EcoPass3D: Sustainable product development with digital twins in the Digital Product Passport
Digital innovations for sustainable product development and new data-based business models: Financed by the state of Baden-Württemberg, the EcoPass3D joint research project is developing contents for the Digital Product Passport (DPP) adopted by the EU. It aims to show companies how they can use a DPP to develop more eco-efficient and more eco-effective products and processes. TECOSIM heads the consortium and works with renowned research partners such as the Fraunhofer Institute and the University of Stuttgart.
EcoPass3D: helping shape DPPs
The newly launched research project EcoPass3D – Modular digital twin with a Digital Product Passport for sustainability-related product information to develop service-oriented business models is designed to help shape DPPs. As part of the EcoPass3D project, the DPP is being developed and implemented as a transferable dataset for a modular digital twin. Integrating sustainability-relevant information into the digital twin can provide new value creation opportunities which would not be possible without this added information. Feeding back this information into the virtual product development process provides an eco-efficient, eco-effective product design.
New data-based, service-oriented business models
New data-based, service-oriented business models are also created. The aim is to improve product sustainability throughout the entire life cycle. The DPP helps in this process by acting as an instrument to show Baden-Württemberg companies how they can profit from introducing or expanding service-oriented business models. The DPP should not be regarded merely as a regulatory requirement; it is also an opportunity to make products and processes more sustainable and develop new value creation potential.
TECOSIM working on EcoDisassembly use case
The concepts and solutions developed will be tested and piloted using three use cases provided by TECOSIM GmbH, WEISS GmbH and Wittenstein SE. TECOSIM is centring on the sustainable use of product development data and is working on the EcoDisassembly use case, which looks at virtual disassembly.
The digital twin for automated virtual disassembly is based on the digital twins created during virtual product development, mostly CAE and CAD models. This data is used to develop a demonstrator in the shape of a digital twin for automated disassembly which runs on the ISG-virtuos platform provided by Industrielle Steuerungstechnik GmbH. This can be used to control an assembly robot. The specialist will then create a control program for a disassembly robot to provide automated separation of components for recycling.
TECOSIM has set itself the goal of expanding the CAE-based virtual product development process. The recycling of product components is already taken into account during the design process as the engineers devise the digital twin for automated disassembly at the same time as the digital twins in the virtual product development process. This guarantees improved recyclability. Moreover, information relevant to sustainability should also be incorporated into the future virtual product development process. This calls for the integration of new requirements and, where necessary, new disciplines into an expanded product development process.
Consultancy service for product and system developers
The aim is to incorporate the procedure and findings from the various work packages into a comprehensive methodology to develop resource-efficient solutions using digital twins. Once the project is completed, this methodology is intended to be available as a consultancy service for product and system developers in manufacturing companies.
The joint research project is funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg as part of its ‘Invest BW Green Tech Innovation Funding programme (funding reference BW1_5045/01). The project will last two years with funding totalling 140,000 euros. Besides TECOSIM, partners are: WEISS GmbH, Wittenstein SE, VDMA, the Fraunhofer Institutes for Industrial Engineering IAO and Building Physics IBP, the University of Stuttgart’s Institutes for Acoustics and Building Physics, Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units, and Industrial Engineering and Technology Management.
You can find more information about EcoPass3D at https://www.ecopass3d.de/
