Situation
Current manufacturing processes typically perceive a product’s life cycle with a “you only live once” mentality, an outlook echoed by most PLM software. However, as the world gravitates toward sustainability, tools such as PLM platforms must adapt to support remanufacturing. This change is vital if complex products are to be designed and manufactured with recycling in mind.
Problem
The challenge lies in developing a practical framework for implementing closed-loop manufacturing systems at an industrial level. This system must be underpinned by a lifecycle management software collaborative platform, with an API built on this framework.
Solution
The development of the collaborative platform involves extending Eurostep ShareAspace PLM Collaboration with functions supporting closed-loop multi-lifecycle management. These functions include new processes related to remanufacturing, linking its integrated supply chains to modules, tracing product changes through multiple life cycles, and tracking product evolution throughout these cycles. The ResCoM Web API will provide a common web service interface, enabling developers to program for collaborative product development.
Benefits
- First Multi-Lifecycle PLM Platform: The ResCoM collaborative platform is anticipated to resolve the current difficulty that commercial PLM software faces in supporting multiple life cycles.
- Enterprise-Wide Collaboration: The integration of PLM tools will enable businesses to analyze closed-loop systems, thereby aiding designers and analysts in making informed decisions.
- Save Resources, Save Costs, Save the World: Decisions made using multi-lifecycle PLM are expected to ensure that closed-loop manufacturing utilizes resources more efficiently.
In summary, ResCoM is a project co-funded by the European Commission, focusing on the development of closed-loop product systems. The project will concentrate on key methods to achieve this, including remanufacturing, reuse, and multiple lifecycles.
