ECOMAP | ECOdesign of Mechatronic Products

Practical ecodesign for mechatronic products

Many mechatronic product builders want to reduce the environmental footprint of their products, but struggle to translate broad ecodesign standards and complex LCA methods into practical design choices. To address this challenge, ECOMAP develops a pragmatic approach for early-stage ecodesign of mechatronic products, at a time when market demand and European regulation make sustainable product development a strategic priority.
 

Target group

ECOMAP is aimed at companies involved in the development of mechatronic products and systems, including:

• Manufacturers of industrial machinery and production equipment
• Developers of mobile, electrical and thermal systems
• Companies designing products that combine mechanical, electronic and software components
• Engineering and product development service providers supporting industrial innovation

Context

Mechatronic product development is becoming more complex. Products increasingly combine mechanical, electronic and software components, while companies face growing pressure to improve environmental performance and circularity.

Existing methods, such as life cycle assessment (LCA), provide valuable insights, but are often too complex for early design phases. This is exactly where design decisions have the highest potential to reduce environmental impact.

Ecodesign requires companies to balance performance, cost and sustainability of their products across material use, energy consumption, lifetime, repairability and end-of-life. Yet practical guidelines to support these trade-offs in daily engineering work are still lacking.
 

Objectives & results

ECOMAP aims to help companies integrate ecodesign into the development of mechatronic products in a pragmatic and efficient way. The project will develop a practical approach and corresponding tools that support innovators and designers in developing more sustainable products and business practices.

Project objectives: 

• Identify key lifecycle hotspots and relevant ecodesign strategies
• Develop product archetypes and reference lifecycle profiles
• Create practical design guidelines and rules
• Build and evaluate decision-support tools that fit existing engineering workflows
• Support innovators and designers in developing more sustainable products and business practices

Key expected results

• Practical design guidelines
  Clear tips and rules to make products more sustainable, including choices on materials, energy use, lifetime and repair.
• Easy-to-use LCA tool
  A simplified approach to assess full life cycle impact, including materials, production, use and end-of-life. The tool also improves the handling of electronics, use phases, circular strategies and business models.
• Decision-support tools
  Tools that help engineers compare design options and understand trade-offs without needing detailed data.
• Demo cases
  Real examples from companies showing how ecodesign works in practice and what impact it can have.
• Training material and knowledge transfer activities
  Webinars, workshops, training sessions, blogs and short instructional videos that help companies apply ecodesign methods in their daily engineering practice. 
   

Approach

The project is structured in five work packages.

1. Requirements and ecodesign framework
The partners define industry needs, relevant product categories and an integrated ecodesign approach for mechatronic products.

2. Simplified LCA method and tool development
The project develops and validates a simplified life cycle assessment method and practical calculation tool tailored to mechatronic products.

3. Ecodesign concepts and product categories
Relevant ecodesign concepts are classified and evaluated for different product categories and lifecycle profiles.

4. Design guidelines and solution spaces
The project translates ecodesign concepts into concrete guidelines, design rules and solution spaces that engineers can apply in practice.

5. Knowledge transfer and dissemination
Results are shared through a project website, digital content, webinars, events, workshops and training formats.
 

Funding

• Funding agency: VLAIO
• Project type: COOCK+
• Contract number: HBC.2025.0634

External links

COOCK LCI-e project: ECOMAP leverages the results of the COOCK LCI-e project as a foundation for developing practical ecodesign methods and simplified environmental assessment tools tailored to mechatronic product development.