Approaches to Efficiency and Life Cycle Assessment of Magnetic Bearing Systems

The scientific method for assessing a product system’s impact on the environment is the Life Cycle Assessment. This work points out why the magnetic bearing community will benefit from embracing this method for the design of magnetically levitated systems. A brief introduction to LCA following the ISO14040 standard and an interpretation for the application to magnetic bearings is given. Links to popular databases, literature and software used in the field of LCA are equally provided. Due to the material similarity, some data from the field of electric motor LCA are given and the special role of rare earth permanent magnets is highlighted.