Introduction of a method for establishing requirements based on Circular Economy processes in Model-Based Systems Engineering

Due to the growing relevance of sustainable product development, the concept of the Circular Economy (CE) is becoming increasingly important. In this context, the integration of eco-design tools and methods for decision-making in the development and design phase can be seen as a key strategy for the future. Furthermore, the complexity of a wide range of modern products is constantly increasing, which can be managed by developing with consistent product system models based on the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach. This paper introduces a method for modelling activities and requirements based on processes of CE strategies with subsequent connection to a system model in MBSE. A method application to a system is presented. Thus, the establishment of a requirements-baseline in an early development phase can be supported, which facilitates the application of CE strategies, such as Remanufacturing, to prepare a system design for usage in later lifecycle phases. The method consists of a five-step procedure that contributes to the creation of sustainability-related system, subsystem or component requirements based on the process flows of a CE strategy. Part of the method is an incremental specification of stakeholder needs and requirements, which is supported by the use of generic Design-for-Sustainability (DfS) guidelines.