Data-driven life cycle assessment for mechatronic systems: a comparative analysis of environmental impact assessments

The growing emphasis on sustainability integrates eco-design and life cycle analysis into product development. Despite the value of LCAs, data limitations lead to assumptions, impacting accuracy. This study compares an estimation-based LCA with a data-driven approach, focusing on a laser machine's operational phase. The significant influence of resource consumption during operation underscores the necessity of optimization. Applying a data-driven approach reveals a 24% difference compared to the estimation-based method, emphasizing the challenges in obtaining accurate data for effective LCAs.