A system dynamics-based framework for examining Circular Economy transitions

Funding Information: The authors would like to sincerely thank the Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination ( CAPES ), from Brazil, for financially supporting this research. CENSE is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology ( FCT ) through the strategic project UIDB/04085/2020. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The AuthorsDecision-makers in the public policy and business arenas need tools to deal with multiple sources of complexity in Circular Economy (CE) transitions. System Dynamics (SD) facilitates coping with increased complexity by enabling closed-loop thinking via identifying the causal structures underlying behaviour and permitting to proactively experiment with the system through simulation. This research aims to propose and test an SD-based framework for examining CE transitions to supporting decision-making at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Two inductive model-based cases studies led to formalising the framework, finally tested in a third deductive model-based case study. The framework is built upon the well-known stages for building SD simulation models and complemented with domain-specific activities, guiding questions, and expected outcomes when examining CE transitions. The SD-based framework is the first modelling-oriented prescriptive approach to help researchers and practitioners examining CE transitions on their journeys to understand and facilitate changes through SD simulation models.publishersversionpublishe

Integrating Human-Centred Design Approach into Sustainable-Oriented 3D Printing Systems

Modern 3D printing systems have become pervasive and widely used both in professional and in informal contexts, including sustainable-oriented ones. However, the risk to create very effective but non-sustainable solutions is very high since 3D printing systems could potentially increase the environmental emergencies and the unsustainable growth. In the transition process toward sustainable ways of production and consumption, the so-called human factor still plays an important role in the achievement of sustainable-oriented actions; it drives the adoption of proper lifestyles that directly and indirectly influence the ways through which such technologies are used. Therefore, future Sustainable 3D Printing Systems should integrate the humans in the systems’ development. This study presents two important results: (a) it presents a set of interdisciplinary ‘Sustainable 3D Printing Systems’, which compose a promising sustainable-oriented scenario useful to support the transition processes toward sustainable designs and productions, and (b) it proposes a new strategy for the integration of human-centred aspects into Sustainable 3D Printing Systems, by combining insights from human-centred design approach

Remanufacturing on a Framework for Integrated Technology and Product-System Lifecycle Management (ITPSLM)

Organised by: Cranfield UniversityIn PSS context the product lifecycle needs to be managed in a holistic and structured way by using product life-cycle management (PLM) approach. The remanufacturing is an important strategy in this process, since the parts of a product that is being taken back at the end of its service can be remanufactured and new products send back to the market, fulfilling the needed functions. This paper aims to present a framework for ITPSLM composed by three business process (innovation management, technology development, productservice system development) and two support process (configuration management and business process management) and its relation to remanufacturing.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan