Following its first publication on Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing, The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) has selected the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) at Rochester Institute of Technology to conduct a life-cycle assessment (LCA) research project.
If you are an engineer, or a company that manufactures products, then this systematic analysis of the potential environmental impacts of products or services during their entire life cycle, is something you should be familiar with.
In this specific case, an additively designed and manufactured aerospace component to a traditionally manufactured component.
The study, which will be ISO 14040 compliant, will compare the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of a jet engine low pressure turbine (LPT) bracket produced through traditional manufacturing methods with one that is produced via AM.
“This new study will include up to 18 different environmental indicators to quantify the environmental impacts that an optimized jet engine LPT bracket has throughout its entire life cycle—from material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and its eventual end-of-life,” said Sherry Handel, AMGTA’s Executive Director. Ms. Handel added, “This data will then be compared to a traditionally designed and manufactured LPT bracket to determine where exactly powder bed fusion AM technology results in lower environmental impacts.” Through robust and independent research studies, the AMGTA will continue to publish research reports that advance environmental sustainability within the additive manufacturing industry.
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