Experiencing Closed Loop Manufacturing in a Learning Environment

Abstract

Closed-loop manufacturing reintegrates components and/or materials from the end-of-life products as input flows to produce new products. Today, most learning factories focus on the actual manufacturing system. Some learning factories extend the perspective and include the product development and product use phase. To enlarge the learning perspective towards end-of-life an existing learning factory is extended by a modular, self-designed recycling process chain enabling closed-loop manufacturing. The modular process chain consists of crushing end-of-life products and extruding new filament out of the shredded material. The filament is then utilized to create new products with 3D-printers substituting virgin material. The developed recycling process chain is implemented in an existing learning environment which is equipped with 3D-printers. Further didactic courses are designed considering the ageing of the material and the environmental impact along the product's life cycle.