Life-Cycle Perspectives of Product/Service-Systems: Practical Design Experiences

Abstract

Many manufacturers are moving more and more towards the business approach of Product/Service-Systems (PSS) in order to achieve more revenues. The business approach of PSS puts new requirements on products in comparison to traditional selling. In order to achieve a PSS adapted for this business approach, the products and services used need to consider a life-cycle perspective. Having a life-cycle perspective on products and services in the business strategy of PSS is becoming increasingly important as the strategy emerges and more companies see the benefits of controlling a larger share of the product-value chain. The objective of this chapter is to elucidate how manufacturers have worked with, or could adapt their products for, PSS. Supporting this are results from several case studies, performed at companies that manufacture household appliances, soil compactors and forklift trucks. A key factor when developing products for PSS is to design the product from a life-cycle perspective, considering all the product’s life-cycle phases, e.g., manufacturing, use, maintenance and end-of-life treatment. Several design improvements, all of which are fairly inexpensive and easy to implement, are described. Many of these improvements deal with the accessibility of parts and components during maintenance and remanufacturing operations, and several of the design improvements could reduce the need and cost for maintenance, repair and remanufacturing.