GoProZero: New it’s OWL project supports companies in the development of sustainable products

“Climate protection needs technology, and this is happening in North Rhine-Westphalia. With practical IT tools and digital solutions, the ‘GoProZero’ project strengthens competitiveness and shows how ecological responsibility and economic success go hand in hand. The transformation to a circular economy is no longer a topic for the future – it is an urgent necessity. North Rhine-Westphalia is leading the way as a leading region for the circular economy and sustainable industrial development. This creates new jobs, strengthens the competitiveness of our companies and protects the climate,” says Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“Through practical IT tools and digital solutions, the ‘GoProZero’ project strengthens competitiveness and shows how ecological responsibility and economic success go hand in hand.”

Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“Sustainability has long been a key competitive advantage,” explains Günter Korder, Managing Director of it’s OWL. “With projects such as ‘GoProZero’ and the ongoing ‘ZirkuPro’ project, we are showing how companies in OstWestfalenLippe are leading the way with innovative solutions for the circular economy. We want to actively support them in successfully shaping this change.”

The project contributes to the strategic orientation of the network, emphasizes Prof. Dr. Roman Dumitrescu, Managing Director of it’s OWL: “With GoProZero, we are making sustainability tangible – directly in the development departments of our companies. In this way, we are putting our vision of Industry.Zero into practice: with intelligent technical systems that not only make products smarter, but also recyclable and resource-saving right from the start. This is the key to real sustainability – for companies in OWL and beyond.”

Circular economy as an opportunity for companies

The core topic of the project is the circular economy. The circular economy provides an answer to the question of how materials and products can be used more efficiently. Mechanisms such as recycling, reuse or the upgrading of components help to extend the life cycle of products and reduce emissions. But how can companies manage this change?

“There are many reasons for manufacturing companies to develop recyclable products: From regulatory requirements to ensuring the availability of rare materials to competitive differentiation. However, new technology-based approaches are needed to enable companies to transform traditional business into the circular economy. Development management, processes and IT systems in particular need to be adapted for this,” says Dr.-Ing. Christian Koldewey, project coordinator and senior engineer in the Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE) department at Paderborn University.

OstWestfalenLippe stands for innovative solutions

With the “GoProZero” project, the it’s OWL competence network offers companies and research institutions from OstWestfalenLippe an ideal platform for developing the necessary new digital technologies and sustainable strategies for companies.

The research results are implemented in six lighthouse projects in close cooperation with companies such as CLAAS, HARTING, WAGO and Weidmüller. The aim is to develop practical approaches and IT tools that can be adopted by other companies in the long term. Digital technologies such as AI and digital twins play a central role in this.

Modernize electronics sustainably

As a leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery, CLAAS focuses on the reuse and modernization of electronic components. Combine harvesters have a service life of around ten years, their components even up to 20 years.

The aim of the project is to use modular hardware and software-supported updates to optimize the functionality of older machines and extend their service life. Digital twins are used to monitor the performance of the machines and quantify the effectiveness of measures such as refurbishment and remanufacturing.

Sump trays for a sustainable circular economy

DENIOS, a specialist in environmental protection products, is working on a circular business model for plastic and steel drip pans as part of “GoProZero”. In addition to taking back and recycling used products, the aim is to optimize the return of secondary raw materials to the economic cycle.

At the same time, an IT infrastructure is being created that analyzes sustainability indicators in accordance with the requirements of the Digital Product Passport and the Environmental Product Declaration. This will examine the conditions under which circular business models are more sustainable than linear approaches.

Resource efficiency through data

HARTING focuses on the development of resource-efficient systems for machines and plants. The aim is to reduce the use of materials and increase energy efficiency through modular designs and the intelligent use of production data. This should not only lower operating costs, but also reduce the CO2 footprint of the products.

Intelligent service life calculation

GEA is developing innovative approaches to make separators – a key technology in the food and pharmaceutical industries – more sustainable. Based on usage data and condition monitoring, a service life estimate of critical components is created in order to optimize maintenance intervals and keep components in use for longer.

This minimizes unnecessary material consumption and reduces costs. At the same time, digital twins are used to take circularity into account at an early stage of development.

Transparency through digital transformation

Weidmüller Interface is investigating how current and future products such as PLCs (programmable logic controllers) can be efficiently updated and reused in terms of software and hardware. The aim is to anchor these measures directly in the engineering process – in other words, to think in such a way during development that updates and reuse are easily possible. The aim is to extend lifecycles and save resources.

Recycling and reuse of electronics

WAGO’s project aims to design electronic components in such a way that they can be recycled and reused more easily. Using innovative digital tools and AI-based analyses, the entire life cycle of products is taken into account in order to maximize their sustainability.

“Ultimately, it always depends on the specific starting situation in the company as to which circular economy approaches can be implemented appropriately. Whether and how material cycles can be closed, slowed down or narrowed must be carefully examined,” says project manager Anja Rasor.

New approaches for sustainable product development

In addition to the individual lighthouse projects, the project is pursuing five central topics that cover all aspects of product creation.

The “GoProZero” project is working on making products and development processes more sustainable and circular from the ground up. To this end, new approaches are being developed to enable companies to design their products in such a way that they can be repaired, reused or recycled more easily.

At the same time, research is being carried out into how development processes and corporate structures can be better adapted to the requirements of the circular economy so that sustainable strategies can be implemented efficiently.

Digital twins and AI to help companies

An important component of the project is the use of digital technologies, such as digital twins, in order to better consider the entire life cycle of a product right from the planning phase.

The linking of data from development, production and use also plays a central role: the aim is to make this information more easily accessible and thus enable well-founded decisions on resource conservation.

In addition, “GoProZero” uses artificial intelligence to help companies analyze complex data and develop sustainable products faster and more efficiently.

On the way to “Industry.Zero” with “GoProZero”

This holistic approach is important in order to provide companies with practical tools that support them on their path to a circular economy. The results are directly tested and further developed in the lighthouse projects and contribute to the it’s OWL “Industry.Zero” strategy.

The it’s OWL strategy “Industrie.Zero”, which calls for sustainability through technology, is being implemented by companies and research institutions from OstWestfalenLippe in projects such as “GoProZero”. Our vision is for the OstWestfalenLippe region to develop into a model region for sustainable value creation.

A strong network of science and industry

The “GoProZero” project brings together partners from science and industry who contribute their expertise to the development of circular product creation systems.

Under the consortium leadership of Paderborn University, research institutions such as Bielefeld University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, OWL University of Applied Sciences, Fraunhofer IEM and Fraunhofer IOSB-INA are involved. In addition, leading companies such as CLAAS, DENIOS, GEA, HARTING, WAGO and Weidmüller are contributing their practical experience and specific challenges to the lighthouse projects.

The project is supported by KI-Marktplatz, S&N Invent and the InnoZent OWL network.

With “GoProZero” and the “Industry.Zero” strategy, it’s OWL is making a decisive contribution to the sustainable transformation of industry. The project shows how companies can secure their future with the help of digital technologies and through cooperation with research and industry.