An automated workflow for integrating environmental sustainability assessment into parametric part design through standard reference models

Abstract Integrating environmental sustainability assessment into parametric design presents an opportunity for enabling sustainable product design. However, this is a challenging task as quantitative methods for sustainability assessment are poorly integrated with parametric design and optimization tools. Furthermore, current streamlined approaches for computing environmental impact during the design stage often ignore manufacturing-related impacts resulting from the geometric complexity of parts. To address these gaps, we present a systematic workflow for computing environmental indicators from parametric design models. Our workflow utilizes the unit manufacturing process information model to evaluate manufacturing-phase resource consumption from process planning data, and consequently enables quantitative correlation of design parameters to the calculated environmental indicators. We demonstrate our workflow through a case study involving the design of a rigid flange coupling, wherein we evaluate the influence of geometric design parameters on the corresponding environmental impact of the design.