MAS²: An integrated modeling and simulation-based life cycle evaluation approach for sustainable manufacturing

Sustainable manufacturing is a new paradigm in which manufacturing industries produce products in a sustainable manner while maintaining global competitiveness and coping with recent challenges and problems. Sustainable manufacturing research is very broad in scope and has not yet been firmly established at the academic or practical levels. This paper introduces MAS ², which is an integrated modeling and simulation-based life cycle evaluation approach for sustainable manufacturing. Four requirements that are essential for evaluating the sustainability performance of manufacturing industries are suggested. The proposed MAS² approach consists of the following main components: 1) a theoretical foundation comprising 20 principles and definitions of sustainable manufacturing and manufacturing sustainability, 2) indicators, namely the MAS² indicator and Manufacturing Sustainability Index (MSI), 3) e-MAS² as an evaluation method, and 4) i-MAS² as an information management method. The MAS² system is developed based on the proposed approach, and consists of two main modules: MS-Modeler and MS-Simulator. The MAS² approach and system are validated by application to the product life cycle of an automotive stamping shop.