Facilitating LCA During Product Development by Automated Inventory Model Generation Using SysML System Models

Maximilian Lindemann (), Georg Jacobs, Jennifer Dreier, Stefan Wischmann, Gregor Höpfner and Julius Berges
Additional contact information
Maximilian Lindemann: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Georg Jacobs: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Jennifer Dreier: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Stefan Wischmann: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Gregor Höpfner: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Julius Berges: Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-23

Abstract: Rising consumer demand and stricter regulations regarding sustainability are leading to an increasing consideration of sustainability aspects during product development. To evaluate environmental impacts, life cycle assessments (LCAs) are established as the most comprehensive method. However, the extensive data-need for setting up the life cycle inventory (LCI) model limits their widespread application. Moreover, LCAs are normally conducted post-development, offering no support in decision making during the development process. An approach is needed that provides product-specific information during product development to be used in LCAs to allow the execution of LCAs already during product development. Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) promises to meet this need by providing a framework for seamless interdisciplinary product development. A central element in many MBSE approaches is a SysML system model that describes the architecture and behavior of the product and provides all relevant information for needed domain-specific models. In this contribution, a novel approach is presented utilizing a SysML system model to automatically execute an impact assessment within an LCA tool. For this, the minimum data-need for setting up LCI models in established LCA tools is analyzed, and a framework for modeling life cycles in SysML system models is presented. To allow an automated execution of an LCA, an interface between a SysML tool and an LCA tool is implemented. In the example of a laser-structured metal part, this contribution shows that SysML system models are suited to provide the needed product-specific data for setting up LCI models and that they can be utilized to execute LCAs already during product development.

Keywords: model-based systems engineering; systems modeling language; product-specific life cycle assessment; life cycle inventory model generation; sustainable product design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/4783/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/4783/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:4783-:d:1662235

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().