Digital twins for environmentally sustainable and circular manufacturing sector: visions from industry professionals

Abstract

Traditional make-use-dispose operations are no longer an option in the manufacturing sector – companies face mounting sustainability pressures and incentives to move towards circular economy (CE) operations. Accordingly, they must implement new technologies to maintain competitiveness in the transition. One potential tool in navigating the change is the digital twin (DT). Previous research on DTs has largely focused on technological prerequisites, devoting less attention to their business and sustainability aspects. To fill the gap, this qualitative research provides an overview of sustainability pressures in manufacturing sector and examines how DTs can promote environmentally sustainable business and circularity. The results indicate that external pressures, such as stakeholder expectations, competition, ongoing megatrends, and regulations, push companies towards better sustainability, accompanied by employee expectations and internal willingness. The results also reveal a vast potential for DTs with sustainability and CE, especially in product design, use, and operation and at the decommissioning and renewal stages.

Keywords

• Digital twin
• sustainability
• circular economy
• manufacturing