Guangfu Liu

Recycling strategy and a recyclability assessment model based on an artificial neural network

Abstract Designing products for recyclability is driven by environmental and economic goals. To obtain good recyclability, two measures can be adopted. One is better recycling strategy and technology; whilst the other is design for recycling (DFR). Recyclability assessment is one of the most important contents in DFR. First, this paper discusses the content of DFR, and strategies and types related to product recycling, and points out that whether recyclability is easy or difficult depends on the product design. Then the methods and the procedure of recyclability assessment based on artificial neural network are explored in detail. Finally, a case study shows that this method is simple and operable.

Study on Disassembling Approaches of Electronic Components Mounted on PCBs

With the rapid development of modern industry, more and more electronic and electric products containing Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are produced, consumed, and discarded in our daily life. The disassembling and reuse of electronic components mounted on these discarded PCBs are meaningful to reuse the valuable electronic components, reduce the pollution to the environment, reuse the bare PCBs, and retrieve the materials of PCBs. Four evaluation principles of disassembling methods, components reutilization rate, reliability and uniformity, thermal energy consumption and environmental impact, are analyzed. Based on the analysis of the existing disassembling approach, a new method is presented, which adopts a kind of special liquor, methylphenyl silicone oil, as the medium to transmit heat to the PCBs. The ultrasonic is used in the liquor to accelerate the melting and dropping of soldering tin through ultrasonic vibrations. An experimental framework has been established. The experiment proves that the method has good performances such as high efficiency of energy utilization and high unsoldering proportion.

Research on Design for Environment Method in Mass Customization

With the productive mode changes from mass production to mass customization, the design for environment (DFE) method has to be adapted to it. The purpose of this study is to realize green design in mass customization mode. In this study, the process of the DFE method in MC mode is systematically discussed, then a concept of green product information model is proposed to support the design process. A product configurator for DFE is presented in detail, at last a green design of refrigerator was used as exemplification of the method.

Research on Modeling for Recycling Strategy of Waste Products

To describe the recycling process scientifically, IDEF3 method is adopted to establish the process model. A conclusion that recycling strategy decision-making is the most crucial step of recycling analysis can be made trom the model. The decision-making model is presented based on the metrics of reuse, service, remanufacturing, and disassembly. The information model is established by analyzing the informational requirement of the decision-making model. Finally, a case study of recycling the waste air-conditioners is given.

RESEARCH ON PRODUCT MODELING TECHNOLOGY FOR DISASSEMBLY

Disassembly analysis is a very complex process that needs the supports of much information and many methods. The contents of disassembly analysis are illustrated; to give a strong foundation for the disassembly analysis, an integrated model is introduced in this paper that integrates the 3D assembly model, the Hierarchical-Network Model and an open database; a case study is given to show that this method is operable and reasonable in the end.