Industrial Metabolism: A Multilevel Characterization for Designing Sustainable Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

The development of industrial manufacturing systems has significant implications for society and the environment, often resulting in substantial waste generation. To address this issue and promote sustainable growth, the concept of industrial metabolism offers a promising approach. Industrial metabolism facilitates the circularity of energy and material flows within the industrial environment, contributing to the establishment of more sustainable manufacturing systems. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of industrial metabolism, highlighting its analogy with natural systems and categorizing models based on their application at different levels: macro (national or regional), meso (eco-industrial park), and micro (manufacturing plant or line). The analysis emphasizes the importance of considering the trophic network and evaluating the efficiency, cyclicality, toxicity, and resilience of industrial metabolic pathways. The proposed characterization of bioinspired industrial metabolism is positioned within the industrial environment. This positioning facilitates the design of manufacturing systems that emphasize circularity, drawing on frameworks applied at different levels within industrial metabolism.