Title: Supporting development of modular products utilising simplified LCA and fuzzy logic

Authors: Marco Recchioni, Ferruccio Mandorli, Harald E. Otto

Addresses: Department of Mechanics, University Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche - I 60131 Ancona, Italy. ' Department of Mechanics, University Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche - I 60131 Ancona, Italy. ' Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

Abstract: The application of life cycle assessment (LCA) is usually aimed at products where most parameters relating to architecture, processes and materials are defined and known. However, application of conventional LCA for products or services that are incomplete in their specification is quite difficult or even impossible, if too many significant parameters are unknown. In our previous work targeting the development of eco-design tools, an approach integrating LCA methodology with the concept of product modularity has been introduced. In this paper, further improvements of this novel approach, being based on fuzzy logic and its application, are presented. In this context, fuzzy logic is being used to increase user friendliness of the interface while avoiding any circumstances of compromising the precision of quantitative results computed. A set of fuzzy attributes, membership functions and an inference algorithm are used to evaluate the modification of design parameters of modular products regarding their influence on environmental impact indicators.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; LCA; modular product architectures; fuzzy logic; alternative function fulfilment; AFF; sustainable manufacturing; sustainability; modularity; modular products; environmental impact.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSM.2009.031361

International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.396 - 414

Published online: 01 Feb 2010 *

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