150556 20251017144647.0 doi 10.3390/pr13010195 sideral 142645 ART-2025-142645 eng Val, Sonia Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-9140-9367 Enhancing Sustainability with LCA: A Comparative Analysis of Design and Manufacturing Processes 2025 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Two widely used products with the same functionality but different designs and production processes were selected for comparative analysis. SimaPro 9.6.0 software was used for the calculations and LCA of both assemblies. The analysis covered all phases of the life cycle, taking into account factors such as energy, materials and water consumption. The results allowed a comparison of the environmental impacts of the two assemblies, identifying the life cycle phases with the highest impact and the most relevant impact categories. The analysis revealed that the metal trolley exhibited a 40% higher environmental impact during production compared to the polypropylene trolley, primarily due to the material extraction and processing phases. Additionally, the polypropylene trolley showed higher long-term impacts in landfill scenarios due to carcinogenic substance emissions. These findings highlight the significance of design and material selection in reducing environmental impacts. Applying the LCA methodology to the two mechanical assemblies allowed us to identify opportunities for improvement in the design and manufacturing processes, with the aim of reducing the environmental impact and increasing the competitiveness of the products. By considering the full life cycle of a product from the early design phases, more sustainable design and manufacturing decisions can be made, and by using this analysis, companies can develop more sustainable products and reduce costs. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Lambán, María Pilar Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-1401-6495 5002 515 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Ingeniería Diseño Fabri. Área Ing. Procesos Fabricación 13, 1 (2025), 195 [27 pp.] Processes PROCESSES 2227-9717 6692856 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/150556/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2508961 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/150556/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:150556 articulos driver 2025-10-17-14:34:38 ARTICLE