An Assessment Methodology for the Transition to Circular Manufacturing Systems

The transition to a circular economy (CE) has become important. Industrial companies have embraced the transition to a circular economy and want to be at the forefront of implementing circular manufacturing systems (CMS). One of the challenges is how to identify the circular manufacturing loops taking into account the realities of the companies. This paper aims to develop a more comprehensive approach to assessing circular loops that can help companies define the appropriate circularity strategy. As a first step, the scope of circular manufacturing systems is identified. Subsequently, the assessment mechanism at strategic, tactical and operational levels is established to analyze the appropriate transition to a circular manufacturing system. The proposed approach is validated in collaboration with a manufacturing company in heavy industry.