Integrating life cycle engineering into design for additive manufacturing: A review

Life cycle engineering is a crucial design methodology to support optimized design choices in the context of ecodesign, particularly for components manufactured with novel technologies such as additive manufacturing. This study presents a systematic literature review on the topic, analysing 87 publications following the PRISMA framework. The review explores the environmental and economic life cycle implications of additive manufacturing in relation to the technological features and engineering design aspects. Additionally, it shows existing frameworks for integrating ecodesign into sustainability assessments of additive manufacturing and the development of ecodesign guidelines. From an engineering perspective, these technologies introduce several advantages enabling the creation of lightweight, multi-functional, and performance-optimized components. However, challenges related to high energy consumption, material preparation, and variability in life cycle impacts need to be addressed with dedicated life cycle analysis to ensure environmental and economic sustainability. Existing methods for integrating ecodesign into life cycle assessment are fragmented, with limited frameworks combining environmental and economic aspects. Emerging approaches, such as automated life cycle assessment tools, show promise but remain underexplored. Ecodesign guidelines emphasize well-known strategies such as material optimization and waste reduction. Nonetheless, translating these guidelines into standardized practices remains a challenge. This review highlights the need for comprehensive and standardized life cycle engineering frameworks to guide sustainable design decisions throughout all product life cycle phases, ensuring that additive manufacturing technologies fulfil their potential as enablers of environmentally and economically sustainable manufacturing.