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Improving disassembly

Improvement <- ( A: raw material intensive, B: manufacture intensive, E: disposal intensive ) <-

Checklist for ECODESIGN analysis

Product
Are connecting parts easily accessible with tools?
  
  
What tools are necessary for joining of the individual components? Does the arrangement of connecting parts ensure easy access with tools? Are connections easily visible?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure easy access to connecting parts
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Are all stages of assembly procedure reversible?
  
  
Can the product be disassembled into its component parts? Are all connections easily detachable? Do connections remain detachable during and after use stage?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure reversibility of assembly procedure
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Does the product design ensure uniform directionality for assembly and disassembly, and does it provide for ease of disassembly?
  
  
What measures would make disassembly easier? What is the optimum directionality for assembly and disassembly?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Design product structure for easy disassembly (uniform directionality for assembly and disassembly work)
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Has the time input for disassembling the product been minimized by short paths, uniform directionality, and by reducing the diversity of connecting parts?
  
  
What is the time input necessary for disassembling the product? What is the potential for savings, and how can it be implemented by adequate product design?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Minimize time and paths for disassembly
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Are all connections of the product easily detachable, also after end of life?
  
  
What connections are possible? How often do they have to be detached? What is the relation between simplicity of design and easily detachable connections?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Use easily detachable connections
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Can all connecting parts for disassembling the product be easily found?
  
  
Where are the crucial connecting parts for disassembling the product located? How can they be made easily identifiable?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure easily visible access to connections for disassembly
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Are the connecting parts of the product easily accessible for disassembly (with standard tools)?
  
  
What tool is commonly used? What is the spatial requirement for disassembly work? How to provide for sufficient room to ease disassembly?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure easy access to connecting parts for disassembling tools
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline

Is the detachability of the product’s connecting parts ensured over the whole service life?
  
  
What are the external conditions of product use? What is their impact on connections? What measures permanently ensure detachability of connecting parts?
Relevance (R) Fulfillment (F) Priority (P)
very important ( 10 )
less important ( 5 )
not relevant ( 0 ) 		yes ( 1 )
rather yes ( 2 )
rather no ( 3 )
no ( 4 )
P = R * F
Measure Ensure functioning of connections over whole service life
Idea for
Realization
Costs
more
same
less		 because
Feasibility
difficult
easy		 because
Action
at once
later
never		 Responsibility
Deadline


Approach to assessment:
  1. Relevance:
    Rate the relevance of the assessment question with a view to your product. (10...very important for my product; 5...less important for my product; 0...not relevant for my product).
  2. Fullfilment:
    Estimate the fulfilment of the assessment questions using one of the four possible answers (yes / rather yes / rather no / no); the additional questions support understanding of the assessment question and need not be answered.
  3. Priority:
    Select ECODESIGN tasks with high priority (P) and continue only with these.
  4. Idea for Realization:
    Find ideas to realize these ECODESIGN tasks. The content of the learning part with its examples shall assist you in doing that.
  5. Feasibility:
    Evaluate the feasibility of the suggested ideas (difficult / easy).
  6. Costs:
    Compare the costs of the new ideas with a reference situation (higher / same / lower) and give reason for that.
  7. Action:
    Decide when to carry out the ECODESIGN tasks (at once / later / never) and determine the person or department that shall be in charge of further steps in the realizing the product improvements and fix a deadline.
  8. Save:
    Save the checklist to document the ECODESIGN assessment.

 

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Ensure easy access to connecting parts

Easy access to connecting parts is a prerequisite for simple assembly and disassembly. Connecting parts should be arranged in such a way as to provide for good visibility and easy access with tools.


Ensure reversibility of assembly procedure

Reversibility of assembly procedure is a prerequisite for easy disassembly in case of manufacturing defects and for repair work during use stage, and, in particular, for disassembly after end of life.


Design product structure for easy disassembly (uniform directionality for assembly and disassembly work)

Disassembly accounts for a great part of recycling costs. A clear and easily understandable structure ensures easy disassembly and thus reduces work input and costs. Uniform directionality for assembly and disassembly will also provide for ease of sorting structural components and optimize assembly work.


Minimize time and paths for disassembly

As disassembly accounts for a great part of recycling costs it is imperative to minimize work input for this stage. Thus, minimizing time for disassembly is a prerequisite for the recyclability of parts and components. In most cases, this will also reduce assembly time for the product. Therefore, paths for (dis)assembly should be minimized, connections should be easily detachable, etc.


Use easily detachable connections

Easily detachable connections (also after end of life!) reduce time consuming disassembly work. In addition, nondestructive disassembly is a prerequisite for the recycling or reuse of structural parts. If parts are damaged during disassembly only the material can be recycled; however, on account of the destruction of the material’s structure this alternative yields less value than direct reuse of parts.


Ensure easily visible access to connections for disassembly

Connections can be detached only if they can be easily found and accessed. Long searches for connecting parts will impair fast and efficient disassembly.


Ensure easy access to connecting parts for disassembling tools

Connecting parts that are not or not easily accessible greatly impair disassembly. Work requires either special tools (see example: long shank) or disassembly is cumbersome and time consuming because there is not enough room for using the tool.


Ensure functioning of connections over whole service life

Over time, external influences (aging, corrosion, soiling...) may impair the functionality of connecting parts. This makes it difficult or impossible to detach connections, thus complicating disassembly work considerably. Devices protecting connections from damage, such as covering caps over nuts and threads ensure detachability of connecting parts over the whole service life of the product.