1 Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference IDETC/CIE 2012 August 12-15, 2012, Chicago, IL, USA DETC2012-70455 CHARACTERIZING SUSTAINABILITY FOR MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT Mahesh Mani Systems Integration Division National Institute of Standards and Technology Maryland, USA & University of Maryland, College Park Maryland, USA Jatinder Madan Systems Integration Division National Institute of Standards and Technology Maryland, USA & Sant Longowal Institute of Engg. & Tech. Longowal, Sangrur, India Jae Hyun Lee Systems Integration Division National Institute of Standards and Technology Maryland, USA Kevin Lyons Systems Integration Division National Institute of Standards and Technology Maryland, USA S.K. Gupta Department of Mechanical Engineering and Institute for Systems Research University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA ABSTRACT Manufacturing industries lack the measurement science and the needed information base to measure and effectively compare performance of manufacturing processes, resources and associated services with respect to sustainability. The current use of ad-hoc methods and tools to assess and describe sustainability of manufactured products do not account for manufacturing processes explicitly and hence results in inaccurate and ambiguous comparisons. Further, there are no formal methods for acquiring and exchanging information that help establish a consolidated sustainability information base. Our goal is to develop the needed measurement science and methodology that will enable manufacturers to evaluate sustainability performance of fundamental manufacturing processes ensuring reliable and consistent comparisons. In this paper, we propose and discuss a methodology for sustainability characterization to bridge the measurement science and the needed information base for sustainable manufacturing. This will set the stage for manufacturers to objectively assess and compare different manufacturing processes for sustainability. Keywords: sustainable manufacturing, manufacturing performance, characterization, assessment methodology 1. INTRODUCTION Sustainable manufacturing is defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that minimize negative environmental impacts, conserve energy and natural resources, are safe for employees, communities, and consumers and are economically sound [1]. According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the industrial sector accounts for 31% of all the energy consumed in the United States. Manufacturing alone accounts for 65% of the industrial sector’s energy consumption [2]. With manufacturers looking towards cleaner energy sources and improving their energy efficiency due to an increasing energy price tag, a model for sustainable manufacturing among industries has become important. Performance measurement in general identifies the gaps between the current and desired performance, and provides indication of the progress made towards closing the gaps. Related performance indicators reduce and organize huge data into formats that are easier for understanding, analyzing and comparing purposes. Companies then use such indicators to set targets and monitor their performance. Traditionally, manufacturing related performance indicators provided information on the productivity and throughput, cost, quality, material, etc. Performance measurements for sustainable manufacturing should include performance indicators and corresponding