TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable Production Insight Through LCA and LCC Analysis of Injection Overmolded Structural Electronics Manufactured through Roll-to-Roll Processes
AU - Räikkönen, Minna
AU - Sokka, Laura
AU - Hepo-oja, Lotta
AU - Nordman, Sirpa
AU - Kraft, Thomas
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - Printed electronics (PE) have provided new material and application opportunities for devices and systems as well as new manufacturing routes that all need to be considered for commercialization. This paper introduces a case study with universally relevant manufacturing processes and applications in the PE area, focusing on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) of the Personal Activity Monitor (PAM) device. In the study, the PAM device's most important costs and environmental impacts during the prototype pilot production and device use phases are identified and assessed. Additionally, the potential environmental impacts of post-consumption scenarios are considered. The LCA results indicate that the roll-to-roll (R2R) assembly of electronics and the R2R injection over-molding are generally the most prominent production process steps affecting the results. From the LCC perspective, the CAPEX contributor is the R2R assembly pilot line, due to its high investment cost and long operating time compared to other production assets. The traditional electronic components are the major OPEX, especially the MCUs and accelerometers, in contrast to the low impact from the printed electronics. There are several advantages to applying LCA and LCC since they provide explanations of the relationships between cost, environmental, design, and manufacturing characteristics.
AB - Printed electronics (PE) have provided new material and application opportunities for devices and systems as well as new manufacturing routes that all need to be considered for commercialization. This paper introduces a case study with universally relevant manufacturing processes and applications in the PE area, focusing on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) of the Personal Activity Monitor (PAM) device. In the study, the PAM device's most important costs and environmental impacts during the prototype pilot production and device use phases are identified and assessed. Additionally, the potential environmental impacts of post-consumption scenarios are considered. The LCA results indicate that the roll-to-roll (R2R) assembly of electronics and the R2R injection over-molding are generally the most prominent production process steps affecting the results. From the LCC perspective, the CAPEX contributor is the R2R assembly pilot line, due to its high investment cost and long operating time compared to other production assets. The traditional electronic components are the major OPEX, especially the MCUs and accelerometers, in contrast to the low impact from the printed electronics. There are several advantages to applying LCA and LCC since they provide explanations of the relationships between cost, environmental, design, and manufacturing characteristics.
KW - LCA
KW - LCC
KW - sustainability assessment
KW - sustainable production
KW - printed and hybrid electronics
KW - roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174634874&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/gch2.202300015
DO - 10.1002/gch2.202300015
M3 - Article
SN - 2056-6646
VL - 7
JO - Global Challenges
JF - Global Challenges
IS - 11
M1 - 2300015
ER -