Session: DFMLC-08-01-Special Session-Design Tool Showcase

Paper Number: 97924

97924 - Design for Repair Tool 

Waste reduction is a critical part of attaining a circular economy, and with it, some of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., economic growth, sustainable consumption and production, etc.). Increasing product repairability is a key aspect to tackle during the product development process aiming at the product's useful life extension and the reduction of industrial waste. 

By examining the ability to disassemble key components in different types of gas hobs, a series of eco-design actions can be defined. These guidelines are obtained through the analysis of the repairability index, and the identification of the best/worst practices found during the disassembly tests. With all the information gathered from these investigations, a knowledge-based repository can be developed that helps the designer to find the best project solution in terms of repairability. This database will allow the creation of a Design for Repair tool. 

The goal of this tool is to assist designers in the early stages of the creative process so that, the best solutions for each priority part can be applied from the beginning. This mockup is intended to demonstrate the potential of a tool like this. Despite being focused on cooktops, it can be easily extended to other appliances. The user must enter a set of data as input (e.g., type of component, failure rate, main material or critical materials present, actual joining method, etc.) and the tool will generate different outputs that will increase the repairability of the product (e.g., decide if the component uses critical materials that need to be recovered, decide if that part is a priority part for the product, establish the maximum Disassembly Depth recommended for this part, provide the best practices found, etc.). 

This tool will also serve to select the necessary information to be provided to technical services and end-users. As a result, all players participating in the product's lifecycle are aware of the procedures to follow in the case that a component fails.

Presenting Author: Núria Boix Rodríguez University of Parma

Presenting Author Biography: Núria Boix Rodríguez was born in Elche (Spain) on November 15th 1995. After her Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in Industrial Technologies, she advanced her studies with a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, both accomplished at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Having done her master’s thesis in “Eco-design of cooking appliances based on food habits and diets” awoke her passion for the environmental aspects of engineering. She is currently a Ph. D. Candidate in Industrial Engineering at the University of Parma. Her work focuses on the Life Cycle Engineering and eco-design of different products, trying to make them more sustainable and expand their useful life.

Authors:

Núria Boix Rodríguez University of Parma
Claudio Favi University of Parma