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LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the stage of design, the information is short along with the data and hence, there
are various assumptions that have to be made. These assumptions influence
precisely whatever result is obtained from the LCA and the result of the study,
hence provides information that is useful just like the manufacture of the process
that is used by the product or if the use of the products hamper the environment or
not or on the other hand the alternatives are feasible to be applied or not. Every
stage functions on the same principles and attributes. The main aim of this
assignment was to get well acquainted to the Life cycle assessment process and all
that is learnt in the lectured had to applied within this report. The other parts
consisted of choosing a product, then performing and understanding this life cycle
assessment and hence deriving the goals and scopes as well the different stages of
life cycle assessment to it. In the conclusion stage, was important to attain a result
out of the whole foundation as well as all that could be interpreted.
This report thus, obtains the graphs, a decent enough analysis of data using the
tools of life cycle assessment and Eco indicator 99 which runs through all the
impacts on the environment and then describing how each stage of the life cycle of
the Canon printer would look like.


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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3
GOAL AND SCOPE ...................................................................................................................... 4
The Scope of CANON PRINTER ............................................................................................... 4
FUNCTIONAL UNIT ................................................................................................................. 6
POLYMERS................................................................................................................................ 7
METALS ..................................................................................................................................... 7
ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES .................................................................................................. 7
IMPACT ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................... 8
INTERPRETATION ................................................................................................................... 9
HOT SPOT ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 11
OBSERVATION ....................................................................................................................... 12
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................... 13
CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 14
References ................................................................................................................................. 14




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INTRODUCTION
The aim of manufacturing circulates around the manufacturing cost and also the quality of the
product. Whenever a product is designed or thought of being manufactured, the companies have
focused and have been adamant on the fact that the product should not be causing any threat to
the environment as these environmental concerns are of major concern. Thus, the so called
products manufacturization should not have any effect on the environment. And henceforth, Life
Cycle Assessment becomes an important process to be handled
Life Cycle Assessment is that method which assesses the impacts on the environment because of
the manufacture of any product. This is done by having a check on each stage of the life of a
product from the start to the end that is beginning from the extraction of the material to finalling
disposing it off in the end.
There are four main phases of LCA which are:
Goal and Scope, Life Cycle Inventory, Life cycle Impact assessment and Interpretation.
In this particular LCA also we will go through all the four phases and understand the product
Canon Printer.
But before this, we need to know that there are 2 types of tools of LCA that is, ones which are
for the beginners or practitioners and the other ones are those which have LCA as a base
designed for people who require results based on the LCA without the development of the data
of LCA or the measures of the impact.


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For the LCA of Canon Printers we would be using the former tools that are the tools for
practitioners. This tool is also called as the SLCA tool that is the Simplified Life Cycle
assessment tools.
GOAL AND SCOPE
The goal here is Life cycle assessment by identifying, analyzing, assessing, interpreting the hot
spots and by sensitivity analysis of a Canon Printer used for printing papers in small offices. The
assessment begins with the extraction of raw materials and then continues slowly through each
stage that are process, manufacturing, then distributing, using, maintaining and hence the last
stage that is the disposal.
The net weight of the Canon Printer is 4.6 kg and all in all inclusive of all materials and
processes is 6.8 kg. The table below shows a list of all materials and the processes involved in
the manufacture of the product and the statements in its explanation are also provided. Some
processes that were initially excluded from the process, are also included in the study to near
approximation. There were no processes in the data base with the value as zero.
The Scope of CANON PRINTER
The life of this particular product is around 7 years. The frequency of use of this product is that it
consumes around 20 watts during an operation of 5 hours per day, 5 days per week and thus, 50
weeks per year. The consumption of this product that is canon printer is 4.6 watts under standby
mode of 3 hours per day.
Logistics
Metals are supplied from Sydney and transported to Japan for assemble.
The product is distributed to the Germany.
Assembly
The product is assembled in Japan and its assembly requires 6 MJ/kg of a product.


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End of Life
The product is disposed at the disposal site. The distance to the disposal site is estimated at 100
km. The disposal routes include 85% recycling and 15% incineration for all materials.

The types of material and amount of the material used are in the table below:


MATERIAL TYPE WEIGHT(Kg)
Aluminium
Stainless steel
Copper
Cardboard
Paper
Epoxy
Glass
Magnesium
LDPE
HDPE
PS
0.02
1.29
0.21
1.31
0.097
0.02
0.002
0.08
0.04
0.06
2.83

PROCESS UNIT (Kg)


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Injection moulding
Cast Work
Blow moulding
Rolling steel
Cold transforming
Casting
Aluminium extrusion
Laminating paper
Production of cardboard


2.88
0.88
0.06
0.12
8.78
0.03
0.02
0.10
1.31

FUNCTIONAL UNIT
Keeping in view the goal of the research and the tables in consideration, the unit of function or
the functional unit can be illustrated as :
A Canon Printer with a net weight of 4.6 kg and a lifetime of 7 years along with the product
consumption of 20 watts operating for 5 hours per day, 5 days per week and 50 weeks per
year. The stand by consumption of the same is, exactly 4.6 watts that is 3 hours per day
(Zinman 2009).
INVENTORY ANALYSIS
The Life cycle inventory analysis
The purpose of this research or life cycle inventory analysis is on a general canon printer for
office use to print on a small paper. To be precise, we can say that general purpose is indicative
of the fact that it can print text as well as pictures, without optimization of any, thus, will be
useful for performing both works by multi users.


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A mechanical duplexer is present in a canon printer and hence, whenever a double side printing
is to be done, the printer would on its own consider the page change. The types of cartridges
accepted by the printer are one for text and other for pictures.
The printer in its packed form comprises of cartridge both black and color, a cord for power, a
power supply externally, USB cable along with a booklet of information and CD to upload the
printer in the PC or laptop.
The printers net weight is 4.6 kg. At the time of analysis the price of the printed is listed as 200
dollars (Oppermann 2000).
POLYMERS
The use of polymer is in the cover, the structure, the mechanics of the printer. The most common
type of polymer in canon printer are polysterene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. These
polymers are 86 % recyclable, and the rest 14 to 15 % are not absolutely recyclable due to the
presence of fillers. The polymers have no code, the database of these polymers had a code.
METALS
The printer of canon are covered with a proper galvanized sheet which is plated into shafts,
copper and also aluminum. All of these metals are well known to be recyclable, though copper is
called as a knock out metal used for inhibiting recycle of steel. The databases of all these metals
definitely have a code but there is no code presence when the product is processed, packaged.
ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES
There are few LCAs for certain products that are electronic especially for assemblies of PWB
and components that are electronic. PWB and these electrical are not the ones that are made in
the database utilized for the LCA of these printers and thus, published work and sources is used
to approximate the flows of assembling an electronic device. There is no comprehensive data and
what we collected does not have any alignment with the database of Boustead, but the distortions


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affect on the LCA is small on the printer as these components comprise only 4% of the total
weight of the printer. But the electronics cannot be neglected as their impact on the environment
is more and is not in proportionate to their weight.
The printer electronics have wiring board which has 6 assemblies total of 250 grams on it. These
assemblies are free of lead. The circuit boards are topped by epoxy having a glass fiber coating
laminated with Cu. This consistency is of the most popular laminate that is the FR4. Then begins
the wet method of, mask, lithograph, plating, PCB.
The epoxy used may be the one that is made by mixing the elements with brominated flame. The
FR4 is measured in terms of copper. According to the known sources, it is estimated that the
water used in making the boards of these printers alone is around 6 to 7 liters.
In assembling the printer, the electrical elements are mounted on the surface and big components
are used to make boards with holes. The soldering of waves consumes around 0.000202445 k
Wh per cm. The indicates the free of lead soldering and the free flux of VOC, both of these are
environment loving but utilize more energy.
The wires and cables used for connections consist of copper mainly. The coils on the circuit
board have a little additional amount of copper Payne( 1995).
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
This analysis is followed by an assessment of the impact. This process of the LCA aims at the
evaluation of the importance of the impacts that are prominent on the environment. These
assessments were measured on the impacts based on the following element:
The indicators of categories, the models to characterize and the selection of categories of
impact.
The stage of classification, sorting the parameters of inventory and assigning categories
of impact.
Measuring the impacts.


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These steps are mandatory and in addition to these steps what was required were the steps of
normalizing, groups and weight depending upon the scope and goal of the study. The group
category comprises of sorting the data and then ranking it according to the impact it has, the
wight includes the impact of different environmental issues and then they are weighed against
each other to get a single measure. There are also other several methods that enable the Life
cycle Impact assessment which are : Eco Indicator 99, EPS 200 etc.
For this particular report is used the Eco Indicator 99. The reason behind it being this that it has a
pure focus on the damage categories that is the ecosystem and resources and also includes the
impact on human health because of all these effects. The values in the report are also based on
this indicator only.
INTERPRETATION
The interpretation of life cycle is a trend that evolved to make a systematic procedure which
enables one with identification, quantifying, checking, evaluation of information resulting from
the inventory assessment. The results obtained during this process are interpreted in this
particular stage of assessment that is the interpretation phase. The result of the interpretation is
nothing but conclusion and recommending solutions of the study thus conducted. According to
the levels of ISO, the interpretation should have : identifying the important issues, which all
depend on the result of the LCA, study of evaluation on the complete, sensitive and consistent
checks followed by the conclusion, limit and recommends. The main aim of this level is to find
out the stage of confidence that is persistent in the last of the conclusions and thus,
communicating them in a fine, full and complete as well as perfect manner. Interpretation of the
results of LCA are not as simple as jus declaring 3 is better than 1 or 2 but they provide a proper
interpretation of the result of the whole technique of LCA and then involves the understanding of
accurate result to ensure that the goal of the study is met with. This particular concept again is
attained only when the data elements are truly and honestly identified as well the impact of each
category is successfully contributed, the evaluation of the sensitive elements, the accurateness,
consistent study as well as the conclusions and parts of recommendations drawn from it are true


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in themselves by proving that they are all based on the understanding which is clear and declares
how LCA was successfully conducted and hence the results were attained out of it.
ANALYSIS OF DATA AND ITS VARIANTS
Life cycle analysis is valid only and only if the data within it is correct, hence the most important
part of the analysis is data itself and it is crucial for data should be complete in the life cycle with
a perfect and latest updates. Then the analysis of life cycle are compared with each other, it again
becomes important that the data available is for both the available products as well as the
process. Even when one of the data of one product is slightly higher then definitely there is no
way that it can be compared to another having lesser detailing of data.
The LCA types has two types of data which are the processing of unit data and the input output
of environmental data. Here the environmental data has the basis from the national economy of
output and input. The former kind of data is obtained from surveys of different companies and
those plants that produce interested products.
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
8.39
12.88
Different Phases
Crade-to-gate Crade-to-grave


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Validity of Data is another important issue in analyzing the life cycle of data. As globalization
and the speed of development and technology yielding research and finding of new material and
manufacturing is increasing and being introduced each and every day and hence the Data validity
is becoming a point of concern. It is also important and challenging for the available data to be
up to date whenever the performance of LCA are taking place. Whenever a product is related to
the process it is compulsory that it should have gone through important revised details ever since
the last LCA was conducted and data collected from it. When this procedure is followed up
regularly then, data validity becomes simple and convenient.
There are various variants of the LCA which are Cradle to grave and Cradle to gate.
Cradle to grave is the assessment of life cycle completely by extraction of resources and using
the phases and the graves that is the disposal.
Cradle to gate on the other hand is not the complete assessment but only a part of the life cycle
being assessed also by extracting the right kind of resources. This initial phase where the product
is used and the latter phase where the product is disposed are not utilized in this level.
Assessment of Cradle to gate can sometimes be the base of environment product declaration also
termed as business to business environmental product declaration.
HOT SPOT ANALYSIS
This particular section is all about a complete analysis of the complete life cycle of the Canon
Printer, inclusive of all separate and discrete stages of the product. The impact of each stage has
to be analysed and then only we get a complete detailing of all the information. The results from
the Total Performance Indicator are used separately for every stage and plotted in a graph
provided with an observation each.
Observations:

It is clearly observable from the graph that at which stages the values of Total Performance
Indicators are high. The bar of usage reaches the highest but that of manufacture process is a


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little lower than that. Also the materials used in the stages ranks third according to the bar
graphs. The information thus attained appears to be very useful to us, especially when the stage
of design will be used. Using this information, the manufacturers can see and notice the impact
of every stage and hence can reach the analysis of identifying where the hot spots are and hence,
find solutions to remove them (Feehan 2009).



OBSERVATION
This graph signifies that the usage of which product in the manufacture is the highest which is
also obvious from the table used before that it is PS and then cardboard and thus, is there
consumption. The consumption of these two has to be reduced and thus, methods in regard to
their reduction are to be sorted out which will eventually reduce the impact as well (Dmitrovic
2008).

Series1
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
SLCA Stacked (Total points per stage)


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SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
The printer bulk and the material used and consumed are both with the codes of Boustead
although there were also certain elements that were not of this code of database. In such cases,
the use of a substitute was entertained or in some cases instead some element of that basic
component was removed. The sensitivity analysis of these products as well as the omission of
these elements was noted Dick (1994).


The ones that were not having the Boustead codes of database were the components of
electronics and their processes. The change here was the change in the inventory of the
electronics, hence, causing a change of about 50 % in the total production.
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Material
Supplier Transportation
Manufacturing Process Usage
End of Life
SLCA Stacked Chart (Points per Stage)


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Hence, it was analyzed that these substitutions had worked and could be implemented for future
purposes as well (Cronin 2000).
CONCLUSION

At the end of the report, it can be visualized and declared effectively that the LCA is helpful in
improving the selected product of ours that is the Canon printer and hence reduce the threat to
the environment.
The assessment remains incomplete if the conclusions regarding the product are not studied well
and not finalized.
From the results and descriptions as well as the graphs used already it can be visualized that the
products such as PS as well as Cardboard use has to be reduced. The cardboard is as yet eco
friendly and hence can be ignored in spite of its excess use but it is the Ps which contributes to
the major impact to the environment as it is used in a greater quantity. It is not the material of PS
which is the source of contribution but the process of its manufacture which yields the danger to
the environment. The manufacture process of PS is too high and also produces more of value. An
alternate to this must be utilized which is not only a perfect replacement but also serves an
excellent purpose in place of PS.
The greater the value of use of a product the more is its impact hence, it is the usage that has to
be focused on. Alternatives of this can be several but the main ones can be pointed out as below:
Less use of the printer in a way that not heavy paper be used in the printer. The printer should be
optimized such that energy be saved. In offices, the printers are an important part but as yet they
are not used throughout the day at all times of the day. Hence, in those times the printer should
be put to standby mode. The number of hours the printer is used should be regulated in a way
that the work load of the printer should be reduced and instructions should be given to the office
staff about shifting to the standby mode (Alexandris 2006).
References


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Alexandris, K., Kouthouris, C., Meligdis, A., (2006), Increasing customers' loyalty in a skiing
resort: The contribution of place attachment and service quality,
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