Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Thales have joined the Environmental Materials Information Technology (EMIT) Consortium, bringing the membership to 12 engineering enterprises. The consortium is focused on developing software tools and information resources that embed eco design and consideration of environmental regulations into everyday engineering workflows.
Since it was founded in 2008, this collaborative project has been guiding development of software and related reference data created by Granta Design. Each member has a formal vote in the process to prioritise developments. This ensures both that their specific needs are met at a fraction of the cost of developing in-house solutions, and that these solutions meet the wider needs of industry in general. Member organisations use the resulting software (including early access to new technology) and can apply it to address key problems for their business. They also receive dedicated training and support and opportunities to share and develop best practice through the consortium networking meetings.
A main focus of the consortium has been on restricted substances. Being able to consider the impact of restricted substance regulations when making materials and process decisions in design helps these organisations to assess and manage risk in this key area. These tools are available via the web browser-based interface of the Granta MI system and from within CAD systems (such as Pro/Engineer).
EMIT members can also benefit from quick and easy ways to assess energy and carbon footprint during product design. This helps engineers and designers to meet environmental objectives by exploring 'what if scenarios' during the crucial early stages of design, when changes cost least but matter most.
The full membership of the EMIT Consortium now includes: Boeing, EADS Astrium Satellites, Emerson Electric, Eurocopter, Granta Design, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, NASA, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Rolls-Royce, Thales, and US Army Research Labs.
