EDA
Sustainable electronics design through virtual prototyping
RS discusses the role of circuit simulation in sustainable electronics design E
lectronic waste (e-waste) is a significant contributary factor causing serious environmental hazards. Toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury are causing soil contamination that affects plant life and biodiversity, potentially entering the food chain. Chemicals are finding their way into water bodies, impacting aquatic life, and making our water unsafe for consumption. Burning e-waste releases harmful toxins, including dioxins, causing air pollution, respiratory issues, and other health problems. With electronics manufacturing requiring substantial amounts of raw materials, including rare earth metals, sustainability in electronics design is essential for environmental protection, economic benefits, and regulatory compliance. Implementing practices that minimise waste by designing durable products and reducing the frequency of replacements is crucial for sustainable electronics design.
In sustainable electronic design, digital twins and circuit simulation tools play a pivotal role through virtual prototyping. Digital twins offer real-time, dynamic models of physical systems, enabling continuous monitoring and optimisation throughout a product’s lifecycle. Conversely, circuit simulation tools enable engineers to create and evaluate electronic circuits virtually, uncovering potential problems and enhancing performance prior to the construction of physical prototypes. Together these technologies reduce material waste, enhance product durability, and minimise the environmental impact of electronic devices, driving industry towards a more sustainable future.
Digital twins are revolutionising engineering and playing a crucial role in sustainable design by creating virtual replicas of physical assets, enabling real-time monitoring and optimisation. This technology allows designers to simulate various scenarios in a virtual environment and assess both the performance and environmental impact of
40 May 2025
different design choices without producing physical prototypes. This approach not only accelerates development cycles but significantly reduces material and e-waste. One such example is Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy who are working with NVIDIA to create digital twins to optimise the design and operation of wind turbines in the energy sector. By creating a digital twin of their physical assets such as turbines, compressors, and other industrial machinery, they can simulate various real-world environmental conditions and operational scenarios to optimise the performance of each turbine and maximise the energy produced. The digital twin provides insight from hundreds or thousands of iterations and simulation runs into the equipment’s performance, traditionally prohibited by time constraints and costs. This allows predictive maintenance and efficient resource management with a reported saving of 30 per cent in operational costs and 50 per cent reduction in time-to-market for new products. Similarly General Aviation uses digital twin technology to optimise the design and maintenance of jet engines. Engine simulation analyses their performance under various conditions to allow engineers to identify potential issues and optimise their designs before physical prototypes are built, which reduces material waste. It also collects data during operation to predict when maintenance is needed, preventing unexpected failures and extending the engine lifespan, thereby reducing
Components in Electronics
e-waste by minimising the frequency of replacements and the disposal of faulty components.
While digital twins are virtual replicas of physical systems, products, or processes using real-time data, circuit simulation software, primarily used in the design phase, such as LTSpice, KiCAD, and DesignSpark Circuit Simulator, typically relies on predefined models and scenarios and is used to design and test electronic circuits. This allows engineers to simulate, test, and fine-tune circuit performance under different conditions to achieve optimal performance without physically building them and analyse performance metrics such as voltage, current, and signal integrity to improve efficiency, contributing to sustainability by reducing energy consumption and e-waste generated by discarded prototypes.
One notable example is Infineon who are using circuit simulation tools to optimise the configuration of traction inverters for electric vehicles. The simulation helped to double the efficiency of the traction inverters, cut electrical losses by 50 per cent, and reduce scope 3 downstream emissions of electric vehicles by 2-3 per cent. Circuit simulation meant Infineon was able to improve the sustainability of their products, reducing energy consumptions and emissions. ABB aimed to optimise the design of power converters for renewable energy systems to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Using circuit simulation software to model and simulate the performance
of their power converters under various conditions, they identified ways to enhance efficiency, reduce energy loss, and improve overall performance resulting in optimised designs being implemented in their renewable systems, enhancing the sustainability of their renewable energy solutions. Integrating circuit simulation into sustainable electronics design is crucial for minimising waste and optimising resource use. By allowing engineers to identify and resolve potential issues early in the design process, circuit simulation reduces the need for physical prototypes and frequent replacements. This not only conserves materials and creates more durable and efficient products, but also extends their lifespan, contributing significantly to the reduction of e-waste and promoting a more sustainable future.
Incorporating lifecycle assessment (LCA) can also enhance sustainability further into the design process. LCA evaluates environmental impact of product from raw material through manufacturing, use, and disposal. By integrating LCA with digital twins and circuit simulation, engineers can make informed decisions that minimise the overall environmental footprint such as RoHS and WEEE compliance. There are free tools available that help validate designs against these standards before production such as Product Design Centre. For more information please visit:
https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/ product-design-centre
www.cieonline.co.uk
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