Parametric design, life cycle assessment, and optimization of a discrete product with application to an electric traction motor

Humans are surrounded and even dependent on discrete products for their daily activities. Product design processes have been vastly studied towards a healthy economic prosperity and other technical objectives (e.g., low risk). However, recent studies show that these methods have been lacking in terms of the environmental challenges humanity faces in the present and future. This study proposes a novel design framework that incorporates a parametric life cycle assessment (PLCA) as part of the optimization-based design model of a discrete product at early stage. Electric traction motor design applied to an electric vehicle is used as a case study. The results of performing a multi-objective design problem and an uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulation show the usefulness of incorporating the PLCA in a transparent manner, as required by the International Standards Organization. Future work suggests investigating the expansion of this technique to support a broader range of objective functions.