Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association Commissions Its First Life-Cycle Assessment Research Project

Rochester Institute of Technology chosen to conduct first sustainability research project

The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), a global trade group created to promote the green benefits of additive manufacturing (AM), announced today at RAPID + TCT 2021 that it had selected the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) at Rochester Institute of Technology to conduct a life-cycle assessment (LCA) comparing an additively designed and manufactured aerospace component to a traditionally manufactured component. The study, which will be ISO 14040 compliant, will compare the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of a jet engine low pressure turbine (LPT) bracket produced through traditional manufacturing methods with one that is produced via AM.

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“This new study will include up to 18 different environmental indicators to quantify the environmental impacts that an optimized jet engine LPT bracket has throughout its entire life cycle—from material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and its eventual end-of-life,” said Sherry Handel, AMGTA’s Executive Director. Ms. Handel added, “This data will then be compared to a traditionally designed and manufactured LPT bracket to determine where exactly powder bed fusion AM technology results in lower environmental impacts.” Through robust and independent research studies, the AMGTA will continue to publish research reports that advance environmental sustainability within the additive manufacturing industry.

The LCA report will be peer reviewed by a panel of three LCA experts to ensure methodology, data, assumptions, results, and conclusions are accurate. The report is expected to be published in the spring of 2022 and the key findings will be announced at RAPID + TCT in May 2022.

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