The application of life cycle assessment to metal casting

The thesis presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study that compares the potential environmental impacts associated with two alternative material groups. The comparison involves aluminium alloy and cast iron automotive casting components. The comparative LCA study aims to identify which system of materials, aluminium or cast iron, reduces the total burdens on the environment most throughout the entire lifecycle of a metal casting automotive application. A specialised LCA software tool (Boustead Model 4.4) has been used to compare and contrast the potential environmental impacts of the two alternative cast metal alloys and, conclusively, identify the best environmental proposition for the specific metal casting application. [Continues.]