👣Evaluate the carbon footprint
Last updated
Last updated
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The carbon footprint feature in the BOM provides valuable insights into the environmental impact of materials and components throughout the product lifecycle. By calculating the carbon emissions associated with each item in the BOM, users can assess the overall environmental impact of their products. This functionality helps companies identify high-emission materials, make informed decisions about material sourcing, and take proactive steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Integrating carbon footprint data directly into the BOM allows for more sustainable product development, aligning with environmental regulations and corporate sustainability goals.
After importing a file, users will be directed to the BOM main page, where the default mode is set to Compliance. To access the Carbon Footprint functionality for sustainability analysis, users simply need to select "Carbon Footprint" from the mode drop-down menu. This will switch the interface, allowing users to view and manage the carbon emissions data associated with their BOM components.
In the Carbon Footprint mode, the BOM tree and the Part and Material tabs remain unchanged from the Compliance mode, allowing users to navigate and interact with the BOM structure in a familiar way.
The validation messages retain the same dropdowns—Information, Warning, and Errors—but the content of the messages differs, as they are specific to the Carbon Footprint mode. These mode-specific messages are primarily related to the calculation of the carbon footprint for materials and parts in the BOM. They provide insights into any issues or inconsistencies that may affect the accuracy of the carbon footprint assessment, ensuring users can identify and resolve calculation-related problems while maintaining a consistent interface experience focused on sustainability concerns.
In addition to the Part and Materials tabs, three additional tabs are available in the Carbon Footprint mode: Manufacturing, Processing, and Transport. These tabs provide detailed insights into various stages of the product lifecycle that contribute to the overall carbon footprint.
Manufacturing: In this step, users can select the country or region where the material is manufactured, as well as the specific manufacturing route. Depending on the chosen route, additional parameters such as the percentage of scrap content can be factored into the calculation. This ensures that users can reflect more precise environmental data based on the location and method of production, influencing the material's overall carbon footprint.
If none of the parameters are selected then the global average data for the manufacturing will be used.
Processing: This tab allows for the selection of a processing method, along with the country or region where the material is processed. Depending on the selected method, users can also input specific data to refine the calculation, such as the amount of material removed during processing (e.g., kilograms of removed material per kilogram of material processed). By customizing these inputs, users can obtain a more granular view of the processing phase's impact on the carbon footprint.
Transport: In this section, users can choose the mode of transportation for the material (e.g., aircraft, train, sea) and specify the distance in kilometers. Multiple transportation parameters can be added to reflect complex logistics chains, such as materials being moved across different regions using various transport modes. Each transport entry contributes to the overall emissions generated during distribution.
Additionally, the system allows users to add multiple Processing and Transport entries, accommodating complex manufacturing scenarios where materials undergo various processing steps or are transported through multiple stages of transport. This comprehensive approach ensures a detailed and accurate assessment of the carbon footprint for each material.
These additional tabs help users gain a comprehensive understanding of the carbon footprint beyond just the materials, covering the lifecycle from production to transportation.
When users click the Calculate button, the system calculates the carbon footprint for all parts in the BOM tree based on the parameters defined for each item (calculated values are displayed in the BOM tree).
For Terminal parts (materials), the carbon footprint is calculated using the parameters provided in the Manufacturing, Processing, and Transport tabs. This follows the same calculation method used in the Carbon Footprint module.
For Assemblies, the carbon footprint is derived from the total carbon footprint values of the terminal parts within the assembly. The calculation takes into account the carbon footprint, quantity, and weight of each terminal part, combining these factors to calculate the assembly’s overall carbon footprint.
If a carbon footprint value cannot be calculated for a material (terminal part), the system assigns a value of 0 for that material and displays a warning sign with the tooltip "Not calculated." For assemblies that contain such materials, the system will still calculate the carbon footprint, but it will be a partial calculation. In these cases, a warning sign with the tooltip "Partial calculation" will be shown; the calculated value for the assembly is therefore incomplete and based only on the materials for which valid carbon footprint data is available.
This ensures users are informed of any incomplete data that could affect the accuracy of the overall carbon footprint assessment.
Carbon Footprint values are reset in several cases (any change that will affect calculated value):
After any changes and saving of manufacturing, processing or transport parameters.
After updating part weight, unit, or quantity.
After modifying and saving the chemical composition of a material (either by changing the condition or directly the composition).
After replacing or changing the material.
When switching between Carbon Footprint and Compliance modes, both carbon footprint values and compliance statuses need to be reset, depending on the type of modification:
In Carbon Footprint mode, if the chemical composition or material is changed, a confirmation dialog will appear stating: "With this change, Compliance Assessment will be affected and statuses will be removed. Do you want to proceed?" Once confirmed, compliance statuses will be removed.
In Compliance mode, if the chemical composition, material, part weight, unit, or quantity is changed, a confirmation dialog will display: "With this change, Carbon Footprint will be affected and calculated values will be removed. Do you want to proceed?" Upon confirmation, carbon footprint values will be removed.
This ensures users are informed of the impact their changes will have on both carbon footprint calculations and compliance assessments.
In Carbon Footprint mode, users have the option to export the Bill of Materials (BOM) to an Excel file, capturing all relevant information necessary for comprehensive carbon footprint analysis. The export includes detailed information about each part and material in the BOM, encompassing essential attributes such as part number, part name, quantity, weight, and descriptions.
Additionally, the export outlines the contributions from each stage of the product lifecycle, namely Manufacturing, Processing, and Transport. For the Manufacturing section, users will see selected parameters, including the country or region of manufacturing, the manufacturing route, and any associated scrap content percentages. This detailed breakdown allows users to understand the specific manufacturing practices influencing the carbon footprint.
In the Processing section, the export will display the chosen processing methods along with relevant details such as the country or region of processing and any additional input parameters, such as kilograms of material removed during processing. This ensures a clear view of how different processing techniques impact the overall emissions.
For the Transport parameters, the Excel export will include the selected modes of transportation, distances traveled, and any additional logistics information that contributes to the carbon footprint calculation.
Moreover, all contributions from manufacturing, processing, and transport are presented alongside the corresponding carbon footprint values, enabling users to analyze how each parameter influences the total environmental impact of their product. This robust export functionality not only facilitates sharing and collaboration but also provides users with a comprehensive tool for assessing and improving sustainability within their supply chain.
In the Carbon Footprint mode of the BOM interface, users can take advantage of Save and Load functionalities that facilitate effective management of their BOM data and carbon footprint assessments.
When users click the Save button, the current state of the BOM is preserved, capturing all part details, material information, and carbon footprint parameters. This includes all selected Manufacturing, Processing, and Transport parameters, ensuring that users retain critical data related to their carbon footprint calculations.
The last five recently saved BOMs are conveniently accessible from the BOM starting page, while a comprehensive list can be found in My Console. After loading the saved BOM, users can seamlessly restore all configurations, including the selected manufacturing, processing, and transport parameters. Once loaded, users have the flexibility to continue their selection or make changes as needed.
Moreover, users can recalculate the carbon footprint at any time to see the most up-to-date values, particularly important as the data is refreshed annually with the ecoinvent updates. This ensures that users have access to the latest information, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of their carbon footprint assessments. Save and Load functionalities enhance user experience, allowing for efficient project management and enabling users to refine their calculations with minimal effort.
