POLYPROBLEM report: The Circularity Code

What they all promise is a “digital twin.” The name itself is telling since the software can be used to virtually simulate a future product, and includes various parameters such as the materials used and different production processes applied. Ideally, product developers run various production scenarios and materials to reach a product that will perform best in the holistic sustainability assessment. The digital twin guides product developers, particularly in manufacturing industries, to find the ideal compromise between a product’s cost-effectiveness, performance, and sustainability. The necessary data is available, as is the digital technology. However, what would be just a few clicks is not enough. “You can buy software. But the processes, including input and output flows and the resulting by-products and waste, must be correctly modeled and the results evaluated accordingly,” says Hans-Josef Endres, who has recently noticed a sharp increase in the need for advice that companies seek from his institute. Dr. Hermann Achenbach, head of sustainability and circular economy at the SKZ Plastics Research Center, also perceives this gap. He recognizes a need for many companies to catch up in order to be “digitally ready.” “Good analytical tools are one thing, but you also have to get interpretable data out of the machines the processor uses.” As a result, manufacturing companies are faced with the challenge of having to invest in personnel and technology to implement the digital transformation for more sustainable production without being able to earn any profit from it in the foreseeable future. This is particularly a problem for suppliers. “Our customers expect recyclable products, but are rarely prepared to pay a higher price for them. And for us as suppliers, the potential green boost to our image doesn’t pay off either,” summarizes the head of development at a major plastics processing plant. Hermann Achenbach, who is in constant contact with industry representatives, confirms this dilemma: “I’m afraid that we won’t have a demand-driven market for digital innovations along the plastics value chain for a long time. It will have to be driven by regulatory requirements for the foreseeable future.” 6

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