Towards sustainable production: a methodology to assess influences between life cycle phases in tool manufacturing

Abstract Tool manufacturers are facing a range of urgent challenges such as a rising global demand for energy and a shortage of critical resources. Eco-efficient tool manufacturing and efficient tool use are required to overcome these challenges. Modifying a tool’s manufacturing technology chain leads to changes in the ecological efficiency in its manufacturing phase as well as in its use phase. In order to make environmentally benign changes, both life cycle phases must be considered when technology chain modifications are planned. Therefore, a methodology is introduced to support technology planners in modifying technology chains to improve a tool’s ecological efficiency, taking its use phase and its manufacturing phase into account. Individual methodology modules support technology planners in information acquisition and evaluation as well as in assessing the cross life cycle phase influences of the manufacturing phase on the use phase. The methodology is validated using an example from carbide tool manufacturing.