Title
Wiring in the automobile industry: Life cycle assessment of an innovative cable solution
Date Issued
10 December 2018
Resource Type
Journal
Author(s)
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
The automobile industry is demanding new car components to reduce vehicle emissions and increase efficiency. Lightweighting strategies are the most followed by manufacturers to reduce the weight and fuel consumption of vehicles. In this study, an innovative signal cable solution for the wire harnesses of vehicle is analysed through a life cycle assessment (LCA) and benchmarked with the replaced cable. The innovative cable is made up of a copper-tin alloy, while the traditional cable is made of copper. Both products are twisted and insulated with plasticised polyvinyl chloride. The new cable reduces the weight and volume by 53% and 41%, respectively, compared to the traditional cable. The production of raw and ancillary materials was found to be the main impact contributor, mainly due to the production of the conductive and insulation materials. Similarly, electricity consumption was the main impact carrier for the manufacturing stage. The environmental burdens obtained for the innovative cable were, on average, 54% lower than those obtained for the replaced one. Additionally, the potential marginal gains for the automobile industry were evaluated in terms of fuel consumption reduction, which is linked to vehicle weight, and the derived emissions, obtaining a significant exhaust emission reduction of 160 kg CO2 eq when compared to the baseline scenario. Finally, the LCA of these products was decisively influenced by the consumption of raw materials and, therefore, the reduction of the thickness of the wire makes the cables considerably more sustainable from an environmental point of view.
Start page
237
End page
246
Volume
204
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Otras ingenierías y tecnologías
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85053463907
Source
Journal of Cleaner Production
ISSN of the container
09596526
Sponsor(s)
Funding text 1
Dr. Pedro Villanueva-Rey wishes to thank the Galician Government for financial support (postdoctoral student grants programme). We are also thankful to FCT and POHP/FSE funding program for the scholarship granted to Paula Quinteiro ( SFRH/BPD/114992/2016 ), and to FCT for the financial support to CESAM ( UID/AMB/50017 ), through national funds, and the co-funding by FEDER , within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. Ana Cláudia Dias also acknowledges the financial support from FCT ( IF/00587/2013 ).
Funding text 2
Dr. Pedro Villanueva-Rey wishes to thank the Galician Government for financial support (postdoctoral student grants programme). We are also thankful to FCT and POHP/FSE funding program for the scholarship granted to Paula Quinteiro (SFRH/BPD/114992/2016), and to FCT for the financial support to CESAM (UID/AMB/50017), through national funds, and the co-funding by FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. Ana Cláudia Dias also acknowledges the financial support from FCT (IF/00587/2013).
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus