A Methodology for the Design and Engineering of Smart Product Service Systems: An Application in the Manufacturing Sector

Abstract

The combination of servitization and digitalization is increasingly changing the economy and society at the global level towards sustainability goals. Companies are shifting their business models, typically oriented to selling products, towards providing bundles of products and services and integrating them with technologies enabling data collection and analysis, resulting in the so-called smart Product Service Systems (PSS). Different approaches and techniques have been put forth to design PSS and, more recently, smart PSS, but they continue to primarily concentrate on establishing value propositions and ignore the question of what sort of operational data can be gathered and used to deliver the PSS solution. Therefore, manufacturing companies willing to expand their portfolio with new advanced services nowadays still face multiple challenges. To address this gap, this study proposes the Service Engineering Methodology for the engineering of smart PSS (SEEM-Smart), which takes into account the trade-off between customer satisfaction and internal efficiency with a focus on data gathering and information flow. The methodology is then applied in a real-world setting. The case study shows the application of the SEEM-Smart for engineering a new data-driven service offering enabled by a cloud-based platform supporting the service provision.

A Literature Review on the Development and Creation of Digital Twins, Cyber-Physical Systems, and Product-Service Systems

“…Since the focus of this contribution is primarily on technological aspects, many PSS approaches are, therefore, only relevant to a limited extent. However, a large area of intersection occurs in requirements’ identification involving stakeholders [ 12 , 25 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ]. Based on this, some authors created the functions and concept of the PSS [ 12 , 66 , 67 , 69 , 72 , 73 , 74 ], which also needs to be implemented from a technological point of view and is, therefore, also relevant to this contribution.…”

“…Based on this, some authors created the functions and concept of the PSS [ 12 , 66 , 67 , 69 , 72 , 73 , 74 ], which also needs to be implemented from a technological point of view and is, therefore, also relevant to this contribution. In addition, Arioli et al [ 63 ] considered conceptualisation of the infrastructure and network and, as part of a design step, data flow, adaptation of the product, IT architecture, and sensor technology. Nemoto et al [ 70 ] transferred the customer needs into a PSS function model, from which required actors are derived.…”

An Exploratory Analysis of the Current Status and Potential of Service-Oriented and Data-Driven Business Models within the Sheet Metal Working Sector: Insights from Interview-Based Research in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

“…Based on the convergence of these two trends, new product-service offerings were created by manufacturers [33,[38][39][40] (see also [41][42][43]). With this in mind, digital servitization describes the interconnection of servitization and digitalization [44] (see also [34,38]), accentuated by Matusek [33] and Simonsson and Agarwal [40], who mention the enabling factor of digital technologies and digitalization. In a narrow sense, Kohtamäki et al [45] define digital servitization as "the transition toward smart product-service-software systems that enable value creation and capture through monitoring, control, optimization, and autonomous function" (see also [44,46]).…”

“…With this in mind, digital servitization describes the interconnection of servitization and digitalization [44] (see also [34,38]), accentuated by Matusek [33] and Simonsson and Agarwal [40], who mention the enabling factor of digital technologies and digitalization. In a narrow sense, Kohtamäki et al [45] define digital servitization as "the transition toward smart product-service-software systems that enable value creation and capture through monitoring, control, optimization, and autonomous function" (see also [44,46]). Considering this phenomenon [44][45][46], Valencia et al [47] provide an appropriate definition for smart product-service systems (smart PSSs).…”

“…In a narrow sense, Kohtamäki et al [45] define digital servitization as "the transition toward smart product-service-software systems that enable value creation and capture through monitoring, control, optimization, and autonomous function" (see also [44,46]). Considering this phenomenon [44][45][46], Valencia et al [47] provide an appropriate definition for smart product-service systems (smart PSSs). The authors complement the description of PSSs with smart elements such as smart products and e-services, defining smart PSSs as ".…”