Analysis and comparison of reusable and one-way packaging solutions for gear manufacturing. Their impact on the environment, automation and total cost.

Producer´s responsibility has gained relevance when it comes to sustainable development, and its role in closed loop product life cycle and sustainable manufacturing has become of vital importance. Hence, packaging solutions must have a high degree of sustainability, while maintaining high quality and protection of the components. This master thesis aims to analyze the possibility of replacing a reusable plastic packaging material witha one-way cardboard solution; to verify and compare, using a Life Cycle Assessment Tool, the irenvironmental burden and to analyze the overall costs and impact this would have for the Transmission Machining department of Scania CV AB, Södertälje. The input data regarding materials, transport and end of life solution give an understanding of the impact this change would have on Climate Change by means of GWP – Global Warming Potential and allow to estimate the cost of environmental impact through EPS – Environmental Priority Strategy Methodology. Finally, the report investigates the potential benefits and disadvantages of applying such changes from an automation, quality and productivity perspective. Results show how the use of a one-way cardboard solution would allow Scania CV AB to reduce the environmental impact associated with the use of its packaging, while at the same time reducing the costs associated with it. Moreover, the implementation would increase the degree of automation, ergonomics, quality and safety of the production line