Fraunhofer at the Hannover Messe Press Preview
Stuttgart/Germany, February 20, 2025. Concrete solution for urgent challenges: In the CYCLOMETRIC project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO have developed a solution that enables companies to integrate sustainability assessments and circular economy concepts into early development phases – precisely where the greatest levers for environmentally friendly design lie.
If sustainable technologies and products are to be created, numerous dependencies need to be taken into account – across all development and life cycle phases. The challenge: a classic life cycle analysis (LCA) can currently only be carried out in late development phases, when many decisions can no longer be reversed. In addition, the sustainability of a product depends largely on its subsequent life cycle, i.e. from the use of the individual components through to disposal.
This is precisely where the experts at the Fraunhofer IAO and their partners in the CYCLOMETRIC project come in: Their solution brings the holistic assessment forward into the early development phase in order to set the course for sustainable and recyclable products as early as the concept design stage.
Balance between innovation and standards
A central component of their solution is software that integrates seamlessly into existing development environments. From the very first product idea, it provides estimates of CO₂ emissions, expected life cycle and other environmental aspects. As the product definition progresses, the forecasts are refined and allow targeted adjustments to be made. The special feature: ‘The software visualises potential weak points in the life cycle and provides specific recommendations for measures such as the selection of recyclable materials or modular designs. The solution is based on existing LCA standards to ensure compatibility with regulatory requirements,’ explains Dr Lukas Block, Head of the Mobility Transformation team at Fraunhofer IAO.
The experts are taking a parallel approach: in addition to the software, they are working with a car manufacturer, a design agency and an engineering service provider to design the centre console of a car as an example in order to examine how design, materials and life cycle requirements influence each other in a practical way.
This approach encouraged and fuelled mutual learning processes, but was also challenging. ‘We had to break away from traditional approaches and develop a completely new methodological approach,’ explains Franziska Braun, expert in innovation design and project manager for the development of the methodological approach and the cross-partner design of a cycle-orientated centre console based on it.
Revolution through integration
This centre console combines innovative materials such as bio-based fibre composites or apple leather with modular designs that enable easy repair and reuse. The researchers also developed an accompanying service concept that not only facilitates the replacement of individual components, but also increases the longevity of the product.
Another declared aim of the project was to make the topic of sustainability tangible for end customers and promote acceptance. Materials and design were deliberately chosen so that their recyclability is not only practical, but also a positive visual experience. ‘We want to promote a new mindset – both in the industry and among consumers,’ explains Braun.
The close integration of software development and component design ensures that the results can be transferred to industrial practice – far beyond the automotive industry. This is because the compatible structure of the software and the evaluation logic mean that the project results can be easily transferred to other sectors and open up new ways of promoting sustainable value creation across different industries.
Experience sustainability
‘We don’t just think sustainability, we make it visible and tangible,’ promises mobility expert Braun: accordingly, visitors to the Hannover Messe 2025 can experience not only the software but also the centre console interactively at the joint stand of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Hall 2, Stand B24). The Fraunhofer IAO experts will also be presenting their CYCLOMETRIC solution at the preview event for the Hannover Messe on 19 February 2025.
Further information:
(https://www.iao.fraunhofer.de/de/presse-und-medien/aktuelles/neue-perspektiven-fuer-nachhaltigkeit-und-kreislaufwirtschaft.html)
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Nicolas Meletiou Pixabay