Managing Material, Information and Human Flows in Circular Manufacturing Systems with the Help of Emerging Digital Technologies

Abstract

The Circular Economy is struggling to establish itself in manufacturing systems, with the latest Circular Gap report showing that circularity is declining as the environmental situation worsens. Against this backdrop, several researchers have suggested that implementing emerging digital technologies of Industry 4.0 could be a key resource in this transition towards greater circularity in production. As circular manufacturing systems imply a relatively high complexity of flows, emerging technologies could be particularly useful in this context. After a brief review of the literature on material, information and human flows, a coupling with digital technologies is proposed to address the challenges of flow management in the circular economy. A critical analysis of the research on the use of digital technologies in the management of flows in circular manufacturing systems is then carried out. Finally, the perspectives for research in this area are presented, emphasising the need for multidisciplinary research and distinguishing the areas of research that can be commissioned to fill these research gaps. As part of a multidisciplinary project combining engineering, humanities and social sciences, this research prioritises an approach that equally integrates the three pillars of sustainable development (financial and technical, environmental and social).