DIGITAL TWINS AND SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING: HOW INDUSTRY 4.0 TECHNOLOGIES SUPPORT THE GOALS OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the implementation of digital twin technologies and industrial enterprises' transition to circular economy models. The relevance of the study stems from the need to improve the resource efficiency of Russian production in the face of sanctions and a shortage of technological equipment, as well as growing environmental safety requirements. The aim of the study is to identify the mechanisms by which digital twins facilitate the implementation of circularity principles at various stages of the product lifecycle—from design to disposal. The theoretical significance lies in the systematization of approaches to integrating digital technologies into resource-efficient production practices. The empirical base consists of survey data on the spread of digital twins among large Russian companies, industry reports, and real-life cases of predictive system implementation at Norilsk Nickel, Zyfra Group, PhosAgro, Achim Development, and other enterprises, supplemented by the results of independent efficiency calculations. It is demonstrated that the integration of digital modeling enables the reduction of material-intensive physical prototypes, extends equipment service life through predictive analytics, and enables virtual management of recycled resource flows. The most significant contributions to the circular economy come from environmental monitoring and emission forecasting systems, digital modeling of raw material and finished product flows, and virtual models of waste management facilities. The study substantiates the need for national-level development of digital platforms aggregating data on secondary resources and the wider use of the predictive capabilities of digital twins to manage the lifecycle of production assets.