Computer-aided redesign for improving recyclability

This paper presents a software tool assisting designers in redesigning products for improving recyclability. Taking a 3D-model of a mechanical product as input, this tool generates a disassembly sequence of the product automatically. Using the disassembly sequence, the tool generates some suggestions for improving the recyclability and gives them to the designer. The suggestions include: changing the materials of parts, integrating some parts into one part: changing some fixing methods, and reducing some parts used for fixing some other parts. The suggestions bring about the reduction of disassembly time as well as the improvement in the occupancy rate of recyclable materials. If the designer accepts the suggestions, the tool modifies the model according to the suggestions. An electric drill has been used to experiment with the tool.