The white goods demonstrator will offer high-end washing machines in a usage- or performance-based model. This will enable average users to profit from low per-cycle costs of high-end machines within a shorter period of time. It is expected that ReCiPSS model will also have spill over effect on other companies in white goods sector and also broader impact on other industries.
Design incentives change with the shift in ownership and/or responsibility over a product during a life cycle and towards the next life cycle. A transition from product ownership to service access is very disruptive. ReCiPSS will design product-service systems based on the understanding of factors that determine the acceptance of performance-based services by users, who are currently used to owning products. ReCiPSS will also explore opportunities to create behavioural awareness through the way novel services are offered: for example, a cloud-connected washing machine can collect valuable maintenance data for the OEMs, as well as interesting performance data for the consumers, who may be able to further optimize their water and energy consumptions.
The automotive demonstrator will streamline the reverse logistics flow, enabling aftermarket stakeholders to close the loop by using a single service provider for reverse logistics. Cores will be identified and evaluated only once and then directly shipped to the final destination (remanufacturer).
In white goods demonstrator, the “Build to last” principle will reduce the amount of the needed reverse logistic to a minimum and thus reducing the environmental impact. The possiblity to use used spare parts will even further reduce the environmental impact.
Mechanical parts are generally made with the view to be repaired, but it is possible to go further in research to improve materials and parts. ReCiPSS will explore the future of mechanical parts (automotive parts or white goods parts) to improve the design, with a view to make disassembly easier, increase lifetime and increase the recyclability of materials or even design for upgradability.
Remanufacturing involves a skilled workforce and creates jobs locally: in order to be economically interesting, remanufacturing has to be performed within the region in which vehicles are used (shipping engines abroad to be worked on would negate the savings).
The trade-offs between high- and low- quality machines also have implications for material and energy consumption. Given similar material compositions and production processes, replacing three regular washing machines with one built to last washing machine yields almost 146 kg of material savings and more than 2.5 tonnes of CO2 savings.
ReCiPSS will identify the best European and global practices, and evaluate how successful they have been, in order to influence European policy-makers.