The increasing pressure to decarbonize manufacturing systems is pushing industry beyond conventional lightweighting strategies toward material and process paradigms, capable of delivering functional performance with radically lower environmental impact.
In this context, polymer-based composite Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers an underexplored yet highly promising pathway for sustainable production of load-bearing components.
This study presents a preliminary comparative cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Formula SAE brake pedal, assessing the environmental transition from conventional sheet metal fabrication and finishing operations of Aluminum 7075-T6 to additive manufacturing solutions, with specific focus on Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites. Two topology-optimized designs, respectively for Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) in AlSi10Mg and Material Extrusion (MEX) in Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol with Carbon Fiber (PETG-CF) are compared to conventional fabrication aluminum benchmark. The analysis is integrated in the product and process design following ISO 14040/14044 standards and is implemented using the Environmental Footprint 3.0 methodology within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Results outline that Material Extrusion (MEX) composite manufacturing achieves the lowest environmental impact across all evaluated categories. Compared to conventional manufacturing, the PETG-CF solution enables an approximate 50% reduction in Global Warming Potential and an almost complete elimination of mineral depletion. Unlike metal additive manufacturing, which remains constrained by high process energy demand, MEX benefits from low processing temperatures, minimal auxiliary systems, and highly efficient material deposition.
Crucially, these sustainability gains are achieved while maintaining functional performance through design-driven topology optimization.
AM composite solutions, by merging advanced material science with additive flexibility, may lead to design approaches which cease to be ‘potential’ enablers of sustainable manufacturing for the Industry 5.0 transition.