1996 Electronics Industry Environmental Roadmap - Civil and ...

Design for Environment: Evolution and Tool Needs
However useful checklists and guidelines prove to be in the early stages of the DFE process, as
the industry becomes more experienced at integrating this process into existing design and
manufacturing systems, and as potential cost savings related to DFE become more evident, the
need for software-based tools will likely increase. The integration of DFE principles at each
design stage, from concept to manufacture, will encourage communication between equipment,
chemical, and material suppliers and the manufacturer of the final product regarding the
environmental impact of each choice. Particularly difficult, however, is the lack of a common
language and standards for DFE (e.g., what is “recyclable” or “green”?) and the lack of data to
support trade-off decisions. Appendix G provides an overview of selected projects in Europe
that contribute to the data required for DFE practices.
The need for reliable data on environmental impact was often expressed during this roadmapping
exercise, although it appears to be difficult for an organization to choose the optimal tool for data
analysis and decision making. Ideally all of the various data and functions of a DFE tool should
be treated in a concurrent, seamless, CAD design environment. This ideal tool would have the
intelligence to allow the designer to make material, chemical, and physical design choices and to
understand the trade-offs at each stage of the design process in a seamless and transparent
manner.
A number of tools are already available for use in the DFE process. The bulk of them best fit
into the category of life cycle analysis, although the list of tools is growing in such areas as
design for recyclability and disassembly. Table 4-1 provides a sample list of current offerings.
Tool Name Developer/Vendor Capabilities
Boustead Database Boustead Consultants Life cycle analysis
Clean Process Advisory NCMS, Kellogg Co.,
Life cycle analysis
System (CPAS) CenCITT
DFR-HUT Helsinki University of
Technology
Status unconfirmed
Design for Assembly Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. Disassembly/recyclability process assessment,
(DFA), Design for
process-flow assessment, and manufacturability
Disassembly (DFD)
assessment
DFD/DFR IPA-FhG Disassembly/recyclability for autos, household
appliances, electromechanical parts
Diana POGO International, Inc. Disassembly/recyclability process assessment
EcoManager PIRA, Franklin Associates Life cycle inventory tool for products and processes
EcoPro EMPA Life cycle assessment on packaging materials
EcoSys Sandia National Labs Life cycle assessment
EcoTex PNL (Pacific Northwest
Laboratories)
Status unconfirmed
EDIP Institute for Product
Life cycle inventory and assessment tool (available
Development, Technical
University of Denmark
in 1Q96 in Danish only)
Envision Dow Chemical Process assessment tool for cost modeling of MCM-
D fabrication
EPS IVL (Sweden) Life cycle analysis via environmental “load”
calculations
58