CAD-based identification of product low-carbon design optimization potential: a case study of low-carbon design for automotive in China

• Published in: International journal of advanced manufacturing technology Vol. 100; no. 1-4; pp. 751 - 769
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lei, Jiang, Rui, Jin, Zhi-feng, Huang, Hai-hong, Li, Xin-yu, Zhong, Yan-jiu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01.01.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Automobiles; Automotive engines; Automotive parts; CAE) and Design; Carbon; Case studies; Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD; Design analysis; Design engineering; Design for recycling; Design optimization; Dismantling; Emission analysis; Engine blocks; Engineering; Industrial and Production Engineering; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle engineering; Life cycle product development; Mechanical Engineering; Media Management; Original Article; Product design; Product development; Workflow; Integrated system; Optimization potential; Computer-aided design; Automotive carbon emissions; Low-carbon design
• ISSN: 0268-3768; 1433-3015
• DOI: 10.1007/s00170-018-2653-y

The low-carbon design strategy that most Chinese manufacturers evaluate and improve in the product’s life cycle in the late stage of product development extends the product development cycle. This paper combines low-carbon design theory with 3D design software, in the early stage of product design, by identifying low-carbon design optimization potential, the feedback mechanism of evaluation results and design recommendations is established to guide designers’ conduct in low-carbon design in real time. Taking low-carbon design of Chinese automobile for instance, based on the life cycle carbon emission analysis of automobile products and the construction of a quantification model of the life cycle carbon emission, from the viewpoints of the structure, material, process, disassembly, and recycling of automobile products, this paper constructs the low-carbon evaluation index of automobile products; puts forward the method of identifying low-carbon design optimization potential of automobile parts, which is used to develop a low-carbon design integrated system for automobile products; and explains the workflow and theoretical realization scheme of the integrated system. Finally, taking the design process of automobile engine as an example, through the analysis results of the integrated system, it can be seen that the raw material acquisition stage of the engine has the largest carbon emission, and the carbon emission of the cylinder block is the largest. Based on the established evaluation model, the optimization suggestions are given on the structure and materials, and the feasibility of the integrated system is verified.