A knowledge with ontology representation for product life cycle to support eco-design activities

Purpose: This study aims to develop a synthetic knowledge repository consisted of interrelated Web Ontology Language. Design/methodology/approach: The ontology composes the main framework to categorize data of product life cycle with eco-design mode (PLC-EDM) and automatically infer specialists' knowledge for data confirmation, eventually assisting the utilizations and generation of strategies toward decision-making Findings: (i) utilization of a novel model with ontology mode for information reuse cross the different eco-design applications; (ii) generation of a sound platform toward life cycle evaluation; and (iii) implementation of the PLC-EDM model along the product generation process. Research limitations/implications: It cannot substitute an evaluation tool of life cycle. Certainly, this model does not predict the “target and range” and/or the depiction of the “utility module” that are basic activities in life cycle assessments as characterized through the international organization for standardization regulations. Practical implications: As portion of this framework, a prototype Web application is presented which is applied to produce, reuse and verify knowledge of product life cycle. Social implications: By counting upon the ontology, the information conducted by the utilization is certainly semantically represented to promote the data sharing among various participants and tools. Besides, the data can be verified against possible faults by inferring over the ontology. Hence, a feasible way to a popular topic in the domain of eco-design applications extension in the industry. Originality/value: The goals are: to lean on rigid modeling principles; and to promote the interoperability and diffusion of the ontology toward particular utilization demands.