Human-Robot Cooperative Disassembly & DPPs in Circular Economy
Introduction
The transition to a circular economy is driven by the imperative to reduce waste and optimize resource use. Central to this transformation are Digital Product Passports (DPPs), envisioned as a digital tool to store, track, and communicate essential product sustainability and circularity data. However, to make circular practices like reuse, refurbishing, remanufacturing, and recycling viable at scale, DPPs must include detailed, relevant information tailored to disassembly schemes. This is particularly critical in hybrid human-robot cooperative systems, which aim to balance scalability, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. As circular strategies become embedded into manufacturing and policy, this study explores the disassembly information required in DPPs and proposes a novel metric—Re-DiM—to quantify the ease of disassembly within such systems.
Disassembly Pathways in Circular Economy: Challenges and Opportunities
Effective disassembly is the cornerstone of circular activities, yet current practices vary widely in their feasibility, cost, and scalability. Manual disassembly remains adaptable and precise but struggles with efficiency and safety at industrial scale. In contrast, robotic disassembly excels in repetitive tasks but suffers from high setup costs and limited flexibility. The integration of both through human-robot cooperation opens new avenues, offering balance and responsiveness. However, this hybrid model demands deeper understanding and clear metrics to determine which disassembly route suits different product types and use-cases—insights that this research aims to generate.
The Role of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in Circular Design
Digital Product Passports serve as the backbone for traceability and information exchange across a product’s lifecycle. Their potential to inform disassembly activities, however, hinges on the kind and granularity of data they store. Beyond basic material composition, DPPs must include modularity, fastener types, joining techniques, safety risks, and disassembly sequence data—especially when both humans and robots are involved. This study highlights the specific types of disassembly-related data that can empower design engineers, policymakers, and remanufacturers alike.
Development of the Robotic ease of Disassembly Metric (Re-DiM)
To objectively assess disassembly feasibility within human-robot cooperative environments, this study introduces the Robotic ease of Disassembly Metric (Re-DiM). Unlike traditional indices that prioritize either manual or robotic performance, Re-DiM considers hybrid workflows, labor-sharing strategies, and adaptability. The metric evaluates key parameters such as tool accessibility, part orientation, sequence optimization, and task handover between human and machine. Re-DiM thus fills a crucial gap by enabling quantitative comparisons and informed decision-making in circular product design and end-of-life processing.
Application of Re-DiM to Real-World Product Groups
To demonstrate the applicability of Re-DiM, the study evaluates three distinct product groups: vacuum cleaners, e-bike batteries, and electric vehicle (EV) motors. These use-cases highlight varying levels of modularity, material complexity, and safety concerns. Through comparative analysis, the study identifies optimal disassembly routes, estimates human versus robot task durations, and reveals design bottlenecks specific to robotic interventions. The results validate Re-DiM as an actionable metric, providing a benchmark for both existing and future product designs aligned with circular goals.
Strategic Recommendations for DPP Content and Policy Integration
Drawing on technical insights and metric-based evaluations, the study formulates practical recommendations for embedding disassembly-related data into DPPs. This includes proposing a standardized schema of “ease of disassembly” indicators relevant to human-robot collaborative systems. Furthermore, it advocates for integrating these indicators into regulatory frameworks, enabling informed circularity assessments and fostering harmonization across manufacturers. The study underscores the dual benefit: aiding industry in design-for-disassembly and supporting regulators in setting achievable and enforceable circularity targets.
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