Product Life Cycle Research Articles

Lifecycle product inventory optimization: a hybrid approach with Grey-Wolf and Ant-Colony methods

Lifecycle product inventory optimization: a hybrid approach with Grey-Wolf and Ant-Colony methods

Trends in the dynamic evolution of blockchain and circular economy: A literature review and bibliometric analysis

AbstractThe intersection of blockchain technology and circular economy (CE) practices holds significant potential for enhancing sustainability, transparency, and efficiency. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the current research landscape in this domain. Key findings indicate a rapid growth in publications, highlighting a burgeoning interest in leveraging blockchain for CE initiatives. The analysis identifies critical approaches such as enhancing supply chain transparency, improving resource management, and facilitating product lifecycle tracking. However, the integration of blockchain into CE practices presents challenges, including technical complexities, scalability issues, and regulatory hurdles. Addressing these challenges requires interdisciplinary and cross‐sectoral collaboration, as well as continuous research and innovation. Future research should focus on the integration of emerging technologies with blockchain, longitudinal studies on long‐term impacts, socio‐economic implications, and the development of regulatory frameworks. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing unique insights and outlining potential research directions at the intersection of blockchain and CE.

Hybrid Simulation Model of Lifecycle Simulation and Replacement Simulation Considering Carbon Lock-In by Coal-Fired Power Plants

To meet the temperature goal set by the Paris Agreement, cumulative CO2 emissions must be kept below 300 GtCO2. Road transportation accounted for approximately 18% of the CO2 emissions from fuel combustion in 2017. Electric vehicles (EVs) have been rapidly adopted by environmentally conscious consumers in many countries to reduce CO2 emissions. EVs have lower emission intensities than do internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) in most parts of the world, except where the penetration of renewable energy is low in the energy production mix. In such places, the CO2 emissions of EVs are larger than those of ICEVs. Despite the obvious need to increase renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 emissions, Japan and many other countries around the world have yet to shift away from fossil fuels. This is due in part to carbon lock-in, which refers to prior decisions related to technologies and infrastructure that constrain the implementation of better paths toward low-carbon technologies. Coal-fired power plants are the most problematic in terms of carbon lock-in because of their high carbon intensities and long physical lives. In addition, because carbon lock-in by coal-fired power plants has a significant impact on the embodied CO2 intensity of grid power, it impacts society through products that use electric power. In this study, we propose a hybrid simulation model of lifecycle simulation and replacement simulation, considering carbon lock-in by coal-fired power plants. In the replacement simulation, we simulated the replacement of end-of-life coal- and oil-fired power plants with renewable energy power plants using a probability called the lock-in rate and estimated the changes in the embodied CO2 intensity of grid power in Japan. In the lifecycle simulation, we evaluated cumulative CO2 emissions from entire product lifecycles of ICEVs and EVs based on three different EV diffusion scenarios. The results showed that the lock-in rate of coal-fired power plants strongly affects the decarbonization effect due to the market diffusion of EVs.

Integrating Sustainability Goals into Innovation at Henkel

PRACTITIONER TAKEAWAYS To be meaningful, sustainability assessments need to account for the whole product life cycle. This requires strong partnerships with suppliers, customers, and end users, beginning already in the new product development cycle. Culture is an essential ingredient: We need to ensure that sustainability is not just a checklist but a core value for our employees and our business. Innovation and product management are both part of the product life cycle: How we assess sustainability impact for a new product in development needs to be consistent with how that product will be assessed once it is fully commercial. The methodology a company uses in its innovation process cannot be different from the one it uses in product line management.

Bayesian Ensembles of Exponentially Smoothed Life-Cycle Forecasts

Problem definition: We study the problem of forecasting an entire demand distribution for a new product before and after its launch. Firms need accurate distributional forecasts of demand to make operational decisions about capacity, inventory, and marketing expenditures. We introduce a unified, robust, and interpretable approach to producing these pre- and postlaunch distributional forecasts. Methodology/results: Our approach is inspired by Bayesian model averaging. Each candidate model in our ensemble is a life-cycle model fitted to the completed life cycle of a comparable product. A prelaunch forecast is an ensemble with equal weights on the candidate models’ forecasts, whereas a postlaunch forecast is an ensemble with weights that evolve according to Bayesian updating. Our approach is part frequentist and part Bayesian, resulting in a novel approach tailored to the demand forecasting challenge. We also introduce a new type of life-cycle or product diffusion model with states that can be updated using exponential smoothing. The trend in this model follows the density of an exponentially tilted Gompertz random variable. For postlaunch forecasting, this model is attractive because it can adapt itself to the most recent changes in a product’s life cycle. We provide closed-form distributional forecasts from our model. In two empirical studies, we show that when the ensemble’s candidate models are all in our new type of exponential smoothing model, this version of the ensemble outperforms several leading approaches in both point and quantile forecasting. Managerial implications: In a data-driven operations environment, our model can produce accurate forecasts frequently and at scale. When quantile forecasts are needed, our model has the potential to provide meaningful economic benefits. In addition, our model’s interpretability should be attractive to managers who already use exponential smoothing and ensemble methods for other forecasting purposes. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0359 .

Optimization of architectural design and construction with integrated BIM and PLM methodologies.

Digital transformation in the architecture industry encounters challenges such as data silos within design stages, between design and construction, and across the entire industry chain, including BIM and project management. This study introduces a pioneering approach for seamlessly integrating building information modeling (BIM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) within the management framework and collaborative workflows of architectural design and construction. The proposed methodology was implemented in two major projects, namely, the Wuhan Next-Generation Weather Radar Construction Project and the Hubei Center for Disease Control and Prevention Comprehensive Capacity Enhancement Project (Phase I), with the former being China's first end-to-end digitally integrated construction project. Compared with traditional projects, these implementations achieved improvements of 24.39% and 38.04%, respectively, in objective function values. The findings highlight the unique advantages of BIM-PLM integration in optimizing lifecycle management, enhancing cross-disciplinary, cross-enterprise, and cross-regional collaboration, improving project design efficiency and quality, and reducing costs and waste. This integration provides valuable insights into the digital advancement of the construction industry.

A customer-driven quality function deployment approach for intelligent product design: A case of automatic-dishwasher

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is one of the very effective customer-driven product development tools. With automatic dishwashers entering the Chinese market, manufacturers can use QFD to develop products that meet the unique Chinese customer requirements and explore the Chinese market. To help manufacturers maximize profits by developing automatic dishwashers to China’s market situation and competitive environment, this paper proposes an improved QFD model considering competitive learning and cost analysis based on market information analysis with Product Life Cycle (PLC) theory. On the one hand, the improved QFD model determines the life cycle stage of the product by analyzing the characteristics of the market. The improvement rate of customer requirements (CRs) determined by competitive learning in different stages has different influence on the importance weights of CRs, so that the new products developed based on design requirements (DRs) converted from CRs can better adapt to the current market environment. On the other hand, the cost strategy will also change according to different PLC stages. In cost analysis, different cost criteria weights will be determined in different life cycle stages to deal with product development risks in different market environments and help enterprises achieve better sustainable development. Finally, we take Chinese HE company’s automatic-dishwasher design as an example to show the specific application of the proposed model. The proposed model identifies the important DRs and their relative importance ranking for the product development. Comparison with existing QFD models shows the ranking obtained through the model is better integrated with market information, enabling the development of products that are better suited to the market, and helping companies to achieve sustainable development.

Supercritical mechano-exfoliation process

The intricate balance among cost, output, and quality has substantially hindered the practical application of graphene within the downstream industry chain. Here we present a scalable and green supercritical CO2-assisted mechano-exfoliation (SCME) process that omits the use of organic solvents and oxidants throughout the production lifecycle, including exfoliation, separation, and purification. The SCME process achieves graphene powder space-time yields exceeding 40 kg/(m³·day) at laboratory (0.06–0.2 kg) and pilot scales ( > 4 kg), with resultant free-standing films showing conductivities up to 5.26 × 10⁵ S/m. Further kinetic investigations propose general guidelines for grinding-assisted exfoliation: (1) the macroscopic optimizing ability of mechanotechnics for mass transfer frequency and stress distribution and (2) the microscopic multiplication ability of exfoliation medium for shear-delamination. The comprehensive techno-economic analysis also underscores the economic viability of the SCME process for large-scale production.

Critical Raw Materials Hidden in the Products Life Cycle: The Case Study of a Power Supply Unit

Critical Raw Materials Hidden in the Products Life Cycle: The Case Study of a Power Supply Unit

Look before you leap: Are increased recycling efforts accelerating microplastic pollution?

AbstractTo fight plastic pollution and reach net‐zero ambitions, policy and industry set goals to increase the recycling of plastics and the recycled content in products. While this ideally reduces demand for virgin material, it also increases pressure on recyclers to find suitable endmarkets for the recyclate. This may lead to two effects: a multiplication of recycled content in applications already made of plastic and a substitution of non‐plastic materials with cheap, low‐quality recyclate. Both areas of application may be sources of microplastic (MP) pollution. Combined with the inherent degradation of recyclate during its lifecycle, but also during recycling, we expect the increase in recycled content will subsequently lead to an increase in MP pollution. We propose a framework to investigate the risk of MP generation through plastic applications throughout their subsequent lifecycle of production, use phase, and end of life. We apply the framework to two prominent examples of recyclate endmarkets, that is, textiles and wood–plastic, and point out where the degradation effects can cause higher release. To conclude, we outline a research agenda to support policymakers in their decision making on specifying targets for recycling and recycled content.

Measurement inaccuracy reported via the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database for an implantable pulmonary artery pressure sensor: recalibration direction and magnitude results

Abstract Introduction Remote monitoring using an implantable pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) sensor (CardioMEMS HF system) in patients with heart failure (HF) has been consistently shown to reduce HF hospitalizations [1]. The success of this approach relies on the accurate measurement of diastolic PAP (dPAP) over time to allow early interventions such as diuretic intensification [2]. However, it remains unclear how the measurement accuracy changes over time after the initial calibration at the time of device implantation. Purpose This study aims to identify measurement inaccuracy events and to quantify the magnitude and direction of required device recalibration for CardioMEMS devices as reported in a large-scale regulatory device database. Methods We used the publicly accessible Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) data maintained by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The summary search was performed for the CardioMEMS pulmonary artery pressure sensor for the entire product life cycle from January 2009 to February 2024 [3,4]. The entries related to the measurement accuracy under ‘Device Problems’ categories were obtained. Tested accuracy was reported to have been within ±10mmHg of a reference pressure measurement throughout simulated use for 10 years [5]. Normal range for dPAP is ~8mmHg to 15mmHg [6]. Results A total of 2656 entries were obtained. Following categories were identified for the reported entries: device sensing problem (N=999, 38%); incorrect measurement (N=1349, 52%); incorrect measurement, inappropriate waveform (N=279, 11%), and incorrect, inadequate, or imprecise results or readings (N=29, 1%). After excluding 56 entries for missing information, 2600 entries were included for the analysis. A total of 1676 (64%) entries reported the need for recalibration of the CardioMEMS device. A mean PAP difference (defined as the difference of the mean PAP reference value measured at the time of recalibration minus the CardioMEMS reading obtained during the reference measurement) is shown in Figure 1. Compared to the reference pressure values at the time of recalibration, 488 (29%) of CardioMEMS readings were higher and 1188 (71%) were lower. The absolute recalibration pressure difference was 14.5 ± 9.3 mmHg (mean ± standard deviation, range 0.02-59.3 mmHg). The recalibration by more than 10 mmHg was reported in 1040 (40%) entries. Conclusions Suspected measurement inaccuracy with CardioMEMS device is not uncommon and often necessitate recalibration. Almost one-half (40%) of the recalibrations required more than 10 mmHg correction. These results should inform clinicians to consider recalibration along the course of CardioMEMS monitoring if there is discordance between clinical assessment and the values from the device.Figure 1.Figure 2

Social life cycle sustainability assessment of dried tomato products based on material and process selection through multi-criteria decision making.

Tomatoes are a significant product of the Mediterranean region and a crucial component of the Mediterranean diet. The formulation of dried tomato products enriched with proteins and bioactive compounds could be a strategic approach to promote adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Six different novel tomato products were analyzed using different protein enrichment sources (pea proteins and leaf proteins) and drying technologies (hot-air dryer, microwave vacuum dryer, and conventional dryer). The novelty of this approach lies in combining product-specific criteria with global societal factors across their life cycles. Using 21 criteria and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) survey of experts, the social sustainability score for each product was determined through a multi-criteria assessment. The tomato product's life cycles have minimal regional impacts on unemployment, access to drinking water, sanitation, or excessive working hours. However, they affect discrimination, migrant labor, children's education, and access to hospital beds significantly. The study identified nutritional quality as the top criterion, with the most sustainable design being a tomato bar enriched with pea protein and processed using microwave vacuum drying. The study revealed that integrating sensory and nutrient compounds into social sustainability assessments improves food sustainability and provides a practical roadmap for social life cycle assessments of food products. It emphasized the importance of considering global social issues when reformulating Mediterranean products to ensure long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Incorporating social factors into sustainability scores can also enhance the effectiveness of product information for conscious customers. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Research on Optimizing the Carbon Footprint of Products Based on Identifier Resolution

Abstract: This article takes a certain refrigerator of Haier Company as the research object and conducts an in-depth discussion on its carbon footprint throughout the full lifecycle. To achieve accurate tracking and calculation of the carbon footprint of the refrigerator's full lifecycle, this article adopts Handle and Ecode identification and resolution technologies. It establishes corresponding identification coding rules for key points throughout the lifecycle of refrigerator production, transportation, usage, and recycling, and designs a set of identification coding schemes for each stage of the refrigerator from raw material acquisition to recycling. Based on this identification coding scheme, this article calculates in detail the carbon footprint of the refrigerator at each stage of its full lifecycle. Based on the calculated carbon footprint data, it gains a deep understanding of the distribution of the carbon footprint of the refrigerator product and proposes a series of targeted optimization strategies. This research provides a powerful reference for the green development of the home appliance industry and promotes its development towards a more environmentally friendly and sustainable direction.

Cybersecurity Transformation: Cyber-Resilient IT Project Management Framework

In response to the escalating threats of cybersecurity attacks and breaches, ensuring the development and deployment of secure IT products has become paramount for organizations in their cybersecurity transformation. This work emphasizes the critical need for a comprehensive and secure IT project management life cycle that safeguards products from their initial development stages through decommissioning. The primary objective is to seamlessly integrate security considerations into every facet of IT project management life cycles. This work embraces a cyber-resilient IT project management framework and advocates the inclusion of cybersecurity measures in IT projects and their strategic, organized, continuous, and systematic integration throughout the entire product life cycle. It introduces a pioneering framework that harmonizes the cybersecurity risk management process with the IT project management life cycle. This framework delineates a methodical sequence of steps, each encompassing a distinct set of activities. The effectiveness and practical applicability of the proposed framework were validated through a comprehensive case study focused on the Personal Health Record (PHR) system. The PHR case study served as a real-world scenario to assess the framework’s ability to address cybersecurity challenges in a specific domain. The results of the experiment demonstrated the framework’s efficacy in enhancing the security posture of IT projects, showcasing its adaptability and scalability across diverse applications.

Blockchain and Digital Twins in Smart Industry 4.0: The Use Case of Supply Chain-A Review of Integration Techniques and Applications

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has transformed industries and supply chains by integrating advanced operations, tools, and logistics services. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, particularly in ensuring data dependability, security, and operational efficiency. Digital twins (DTs), which replicate real-world components and processes, have emerged as essential tools for enhancing predictive analytics, simulation, and product lifecycle management in Industry 4.0. However, traditional DT development relies on centralized systems, which are vulnerable to data tampering and security breaches, especially in the management of transaction logs and historical data. To address these challenges, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of integrating blockchain with DTs. Using a qualitative research methodology, including desk research, case studies, and interviews with industry experts, we analyze various blockchain-based DT applications across industries and specifically in supply chain management. The findings reveal that blockchain-enhanced DTs can significantly improve data integrity, traceability, and security, thus boosting operational efficiency and quality control in supply chains. Additionally, this study identifies key integration techniques and the role of blockchain in automating processes through smart contracts. This review provides insights into the practical implications of blockchain-based DTs, highlighting their potential to enhance the reliability and scalability of Industry 4.0 operations.

An overview of technological challenges in implementing the digital product passport in the textile and clothing industry

Abstract The textile and clothing industry is undergoing a shift towards a circular business model, driven by new European Commission regulations, which mandates that by 2030, textile products available on the European Union (EU) market must be recyclable and sustainable. To facilitate data collection, storage, and sharing throughout the entire product lifecycle and ensure product traceability and sustainability, the use of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) will be required. This article presents an analysis of the most commonly known digital data technologies from the perspective of their use in digital garment labelling, describing their advantages and limitations. The analysis is complemented by practical insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with garment producers in the Baltic Sea region. The survey revealed that producers prioritise sustainability and are prepared to digitise product information but are awaiting EU’s clear guidance. Despite the challenges posed by DPP implementation from the global, producer, and customer perspectives, upcoming regulations are seen as providing new competitive opportunities for products and services. Both the technology analysis and the expert survey indicate that QR (quick response)-based smart tags are potentially the most straightforward solution for the initial phase of DPP implementation.

Ultrafast and Reproducible Fiber-Optic Hydrogen Sensor via a Tilted Fiber Grating With Pd/WO3 Nanocoating

Hydrogen, a high-density and clean energy, has been widely used in various critical applications. However, the safety risk caused by hydrogen leakage during storage and transportation is still a non-negligible issue. Therefore, it is necessary to offer hydrogen sensors with fast response and high repeatability, and it will be perfect for achieving in situ monitoring over the lifecycle of hydrogen production and utilization. Here, we propose a compact optical fiber sensor with a short section of the tilted Bragg fiber grating (TFBG) inscribed in the fiber core and a palladium and tungsten trioxide (Pd/WO3) combined film of 40 nm thickness over the fiber surface. The TFBG excites tens of narrow cladding resonances, part of which possess refractive indexes matching that of the Pd/WO3 coating and providing the high sensitivity to the surrounding hydrogen concentration change. The sensor offers improved sensing characteristics, including the fast response time (less than 10 s), high repeatability (over tens of measurement), and excellent linear response (higher than 99.6%) over the 0% to 3% concentration range.

Leveraging Machine Learning for Advancing Circular Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Circular supply chains (CSCs) aim to minimize waste, extend product lifecycles, and optimize resource efficiency, aligning with the growing demand for sustainable practices. Machine learning (ML) can potentially enhance CSCs by improving resource management, optimizing processes, and addressing complexities inherent in CSCs. ML can be a powerful tool to support CSC operations by offering data-driven insights and enhancing decision-making capabilities. Methods: This paper conducts a systematic literature review, analyzing 66 relevant studies to examine the role of ML across various stages of CSCs, from supply and manufacturing to waste management. Results: The findings reveal that ML contributes significantly to CSC performance, improving supplier selection, operational optimization, and waste reduction. ML-driven approaches in manufacturing, consumer behavior forecasting, logistics, and waste management enable companies to optimize resources and minimize waste. Integrating ML with emerging technologies such as IoT, blockchain, and computer vision further enhances CSC operations, fostering transparency and automation. Conclusions: ML applications in CSCs align with broader sustainability goals, contributing to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The review identifies opportunities for future research, such as the development of real-world case studies further to enhance the effects of ML on CSC efficiency.

Environmental impacts of drug products: The effect of the selection of production sites in the supply chain

The environmental impact of drug products is largely determined by activities beyond the direct control of pharmaceutical companies, such as outsourced production of pharmaceutical building blocks. Therefore, this study evaluates the environmental impacts of a prostate cancer drug packaged in one blister (declared unit), thereby analysing the whole value chain to gain insight into 1) the main contributors to the impact of drug product production and 2) the effect of the geographical location of production of solvents and pharmaceuticals. The carbon and resource footprints of the entire life cycle of the drug product are determined, using the IPCC GWP 100 and the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment methods, respectively. Unlike many other studies, the impacts of building blocks, called intermediate pharmaceutical ingredients (IPIs), are modelled based on primary data, literature and similar processes. The carbon footprint per declared unit equals 34 kg CO2-eq, of which IPIs and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production account for 96 %. The resource footprint is 647 MJex/declared unit, with IPI and API production accounting for 93 %. The main impact contributors of these processes are solvents and electricity consumption. Four alternative scenarios for IPI and API production are developed to evaluate the geographical influence of different production locations of solvents and pharmaceuticals between Europe and China. European production of solvents and pharmaceuticals appears to have the lowest carbon and resource footprint. In contrast, Chinese production of solvents and pharmaceuticals increases the carbon footprint by 49 %, while the resource footprint increases by only 4 %, although the natural resource consumption shifts from abiotic renewable resources and nuclear energy to fossil fuels. The high contribution of IPI production and the influence of geography of the supply chain highlight the need for accurate data from external suppliers to fairly estimate the environmental footprint of drug products.

Precarity in Portuguese cinema

ABSTRACT Although perhaps not clear for someone unfamiliar with the history and the aesthetics of Portuguese cinema, the title of this paper is polysemic and thus refers to several layers of meaning. Indeed, this research will provide a historical overview and deal with precarity in two different ways that coexist and coincide in Portuguese cinema: the intra-cinematic, i.e. the representation of precarity on screen; and the extra-cinematic, i.e. the material circumstances that have characterised the Portuguese film production milieu. On the one hand, this paper will analyse the history of Portuguese films through the lens of precarity to uncover the different approaches its representation received, from the musical comedies of the 1940s to the peripheral-city dramas of the 1990s. On the other hand, we will provide an account of the evolution of the conditions in which Portuguese cinema subsisted. As this paper will argue these two situations are not entirely dissociated; the material circumstances that have determined the lifecycle of the Portuguese film production are, to a certain degree, related to the versions of precarity addressed. The point this paper proposes by bringing the topic of precarity to the fore intends to add to the literature on Portuguese cinema studies and help frame Portuguese cinema within the subarea of precarity studies.