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

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.