (MIT). Available from http://web.mit.edu/ebm/www/publications.htm. Accessed 30 May 2010
EcoInvent (2011) Ecoinvent Centre, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories. Available from http://www.ecoinvent.ch. Accessed 28 June 2011.
EcoSpold (2011) Ecoinvent Centre, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories. Available from http://www.ecoinvent.org/database/ecospold-data-format/. Accessed 29 June 2011.
ELCD database (2011) European Commission—Joint Research Centre, LCA-Tools, Services and Data. Available from http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lcainfohub/datasetArea.vm. Accessed 28 June 2011
Gibovic D, de Ciurana J (2008) Introduction and applications of DIN 8580. University of Girona, ISBN: 978-84-96742-73-4
Global Steel (2010) Global steel life cycle inventory (LCI). The World Steel Association, Brussels
Goedkoop M (2004) SimaPro Database Manual Dutch Input Output Database 95. PRé Consultants
Gutowski T, Dahmus J, Thiriez A (2006) Electrical energy requirements for manufacturing processes. In: Proceedings 13th CIRP international conference on life cycle engineering, Leuven, pp 623–628
ISO14040 (2006) Environmental management—life cycle assessment—principles and framework. International standard. International Organisation of Standardisation, Geneva
ISO14044 (2006) Environmental management—life cycle assessment—requirements and guidelines. international standard. International Organisation of Standardisation, Geneva
JRC (2010) The International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook. Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy
Kara S, Bogdanski G, Li W (2011) Electricity metering and monitoring in manufacturing systems. In: CIRP international conference on life cycle engineering, Braunschweig, pp 1–10
Kellens K, Dewulf W, Duflou JR (2009) Machine tool oriented ecodesign perspectives based on systematic manufacturing process impact assessment. In: Proceedings of the 6th international symposium on environmentally conscious design and inverse manufacturing, Sapporo, Japan. ISBN: 978-4-88898-192-7, pp 741–746
Kellens K, Renaldi, Dewulf W, Duflou JR (2011a) Preliminary Environmental Assessment of Electrical Discharge Machining. In: CIRP international conference on life cycle engineering, Braunschweig, pp 377–382
Kellens K, Dewulf W, Overcash M, Hauschild M, Duflou JR (2011b) Methodology for systematic analysis and improvement of manufacturing unit process life cycle inventory (UPLCI) Part 2: Case studies. Int J Life Cycle Assess (in press)
Murphy C, Denig G, Allen D, Laurent J, Dyer D (2003) Development of parametric material, energy, and emission inventories for wafer fabrication in the semiconductor industry. Environ Sci Technol 37(23):5373–5382
Overcash M (1995) Evolving concepts in life cycle analyses. In: Cleaner technologies and cleaner products for sustainable development. NATO ASI Series. Springer, New York, pp 455–470
Overcash M, Twomey J, Kalla D (2009) Unit process life cycle inventory for product manufacturing operations. In: ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Pennington DW et al (2010) ILCD handbook public consultation workshop, International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD). Int J Life Cycle Assess 15:231–237
Plastics Europe (2010) Eco profiles: life-cycle analysis, the impact of plastics on life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe, Brussels
Santos JP, Oliveira M, Almeida FG, Pereira JP, Reis A (2011) Improving the environmental performance of machine tools: influence of technology and throughput on the electrical energy consumption of a press-brake. J Clean Prod 19:356–364
Steiner R, Frischknecht R (2007) Metals Processing and Compressed Air Supply. Ecoinvent report no. 23
Suh s (2003) Miet 3.0 user guide, an inventory estimation tool for missing flows using inpu–output techniques. CML Leiden University
Toshiba Corporation (2006) Environmental Technology Laboratory, LCA Database based on 2000 input–output tables for Japan. Corporate Research & Development center
UNEP-SETAC (2011) The Life Cycle Initiative. United Nations Environmental Programme and the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Available from http://lcinitiative.unep.fr/. Accessed 28 June 2011
UPLCI (2011) online database and taxonomy (Screening Approach). Available from www.wichita,edu/sustainability. Accessed 9 July 2011
Weidema B, Nielsen AM, Christiansen K, Norris G, Notten P, Suh S, Madsen J (2005) Priorisation within the Integrated Product Policy, 2.-0 LCA consultants
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the support of the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation through Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT-Vlaanderen) through its Ph.D. grant no. 091232, of the European Fund for Regional Development (Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling) and the Agentschap Ondernemen (Flemish government) through the D2 project 476, and of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Martin Baitz
Preamble. The CO2PE! UPLCI—Initiative aims to document and improve the environmental impact created during the use phase of a wide range of discrete part manufacturing processes. This article is the first of two and describes the developed methodology comprising two approaches with different levels of detail. The second paper provides for both approaches a case study of the Life Cycle Inventory step.
Electronic supplementary material
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kellens, K., Dewulf, W., Overcash, M. et al. Methodology for systematic analysis and improvement of manufacturing unit process life-cycle inventory (UPLCI)—CO2PE! initiative (cooperative effort on process emissions in manufacturing). Part 1: Methodology description. Int J Life Cycle Assess 17, 69–78 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-011-0340-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-011-0340-4