Chassis swing arm production product carbon footprintcalculation and life cycle assessment

In this study, the cradle-to-grave product carbon footprint and life cycle assessment of the rear chassis control arm, with a net weight of 3,2 kg, were carried out. The analysis was conducted in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards, using SimaPro 9.6.0.1 software and the Ecoinvent 3.10 database. One packaged product was considered as the functional unit in this assessment. According to the IPCC 2021 GWP100 method, the product's carbon footprint was calculated as 9,788 kg CO₂ equivalent. Additionally, abiotic resource depletion was found to be 5.91E-05 kg Sb equivalent, while fossil fuel depletion amounted to 223.96 MJ. The impact on ozone layer depletion was calculated as 1.49E-07 kg CFC-11 equivalent, and global warming potential (GWP100a) was found to be 9.65 kg CO₂ equivalent. Human toxicity was measured as 592.01 kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DB) equivalent. Freshwater ecotoxicity was determined as 137.43 kg 1,4-DB equivalent, marine ecotoxicity as 233,321.63 kg 1,4-DB equivalent, and terrestrial ecotoxicity as 3.65 kg 1,4-DB equivalent. Furthermore, photochemical oxidation potential was calculated as 2.27E-03 kg ethylene equivalent, acidification potential as 6.14E-02 kg SO₂ equivalent, and eutrophication potential as 2.74E-02 kg PO₄³⁻ equivalent. These results provide a comprehensive evaluation of the product's environmental impacts throughout its life cycle and offer significant insights into its environmental sustainability performance.