LevIn is a feasibility study that aims to bring out the potentials of life-cycle extension of capital goods, exemplary created for agricultural machines. In the study will be elaborated by means of reference products which technological possibilities exist to realise this product strategy and which economic, ecologic and social potentials are entailed for small and medium sized enterprises especially. Furthermore regional potentials of development will be elaborated.

In order to reach the aims an interdisciplinary research team was formed. The project is based on the assumption, that the highest potentials of the life-cycle extension can be expected in the domain of high-grade and long-lived capital goods. Therefore, apart from the scientific partners, two manufacturers of agricultural machines are involved. The studies are effected on the basis of defined reference products of the manufacturers. The integration of the VDMA in the project ensures the access to other business lines of the capital goods industry, which is essential for the success of the transfer concept.

The work schedule puts the main emphasis on five subjects. These subjects are

• the analysis of the technical/technological potentials of the renovation of capital goods,
• the analysis of the economical potentials of the renovation of capital goods,
• the analysis of the ecological potentials of the renovation of capital goods as well as
• the analysis of social potentials, i. e. the acceptance of renovated capital goods by the user.
• Finally a transfer concept for other lines of business will be established.

As a result of the LevIn project the potentials of the life-cycle extension of capital goods in the domain of agricultural machines will be evaluated. If a high relevance will be proved, a concept for the transfer and diffusion of life-cycle extension concepts will be elaborated. The exploitation of the results will be guaranteed by the following measures. On the one hand, there will be publications in specialist journals and a the presentation of the results in the „Manufacturing Network Laboratory“ of the Fraunhofer IAO, on the other hand, the feasibility study will lead into the application for a research project. An associated research project should consider a larger spectre of products, i. e. not exclusively agricultural machines, but also involve further partners, such as marketing experts.