|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
The following activities are envisaged for the proposed CO2PE!-initiative: Activity 1: Joint methodology development. Intensive interaction and cooperation between experts in the domains of manufacturing processes research, LCA methodology development and product design techniques will be required to conceive a consistent methodology suitable for systematic data collection and analysis. The methodology to be developed will respect the achievements in terms of LCA studies as covered by the ISO 14040 standards. Purpose is to conceive parametric models for process related impact quantification through estimated emission volumes. This methodology development is expected to involve process categorisation, functional unit determination, extensive study of correlations between process emissions and indicators that can be derived from workpiece feature analysis as quantifiable parameters. A number of workshops are planned here in order to intensively discuss the different methodological approaches that can be called upon for data collection and analysis requirements. Multi-media communication tools will be used to support a continuous discussion between key players in between workshops. Output of these efforts will be procedures and recommendations for the following activities. The developed CO2PE!-Methodology is published within the Int. Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (DOI: 10.1007/s11367-011-0340-4) Activity 2: Coordinated data collection. Based on a systematic taxonomy of manufacturing (related) unit processes, a worldwide data collection effort will be coordinated. The large number of research institutes (and associated industrial partnerss)in different continents, that has confirmed the intention to contribute to the proposed joint effort, requires a large coordinative action in order to efficiently link the required expertise and facilities to each other. Exchange of researchers and equipment as well as sharing of experience and comparison of data is envisaged here. A centralised overview and coordinating effort will allow to avoid undesirable redundancy in data collection efforts while facilitating direct communication between parties with overlapping interests and expertise needs. The coordinative effort will be based on the matrix scheme shown below:  Activity 3: Data sharing in function of systematic analysis. Several research institutes have committed to allocating master and PhD students to the analysis of the data that will be obtained as result of the efforts coordinated in Activity 2. Using the methodologies emerging from Activity 1, parametric models need to be conceived linking workpiece features, that can be derived from part specifications, to emission estimates for the selected manufacturing processes. In order to assure a statistically sound outcome of these analysis efforts, systematic access will need to be provided to the data collection results of all CO2PE! partners focussing on a specific manufacturing process. For this purpose "process communities" will need to be constructed sharing data and analysis expertise. Timely feedback of obtained analysis results will provide a return for data sharing. On an operational level, parallel working sessions, dedicated to the different process communities, are envisaged as part of the workshops that will be organised regularly. A pace of three workshops a year is expected to provide sufficient direct interaction to assure fluent direct communication in between workshops in function of data exchange and feedback. In order to minimize the logistical load, the workshops will typically be scheduled as part of or immediately before or after relevant international conferences. Activity 4: Output dissemination. Extensive documentation of data collected and analysis results obtained for the different manufacturing processes is an explicit target. These results will be made available through easily accessible channels (such as on-line databases supported by different partners in the initiative) and on a cost sharing basis ("shareware" or whenever feasible "freeware") and provided to LCA tool developers for inclusion in unit process LCI databases. Obtained results will be announced to a broad public through dedicated symposia and workshops at conferences (e.g. CIRP LCE conference series and Global Conference series on Sustainable Manufacturing). Best practice recommendations will be derived from the analysis results. While device specific advice will be provided to the involved machine tool builders as direct feedback and return of investment for the time and effort spent in the data collection phase, generic recommendations will be formulated towards worldwide machine tool developers. The manufacturing process taxonomy tree will be screened for appropriate recommendations levels that can lead to the generation of "a best available technology reference" as a first step in the direction of eco-labelling of machine tools. The involvement of a large number of parties will assure an appropriate, statistical approach, covering multiple machine types and process-material combinations for every studies manufacturing process. As such the credibility of the outcome of the effort will be high. Taking into consideration that the machine tool market is situated at a truly global level, an international cooperative effort, as facilitated by the IMS framework, forms a prerequisite for systematic progress in this domain. An important target of the initiative is to derive ecodesign guidelines for machine tool builders and best practice reference specifications for future generations of machine tools. Case studies performed by the initiative takers of CO2PE! prove that significant improvements in terms of, for example, CO2 emissions can be achieved, sometimes with fairly simple design measures. Based on these experiences, a 20% reduction seems a reasonable target for a wide series of processes. As such the CO2PE! initiative will provide a direct return of investment to the involved companies by providing clear insight in design improvement opportunities with consequences both in terms of environmental impact and life cycle costs. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Copyright © Katholieke Universiteit Leuven | Comments on the content:
Realisation: Joris Van Ostaeyen | Most recent update: 11/03/2011 URL: http://www.mech.kuleuven.be/co2pe!/methodology.php |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Print