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Disassembly-friendly product concepts - connection techniques

WEEE-Directive <- Implementation, "HOW" <-

Checklist for ECODESIGN analysis

Product
Has the time input for product disassembly been minimized by short paths, by 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 Minimizing disassembly time and paths
Idea for
Realization

Are the connecting parts of the product easily accessible for disassembly (with standard tools)?
  
  
Which tool is commonly used? What is the spatial requirement for disassembly work? How can you provide for sufficient space to facilitate 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 Providing for easy access to connecting parts with standard tools
Idea for
Realization

Is product disassembly possible with only minimal repositioning?
  
  
In which position will the product be disassembled? How often does the position need to be altered? Which measures are applicable to simplify 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 Providing for disassembly with minimal repositioning
Idea for
Realization

Are connecting parts easily accessible with tools?
  
  
Which tools are necessary for the 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 Ensuring easy access to connecting parts
Idea for
Realization

Are all connections inside the product easily detachable, both during usage and after end of life?
  
  
Which 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 Using easily detachable connections
Idea for
Realization


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. Save:
    Save the checklist to document the ECODESIGN assessment.

 

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Minimizing disassembly time and paths

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


Providing for easy access to connecting parts with standard tools

Connecting parts which are not easily or not at all accessible greatly impair disassembly. In such cases, the work requires either special tools (see example: long shank) or the disassembly is cumbersome and time consuming because there is not enough space for using the tool.


Providing for disassembly with minimal repositioning

As far as its structure is concerned, a product should be designed in a way which requires a minimum amount of repositioning during disassembly. In particular, this applies to large, bulky products. A simple and readily identifiable product structure aids to minimize the input necessary for disassembly and facilitates the sorting of components. Since the cost of disassembly typically constitutes the greater part of overall waste product processing cost, it is crucial to minimize the disassembly time and paths.


Ensuring 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.


Using easily detachable connections

Connections which are easily detachable during usage and 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. Due to the destruction of the material's structure, this alternative yields less value than a direct reuse of parts.