Integrating LCA and DfE in the Design of Electrical & Electronic Products for the Automotive Sector

The objective of this paper is to present how the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and DfE (Design for Environment) methodologies are being used in the Design process of electrical & electronic products at Lear Automotive EEDS (LEED).

In this paper are presented the major roadblocks found during the implementation of these methodologies and the solutions given by the European Technological Center (ETC) in order to solve them (e.g. development of a specific DfE checklist).

Also there are presented the results obtained in the application of these methodologies to a real electronic device. The target product is a prototype of an Advanced Smart Junction Box (ASJB), placed in the engine compartment, which manages power and signal distribution for different car functions and loads.

The new design and the improvements achieved show that the use of LCA and DfE in the design step is a powerful tool to reduce the life cycle environmental impact of the products that Lear provide to its customers.