The project B6 developed a method that enables the identification of resource efficiency potentials and innovative technical solutions to exploit them. The architecture of the value creation module (VCM) can be used to characterise any type of value creation activity and is conceivable at different levels of aggregation from a single VCM to a sequence of VCMs, i.e. a value creation network (VCN). The B6 project uses the VCM
A VCM assessment is carried out in order to gain knowledge on the individual sustainability performance. Sustainability criteria that are commonly investigated by different academic and industrial approaches were compared in terms of their value proposition and relevant indicators were collected. By comparing the VCM to a repository of VCMs, previously identified impacts on sustainability can be included with a better results of a configured VCM. By matching suitable intensities of joint activities with the material cycle options of recycle, remanufacturing and byproduct reuse, resource efficiency VCN are proposed. The process of VCN configuration based on byproduct reuse is shown of Figure 1. The findings show that promising VCMs can be implemented in a wide range of VCMs and VCNs, by discovering potentials that increase resource efficiency. By using the B6 method, the manufacturing industry can explore and exploit potentials to regain resources through selling of functionality, which increases the product’s use productivity and by reutilising of obsolete materials or components and recycling of byproduct streams that enable the repetitious flow of material through multiple life cycle phases; e.g. material processing, manufacturing, use and recovery.
Learn more about challenges, approach and results of project B6 in this Powerpoint presentation