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Case Study

Research into Digital Platform Technology for Greater Product Longevity and EOL Solutions

  • Status: Complete
  • Commodity(s): All
  • Location: UK and Europe
  • Thematic Area: Design, manufacturing and recycling technologies

Objectives

To investigate Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEMs) perspectives on their components, tracking methods, manufacturing challenges, and the potential benefits of additional data and insights.

 

This project aimed to help OEMs make more informed and sustainable decisions for their products, businesses, and customers.

Researchers

Professor Markus Zils

Anna Shausmanova

William Godfrey

Sinan Güçlü

Carolina Duarte

Emily Chai

Sebastian Saboune

Partners

Twist

Beko

University of Exeter

Cornish Lithium drilling rig

Description

Twist had a list of assumptions about how components would impact a business operating a circular business model. Twist didn’t realise exactly how valuable the data would be to help their customers make much better decisions for their assets and their business.

The process culminated in a technical feasibility study, which Twist conducted using data from their customers CAKE and EAV. They focussed their efforts on one component that was important to both: batteries.

Addressing one highly prioritised component enabled them to provide insights and learn, before continuing to build the system to work for multiple types of components.

The outcome of the research has led to work directly and indirectly impacting the main Twist platform. It led Twist to build out their data model and templates for customers to use and extend the live LCA model on their website.

Twist have now also incorporated some of the prototype they built directly in the platform to calculate product failures and component costs. Overall, the project has led to Twist having more conversations with bigger companies about lifecycle extensions and it has led to an increase in revenue and custom for the company.