Development and Evaluation of an Ontology for Model-Based Cross-Generational Modeling of Products and Production Systems in Circular Economy

The limited adoption of circular economy strategies in industry needs to be addressed by developing an ontology for cross-generational modeling of circular products and production systems. Through a two-day participatory workshop with experts, 25 needs and 28 modeling activities were identified, consolidated into 6 fields of action within an extended ontology framework. Key elements include problem space modeling, requirements definition, product-production process integration, cross-generational remanufacturing potential assessment, and interface management. The results identify that standardized traceability between product and production systems is needed across generations, emphasizing change management to mitigate error propagation. Future implementation within the “Circular Factory for the Perpetual Innovative Product” collaborative research center will validate the framework using an angle grinder case study, iteratively refining interface definitions and system models.