Session: Research Posters

Paper Number: 166117

Axing Social Impact and Carbon Footprint: Holistic Product Design Towards Sustainability Enabled by Simulation 

Sustainability is considered as having three pillars: society, the economy and the environment, these are commonly referred to as the triple-bottom-line. In recent years, legislation around the world has required commercial entities to report on and uphold sustainable standards. This is because it is believed that holistic adherence to the triple-bottom-line does improve, by definition, the sustainability of a system. In some instances, social and economic data is reported at the same level as financial data demonstrating the increasing prominence of sustainability in the commercial landscape. A progressive example of this is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)[1] legislation. Deployed in the EU it requires companies to annually report on their environmental and social impacts as part of the disclosure process. Moreover, another example from the EU is the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)[2] which supports the Commission’s approach to more environmentally sustainable and circular products. This includes closer emphasis on materials, energy efficiency and longevity of products among others. For designers and engineers there is a clear challenge of how to integrate holistic sustainability considerations into product design whilst attaining optimal mechanical performance, durability and affordability within this context.  

The aim of this study was to devise a repeatable framework, using Ansys software tools, that can be applied during the product design process. To help not only consider typical design parameters such as functional and mechanical performance but also cost, environmental and social impact. This method is demonstrated using a case study of an ice axe for mountaineering.  

The method consists of three parts. The first, product simulation and optimisation, followed by an evaluation of the sustainability of the product and its proposed lifecycle and finally, finishing with a trade-off analysis. For the case study, the ice axe was modelled using Ansys Discovery software. A parametric study using parameters consistent with ice axe safety standards was then applied. The study focused on using factor of safety and axe displacement as input parameters and mass and shaft material type as output parameters. Ansys OptiSlang’s optimisation component was then applied, this identifies the best optimisation algorithm for the defined objectives and parameters specific to the ice axe model. Optislang’s solver wizard was then deployed to find the Pareto front of the study. As part of this assessment the Eco Audit Tool from Ansys Granta Edupack was used for a streamlined environmental impact assessment which measured embodied energy and CO2 across the product lifecycle.  Moreover, the Ansys Social Impact Audit tool was used to minimise the potential social impact of the product lifecycle. 

Results from OptiSlang, Eco Audit and the Social Impact Audit Tool were used to populate a trade-off analysis which in turn informed material selection where product sustainability, cost and performance were optimised. This helps the user to understand which parameters have the most significant impacts to product design, considering the design specification, manufacturing and business constraints. The study devises a methodology that deploys Ansys software to enable sustainability thinking in early design. The methodology can be applied to any product at the design stage by selecting alternative design parameters whilst maintaining the same design objectives.  

[1] Directive - 2022/2464 - EN - CSRD Directive - EUR-Lex 

[2] Regulation - EU - 2024/1781 - EN - EUR-Lex 

Presenting Author: Janos Plocher Ansys, Inc.

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. János Plocher is currently serving as a Senior Academic Development Manager at Ansys Inc., where he supports academics in integrating simulation software into curricula and research, organizes educational events, and develops simulation-based resources.
He completed his Ph.D. in 2022 at Imperial College London, focusing on fiber-reinforced additive manufacturing, specifically from design guidelines to advanced lattice structures. Prior to his doctoral studies, Dr. Plocher earned a Master of Science in Composites from Imperial College London and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Engineering from the Technical University of Chemnitz.

Authors:

Piers Ireland Ansys, Inc.
Janos Plocher Ansys, Inc.
Alfred Oti Ansys, Inc.
Tatiana Vakhitova Ansys, Inc.
Hesam Moghaddam Ansys Inc.