Connecting CAD and PLM Systems With Ecodesign Software: Current Experiences and Future Opportunities

Stronger legislation and higher environmental expectations from customers are turning ecodesign into an increasingly attractive approach in industry. Many publications, including standardization, recall the necessity to integrate environmental aspects at every step of a product design process and as early as possible. However, ecodesign is not widely deployed in the industry mainly because few ecodesign methods and their support software tools are today adapted to designers’ requirements and activities. Therefore, instead of developing new methods and tools, some first benefits might be reached when connecting existing design software tools, i.e. product design tools and product environmental assessment tools. The paper reports recent research work aiming at exploring opportunities and limitations of connecting CAD software (Computer Aided Design) and PLM systems (Product Life Cycle Management) with ecodesign software tools. Technical results, e.g. computer languages used for this connection, as well as more general results, i.e. real benefits and limitation of the connection, and potential use in industry, are reported. Based on this research, a design framework for systematic integration of environmental aspects into product design and development is suggested. In particular, the need to share experts’ information and knowledge, the product environmental view that is currently emerging is discussed using concrete environmental constraints, e.g. legislation concerning recycling and substances management. The previously presented interoperability mechanisms between ecodesign and traditional design tools is then re-discussed and further research perspectives are then drawn-up.