Publications Details

Environmentally conscious manufacturing life cycle analysis

Watkins, R.D.; Baca, A.

Sandia National Laboratories and the Allied Signal-Kansas City Plant (AS-KCP) are engaged in a program called the Integrated Manufacturing and Design Initiative, or IMDI. The focus of IMDI is to develop and implement concurrent engineering processes for the realization of weapon components.'' An explicit part of each of the activities within IMDI is an increased concern for environmental impacts associated with design, and a desire to minimize those impacts through the implementation of Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing, or ECM. These same concerns and desires are shared within the Department of Energy's Manufacturing Complex, and are gaining strong support throughout US industrial sectors as well. Therefore, the development and application of an environmental life cycle analysis framework, the thrust of this specific effort, is most consistent not only with the overall objectives of IMDI, but with those of DOE and private industry.