Product Design for Automated Remanufacturing—A Case Study of Electric and Electronic Equipment in Sweden

Sasha Shahbazi, Kerstin Johansen and Erik Sundin
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Sasha Shahbazi: Department of Method for Product Realization, RISE IVF AB, Drottning Kristinas väg 61, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
Kerstin Johansen: Department of Industrial Product Development, Production and Design, Jönköping University, Gjuterigatan 5, 551 11 Jönköping, Sweden
Erik Sundin: Division of Environmental Technology and Management, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-19

Abstract: Remanufacturing is one of the main practices toward a circular economy and industrial sustainability. Remanufacturing is highly dependent on how circular products are designed and developed. Remanufacturing can also benefit from automation for efficiency, accuracy and flexibility. This paper, via a multiple case study, connects the three areas of remanufacturing, product design and automation and investigates how circular product design can facilitate automation remanufacturing processes. First, circular product design guidelines are discussed with regard to remanufacturing. Second, potential areas for automation at three remanufacturers of electric and electronic equipment are pinpointed. Finally, design guidelines are connected to the identified potential automation areas in each remanufacturing process and discussed together. According to our results, the main incentives for automating remanufacturing processes are mainly related to the work environment, efficiency and quality. In addition, several design guidelines can facilitate automated remanufacturing processes; for instance, the standardization of components, fasteners and remanufacturing tools across different models and brands can also facilitate automated remanufacturing, where products can easily and nondestructively be disassembled by a robot or a machine.

Keywords: circular economy; remanufacturing; product design; automation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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