Analysis of design efficiency for the disassembly of modular electronic products

In this paper, we present a technique for analyzing the design efficiency of electronic products, in order to study the effect of end-of-life (EOL) disassembly and disposal on the environment. The design efficiency is measured using a Design for Disassembly Index (DfDI). DfDI uses a disassembly tree (DT) which relies on the product's structure. The DT can be used to identify the precedent relationships that define the hierarchy of the product's structure (which in turn, represents the order in which components can be retrieved). DfDI can be used to analyze the merits and drawbacks of different product, designs. The index offers designers with an important measure to help improve the future products. We provide a comprehensive procedure for developing the index and demonstrate its application through an example.