Integrating Environmental Data in the design process with the Asset Administration Shell
Today awareness of sustainable action continues to grow. This also poses new development challenges for manufacturers, especially of products. In areas where it used to be commonplace to achieve the best possible price-performance ratio in monetary terms, it is becoming increasingly important to find a crucial balance between financial revenue and sustainable products or portfolios in order to establish suitable sales markets in the future.
A key lever for bringing sustainable products to market lies in the development as over 80% of a product’s climate impact is determined during the design phase [1]. By incorporating environmental data early on, designers can make informed decisions that minimize negative effects. Sustainable data allows them to assess material choices, energy consumption, and waste reduction, ensuring a positive impact throughout the product’s life cycle.
Lifecycle Assesment (LCA) vs. Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is …a methodology used to evaluate the impact a product, service, or activity has on the environment throughout its entire life cycle.. [2]
Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is …the “sum of GHG emissions […] and removals […] in a product system […], expressed as CO2 equivalents […] and based on a life cycle assessment […] using the single impact category […] climate change”.. [3]
Classification of environmental data in a LCA context
In the design process, the environmental related data for the LCA study is usually divided into two categories. Secondary data is therefore obtained if the primary data is not sufficient or available to conduct the intended LCA study or determine certain environmental kpi.
- Primary data refers to information collected directly from the source. It represents activities at a specific facility or set of facilities.
- Secondary data consists of existing scientific databases collected by previous researchers. It’s sourced from third-party life-cycle-inventory databases.
With the “CONTACT Sustainability” solution, it’s possible to record sustainability data on materials and processes in CIM Database and calculate the environmental impact of your product based on this and on product and process structures already stored in the system with ease! Sustainability data is typically recorded with the help of environmental database entries, which are related to materials and work processes and thus describe their environmental impact. Database entries can be created manually or brought in CIM Database by importing them from environmental databases.
Integrating environmental data into the design - down and up stream with the Asset Administration Shell
Asset Administration Shell (AAS) is a standardized representation of models of a digital twin [5]. Submodels can be used to create views of the twin that can be created in a context-specific manner. For example, the PCF submodel is a way of creating a view of the transfer of emissions data in the value chain and communicating information.
But how is the exchange within the value chain therefore possible?
A distinction is made here between internally manufactured parts and externally sourced parts. In the case of internally manufactured components, the data is primarily aggregated internally and made available externally for downstream value creation (direct users or integrators). In the case of externally sourced components, the data is primarily obtained from external sources and must be made available for further use within the company’s own processes.
For both approaches, structured and standardized data are of great value, which can be processed according to transparent and qualified methods. The Asset Administration Shell (AAS) provides a standardized metamodel to describe various aspects of a digital twin and ultimately make them interoperable (i.e. exchangeable). With the AAS, the carbon footprint submodel [6] in particular is available for this purpose. This provides an initial framework for the standardized exchange of sustainability-related information about an asset (in the sense of a digital twin).
3 key takeaways for the integration of environmental data in the design process
- Integration of environmental data in design is a crucial part on the way to sustainable products along the digital transformation of engineering processes
- With standardized exchange formats such as the Asset Administration Shell (AAS), it is possible to integrate environmental data into design processes (up and downstream)
- CONTACT Software platform technology already enables comprehensive sustainability assessments in design (e.g. PCF calulation) and operation (e.g. Energy Management) lifecycle phases and thus makes a decisive contribution to a sustainable future.
This text was written closely with my dear colleague Sebastian Weber.
References & Further Information:
[1] https://instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/guides/why-is-sustainable-product-design-and-innovation-important/
[2]European Platform on LCA. https://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lifecycleassessment.html
[3] DIN EN ISO 14067. https://www.iso.org/standard/71206.html
[4] VDMA. https://vdma.org/viewer/-/v2article/render/68540039
[5] AAS Metamodel Specification. https://industrialdigitaltwin.org/en/content-hub/aasspecifications/specification-of-the-asset-administration-shell-part-1-metamodel-idta-number-01001-3-0
[6] IDTA Carbon Footprint SMT. https://industrialdigitaltwin.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/IDTA-2023-0-9-_Submodel_CarbonFootprint.pdf
[7] CONTACT Elements, https://www.contact-software.com/en/
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