A Model-Based Methodology for Life Cycle Assessment from Cradle-to-Grave Early in Product Design

The International Council for Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Vision 2035 states that future systems engineers will be required to routinely assess the environmental and societal impact of engineered systems. This paper addresses this need and presents a model-based methodology that expands the V-Model through the integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the consideration of all life cycle stages from cradle-to-grave. The methodology is demonstrated using a Systems Modeling Language (SysML) model of a humanoid service robot. The case study demonstrates that Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) can support in assessing the environmental impact of a product from cradle-to-grave in early design stages. It, therefore, enables systems engineers to reduce environmental impact by identifying harmful components early on and adapting the product life cycle, when design changes are easy and incurred costs are low. This can support in verifying sustainability requirements and decision-making between different product variants to find the optimal sustainable solution. Finally, the case study is evaluated, limitations are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided.