Product lifecycle management (PLM) and sustainability

Introduction

Product lifecycle management (PLM) is a systematic approach to managing the entire lifecycle of a product - from development through production and use to disposal. With growing awareness of sustainability and increasing demands from regulators and customers, PLM is becoming a key tool for achieving environmental goals. Green PLM combines traditional PLM practices with sustainability aspects by promoting eco-friendly innovation and compliance with regulatory requirements.

I. Regulations and initiatives in connection with Green PLM

1st EU Green Deal EU

The EU Green Deal is the European Union's central strategy to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. This includes the promotion of sustainable production and consumption patterns as well as the introduction of strict environmental standards.

Significance for Green PLM: Green PLM helps companies to design their processes and products in such a way that they support the objectives of the Green Deal. This includes transparency regarding greenhouse gas emissions and support for the circular economy of products and materials.

2 CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)

The CSRD requires companies to prepare comprehensive reports on their sustainability performance. The aim is to increase transparency and disclose the environmental and social impact of business activities.

Significance for Green PLM: PLM systems help companies to collect sustainability data over the entire product life cycle and make it available for reporting. This enables companies to evaluate and improve their performance in accordance with CSRD requirements.

3. supply chain law

The Supply Chain Act requires companies to ensure compliance with human rights and environmental standards along their supply chains. This applies to the procurement of raw materials and the manufacture of components.

Significance for Green PLM: By integrating supplier data into PLM systems, companies can increase transparency in the supply chain and ensure compliance with the Supply Chain Act. This facilitates early risk identification and management.

4.. ESPR (EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation)

The ESPR is part of the EU Green Deal and defines ecological requirements for product design. The aim is to make products more sustainable by making them more energy-efficient, more durable and easier to recycle.

Significance for Green PLM: PLM systems support companies in developing sustainable products in accordance with the ESPR specifications. They provide the necessary component and material data so that designers can make more sustainable decisions.

5 Circular Electronics Initiative

The EU's Circular Electronics Initiative aims to make the electronics industry more sustainable. The focus is on durable, repairable and recyclable products.

Significance for Green PLM: With the help of PLM systems, companies can design electronic products that meet the requirements of the initiative. The systems support the entire process from design to recycling by taking into account material selection, reparability and recyclability.

II Digital tools and technologies to promote Green PLM

1. digital product passport

The Digital Product Passport is a key EU instrument for promoting the circular economy. It contains information on the material composition, carbon footprint and recyclability of a product.

Significance for Green PLM: PLM systems can integrate data along the entire life cycle of a product and make it available for the digital product passport. This makes it easier to comply with environmental and sustainability requirements.

2. battery passport

The battery passport is a special digital product passport for batteries that provides detailed information about their life cycle, such as the origin of the materials, CO₂ emissions and recyclability.

Importance for Green PLM: In industries such as electromobility, the battery passport is crucial for meeting regulatory requirements and thus ensuring market access. PLM systems offer a platform for managing and providing this data.

3. digital twins

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical product or system that is updated in real time. It reflects the current status and performance of the product.

Significance for Green PLM: Digital twins enable the simulation and optimization of products before and after physical production. They help to analyze and reduce energy consumption, material efficiency and environmental impact.

4. data space

A data space is a collaborative digital space that enables companies and organizations to exchange data in a secure and controlled manner. It is based on standardized interfaces and governance models that ensure that data owners retain control over their data at all times. Data spaces are a central component of the EU data strategy and are intended to promote the exchange of industrial and product data.

Significance for Green PLM: Data Spaces play a crucial role in the integration of sustainability requirements into PLM systems. They enable companies to exchange product-related data such as material compositions, CO₂ emissions or recyclability along the entire value chain. This is particularly important for compliance with regulations such as the Supply Chain Act or the ESPR, which require transparency across the entire supply chain.

Thanks to secure and standardized data sharing, PLM systems can be seamlessly linked with external partners such as suppliers or recycling companies. This facilitates the tracking and verification of sustainability performance throughout the entire product life cycle.

5 LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a scientific method for analyzing the environmental impact of a product, process or service over its entire life cycle. All phases are taken into account, from the extraction of raw materials through production and use to disposal or recycling.

Significance for Green PLM: LCA is a central tool in the context of Green PLM to make the environmental impact of a product transparent and measurable. PLM systems can serve as a data source for carrying out an LCA by providing relevant information such as material types, energy consumption and transportation routes.

The integration of LCA into PLM systems enables companies to make informed decisions early on in the product development process. For example, they can select alternative materials or prioritize more energy-efficient production processes to improve the environmental footprint. In addition, LCA helps to meet regulatory requirements such as the CSRD, which requires disclosure of the environmental impact of products.

Through the continuous analysis and optimization of life cycle data, LCA supports the long-term reduction of the ecological footprint and promotes the development of more sustainable products.

6 Artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainability

AI-supported systems analyze large amounts of data and suggest optimization options for processes and products.

Significance for Green PLM: AI can be used in PLM systems to develop resource-efficient designs, optimize material consumption and make predictions about the environmental impact of new products.

Conclusion

Green PLM combines the advantages of traditional PLM systems with the goal of developing sustainable and environmentally friendly products. The integration of regulatory requirements such as CSRD, ESPR and the Supply Chain Act as well as the use of modern digital tools such as data rooms, digital twins and AI enables companies to both comply with legal requirements and make a positive contribution to the environment.

Due to the continuous development of technologies and regulatory frameworks, Green PLM will play an even more central role in the sustainable transformation of companies - from linear to circular - in the coming years.

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