58 Int. J. Sustainable Manufacturing, Vol. 1, Nos.

1/2, 2008

Approaches to sustainable manufacturing

G. Seliger
Department of Assembly Technology and Factory Management,
Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management,
Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
E-mail: Guenther.Seliger@mf.tu-berlin.de

H-J. Kim*
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
College of Engineering,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
E-mail: kimhyung@umich.edu
*Corresponding author

S. Kernbaum and M. Zettl

Department of Assembly Technology and Factory Management,
Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management,
Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
E-mail: kernbaum@mf.tu-berlin.de
E-mail: Marco.Zettl@mf.tu-berlin.de

Abstract: Topics on sustainable manufacturing, use, environmentally friendly

treatment and resource recovery are currently very important issues for
governments and industries worldwide. Environmental regulations for technical
products currently focus on recycling ratios and prohibition of toxic materials.
The concept of creating more use-productivity with less resource consumption
has considerable potential to a sustainable society. Hence, the objective
of this paper is to identify a research and development plan for sustainable
manufacturing focusing on enhancing use-productivity. Core research fields are
identified, and finally their technology road maps are developed.

Keywords: sustainable manufacturing; use-productivity.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Seliger, G., Kim, H-J.,
Kernbaum, S. and Zettl, M. (2008) ‘Approaches to sustainable manufacturing’,
Int. J. Sustainable Manufacturing, Vol. 1, Nos. 1/2, pp.58–77.

Biographical notes: Günther Seliger studied Industrial Engineering at the

TU Berlin. He was Research Assistant and Chief Engineer at the Institute for
Machine Tools and Factory Management at the TU Berlin and earned a
doctorate at the Department of Professor Günter Spur. He has been Professor at
TU Berlin since 1988 and represents the Department for Assembly Technology
and Factory Management at the Faculty 5 Transport and Machine Systems.
Furthermore, he is the speaker of DFG – Collaborative Research Center 281
‘Disassembly Factories’.

Copyright © 2008 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 59

Hyung-Ju Kim studied at Precision Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor) and

Industrial Engineering (Master) in Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea.
Then he earned a doctorate at the Institute for Machine Tools and Factory
Management (IWF) at the Technical University Berlin. After the two years job
as senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe
(KIST Europe), Saarbrücken, Germany, he works currently as postdoctoral
research fellow at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. His research areas are disassembly, disassembly
control and remanufacturing.

Sebastian Kernbaum studied Mechanical Engineering at Technical University

Berlin from 1998 to 2003. After being a visiting researcher in the University
of New South Wales, Sydney and the University of Southern California he
became a Research Engineer at the Institute for Machine Tools and Factory
Management at Technical University Berlin in 2004. His research areas are in
the area of life cycle engineering especially in the development of planning and
evaluation methods. The research is based on the Collaborative Research
Center 281 ‘Disassembly Factories for the Recovery of Resources in Product
and Material Cycles’ which was completed at the end of 2006.

Marco Zettl studied from 1996 to 2003 Mechanical Engineering at the Berlin
Technical University (TUB). After graduation in February 2003, he worked
for six months at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Since
November 2003, he is Research Engineer at the Department Assembly
Technology and Factory Management at TUB in the field product development
with focus on modularity. His work is based on the Collaborative Research
Center 281 ‘Disassembly Factories for the Recovery of Resources in Product
and Material Cycles’, which was completed at the end of 2006.

1 Introduction

Humankind is confronted with global challenges related to economy, ecology and

socio-policy, e.g., movement of labour, global warming, and population increase.
Since emerging countries, e.g., China and India, counting for about two-fifths of present
global population, are demanding the life-style of industrialised countries, the resources
and the ecosystem of the globe come under increased pressure. Engineering is confronted
with the challenge of paradigm change to provide increasing standard of living without
exceeding ecological limits. Present products and processes express the life-style of the
developed Western World counting for less than one-fifth of the global population.
Six billion people of the globe cannot live on existing western standards without
exceeding ecological limits. Technology has to be adapted according to criteria of
sustainability. It is estimated that because of human resources consumption, by the end of
the 21st century, the global average temperature will have increased between 2°C and
7°C when compared with the actual values.
It becomes apparent that industrialised as well as emerging countries have to face
these challenges together to conserve the resources and the ecosystem of the planet for
future generations. On international political level, first steps in this direction of
sustainability are global treaties as well as regional regulations and incentive systems.
The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
negotiated in 1997 is an example for such a global treaty. Since September 2005,
60 G. Seliger et al.

a total of 156 countries agreed on the reduction of their carbon dioxide emissions and five
other greenhouse gases. Regional legislations are, for example, the European Union
directives on Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and End-of-Life
Vehicle (ELV). Often these activities are addressing only ecological aspects without
taking economics into account. Global challenges can only be met by simultaneously
considering social, economical, ecological, and technological criteria.
In this context, the principle of sustainability as a mission statement for development
moves in the spot of attention. A reasonable definition of sustainability has been
introduced by the World Commission on Environment and Development in the so-called
Brundtland-Report ‘Our Common Future’ in 1987. Based on this definition, sustainable
development is defined as a holistic approach harmonising ecological, economical and
socio-political needs with respect to the superior objective of enhancing human living
standards. The availability of natural resources and the task of conserving the ecosystems
have to be considered so that future generations have the possibility to meet their own
needs. However, this goal cannot be achieved with current resource productivity and
current trifling with the ecosystem without bursting the limits of the globe (Figure 1)
(Seliger, 2004).
Sustainability in engineering can be defined as the application of scientific and
technical knowledge to satisfy human needs in different societal frames without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To achieve this
goal, scientists and engineers cooperate in international and multidisciplinary groups and
organisations. They utilise imagination, judgement and take initiative to apply science,
technologies and practical experience to shape competitive processes and products.
Management guides the creation, application and evaluation of science, technology,
processes, and products, as well as the dissemination of knowledge.

Figure 1 Approach to increase the global standard of living without bursting the limits
of the globe

Source: Seliger (2004)

Challenges of sustainability in engineering are illustrated in Figure 2, whereby human

needs are represented as the MASLOW pyramid spanning all societies in the world
(Maslow, 1999). The different coloured columns between the human needs and the
available resources describe the dissimilarity of conditions of the global society.
Engineering challenges are design of products and processes with improved usefulness
and less environmental harm. Technology interpreted as science systematically exploited
for purposes offers huge potentials to contribute. Technology enables for processes
transforming natural resources into products to meet human needs. The interaction
between research and education imposes dynamics on how creative solutions are
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 61

developed for relevant tasks. Owing to new means of transport and communication,
knowledge and value creation is no longer limited to niches of wealth but more and more
accessible by everyone, everywhere at anytime. These dynamics must be mastered
by management considering chances for cooperation and risks of competition.
Different societal frames with different value systems considering economical, ecological
and socio-political issues in different regions of the globe have to be taken into account
(Seliger, 2004).

Figure 2 Engineering perspectives in sustainability

Source: Seliger (2004)

Currently, only few companies, governments, organisations and institutions are

considering and incorporating aspects of sustainability. Several best practice examples
regarding ecoefficient and sustainable products are promoted by predominantly large
global-acting companies (NN, 2007a). However, the potential of sustainability in
engineering is not exploited yet. There is still a lack of scientific basic principles,
methods, procedures and tools for planning, development, adduction, and utilisation.

2 Approaches in sustainable manufacturing

From the 1980s, activities in sustainable manufacturing started to focus on waste

reduction in production, so-called cleaner production. The activities were extended
to the reduction of resources and energy use in production. After this, the paradigm
for sustainable manufacturing has been changed from production-oriented to
product–oriented one. The changed paradigm is realised by the Integrated Product Policy
(IPP). The product-oriented approaches are, on the one hand, activities for reduction of
resources and energy in a product. On the other hand, there are activities for reduction of
toxic materials, and development and use of renewable materials. In addition, the term
‘cycle economy’ was introduced (NN, 2003a). Until now, the cycle economy approach
has focused on material recycling, which has had some successes in the cycle economy
market. However, pure economic success is still difficult to achieve. Even the
consolidated environmental regulations such as ELV (NN, 2000) and WEEE
(NN, 2003b) make demands on pretreatment of toxic materials, including components,
reuse and remanufacturing of components or products for the profitability of their
activities.
Until now, the scientific approaches have neglected to enhance sustainability in the
use phase and have also focused on the design for environmental and material level
62 G. Seliger et al.

recycling. However, sustainable manufacturing for the next generation should focus on
enhancing use-productivity in the total product life cycle. For enhancing use-productivity,
there are the three strategies illustrated in Figure 3:
• Implementation of Innovative Technologies is a strategy focusing on the evaluation
and implementation of feasible and innovative technologies for resource-saving
applications.
• Improving the Use-Intensity is a strategy to improve use-productivity by increasing
the utilisation ratio of a product. This strategy intends to maximise productivity
per resource input.
• Extension of Product Life Span is a strategy focusing on extending the time between
cradle and grave of a product by expanding the use phase and realising multiple use
phases. The resource consumption for production and disposal of products shall be
reduced with this strategy.

Figure 3 Framework for sustainable manufacturing based on Kim et al. (2006)

2.1 Implementation of innovative technologies

The objective of this strategy is the evaluation and implementation of innovative
technologies, which are used for resource-saving applications. Hereby implementation
means both, application and implementation. Innovative technologies can be applied to
improve product and process design, e.g., modularity and lightweight construction.
Moreover, innovative technologies can be implemented in products for resource-saving
applications. Innovative technologies are, e.g., fuel cell, photovoltaic and laser
technology. Vital element of this strategy is the evaluation of technology according to
sustainable manufacturing.
A best practice example for the application and implementation of innovative
technologies is the automobile Loremo (Figure 4). Loremo is an acronym for Low
Resistance Mobile. The automobile is powered by a turbo-charged combustion engine
and consumes 1.5 l diesel fuel per 100 km. The low fuel consumption results mainly from
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 63

the reduction of the weight and the air resistance. A new Loremo variant shall be
equipped with a hybrid power technology to improve performance and reduce diesel fuel
consumption. The Loremo AG is an innovative start-up company located in Munich,
Germany. The start of mass production is planned for 2009 (NN, 2007b).

Figure 4 Automobile concept of the Loremo

Source: NN (2007)

The Schmitz Cargobull AG is a company mainly producing trailer for freight transport on
the road. Its headquarters is located in Horstmar, Germany. Schmitz Cargobull had an
annual turnover of about 1.3 billion Euros in 2005–2006. The company is one of the
biggest trailer manufacturers worldwide. By applying modularity and standardisation on
their product spectrum, the efficiency of product development and production processes
has been improved. More product variants can be realised with a higher quality by
reduced development time, reduced component variants, and more efficient production
processes (Naber, 2006).

2.2 Improving the use-intensity of products

Improving the Use-Intensity of products is regarded as the use phase in the product life
cycle. The objective of this strategy is to increase the utilisation ratio of a product or of its
components. Two approaches have been identified to achieve this goal. First, by applying
a business model, where the use of a product and not the product itself is the object of the
companies’ business. This service-oriented approach is also called selling use instead of
selling the product (Seliger et al., 2004). The second approach is related to a more
sustainable use of a product by the user.

2.2.1 Service-oriented business model

In a service-oriented business model, the service provider offers the functionality of the
product to the customer without passing the product out of his possession. He is
responsible for the accessibility of the required utilisation and the treatment of the
equipment over the whole lifetime. The service provider manages the costs of investment,
transport, operation, maintenance and disposal. Consequently, the customers only pay
for the use that they obtain by the product and not the product itself (Seliger, 2000).
The service provider is responsible for the availability of the use at the right place and
time in adequate quality. Therefore, he/she needs system-accompanying quality
management, information and communication systems to guarantee product pursuit and
product access. Leasing-, rent- and service-contracts regulate the responsibilities between
customer and service provider.
64 G. Seliger et al.

Requirements on products for the service-oriented business model are modularity,

integrability, customisation, convertibility as well as diagnosability to support
customer-driven adaptability (Seliger et al., 1997). The implementation of these
properties in a high level increases the applicability and the availability of a product.
Requirements of the service process are higher idle capacity costs of a product when
compared with the extra costs to be paid for logistics and information management
(Seliger et al., 1999). Logistics include all necessary processes to provide the demanded
use at the right place and time in adequate quality (Fleig, 2000).
The annual after sales market for the automobile industry has over 100 billion Euro
market turnover and the market has 20 billion Euro turnovers for leasing and renting
service alone. On the other hand, approaches by the machine tools industry amount to
5 billion Euros for domestic production and import in Germany. Three hundred and fifty
million Euros are acquired by maintenance and remanufacturing services. Figure 5
exemplarily shows the application of approaches by the investment goods industry in
Germany. More than 58% of the companies have at least one service program of the three
listed in Figure 5: modernisation and retrofitting; renting and leasing; as well as reverse
logistics and disposal. More than 8% of companies operate all three service programs
(Fleig, 2000).

Figure 5 Sustainable production and service in Germany

MVS Zeppelin GmbH is the largest provider of full service leasing of construction
machines in the EU. The company possesses 1200 employees. Their service includes
total maintenance and meeting clients’ product requirements as well as extension of
product life span by remanufacturing and upgrading (NN, 2007c). Its main field of
business is the Full Service Hiring of constructional and agricultural machines, which
the MVS repairs and services itself. Instead of investing in its own machine park,
the customer hires the appropriate equipment from MVS as and when it is needed, which
intensifies the use of the machines and eliminates the long periods of inactivity associated
with ‘normal’ use. This is an exemplary instance of ‘sale of use’.
Mercedes Benz CharterWay GmbH is involved in the buying, leasing and renting of
commercial vehicles. Their service motto is full service ‘ready to use’. The firm now has
7000 clients, 65,000 vehicles and 400 million € turnover in 2005 (NN, 2007d).
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 65

The core competence of the company is service providing for its commercial vehicles
regarding repair inspection, and maintenance service. Therefore, their customers do not
need to buy the product and also they do not need to worry about such maintenance
issues. They only buy the services of the company. Additionally, Mercedes Benz
CharterWay GmbH operates a systematic closed network with repair service,
second-hand vehicle and remanufacturing service providers. The company also has
activities about feedback on component wear behaviour and product life cycle
information with its parent company (Figure 6).

Figure 6 Examples of a sustainable product service system

Source: NN (2007c, 2007d)

2.2.2 Distributed use of products and components

This approach is aiming at increasing the utilisation ratio of products and components by
its distributed use in different applications. To the same time functionalities and thus
functional carriers of products are substituted. The utilisation ratio is related to a product
or component and can be calculated by comparing the standing time with the operation
time. For example, if an automobile is used in average for 2.4 h a day, then the utilisation
ratio is 10%. Two possibilities of increasing the utilisation ratio have been identified:
Multiple use of products’ functionality in applications not necessarily offering but
providing the respective functionality. Hereby, the whole product and also components or
modules can be used in different applications, e.g., a stand-alone MP3 player used in
combination with a car radio and a home entertainment system.
Use of flexible and reconfigurable products for various differing applications.
Flexible products incorporate the needed functionality for defined applications,
e.g., mobile telephone. A reconfigurable product can be adapted to different
applications by adding, removing, and changing functionality modules, respectively,
e.g., modular disassembly toolkit (Seliger et al., 1999).
The decision for one of these possibilities has to be carried out in the product
development process by evaluating the economical, ecological, and technological
feasibility according to the type of the respective product. Hereby, strategic aspects as
well as customer requirements have to be considered. Product-related requirements are
modularity, product and component compatibility, standardisation of components and
interfaces, and high product and component quality.
Nokia is the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile phones. The market share rose to
36% in the third quarter of the year 2006. In the same year, Nokia employed 67,693
66 G. Seliger et al.

people, in the business group mobile phones 3682 people (NN, 2007e). Today’s mobile
phones substitute products such as MP3 player, radio, navigation system, data storage,
photo and video camera for basic applications. Originally, the mobile phone was used
mainly for phone calls and storing phone numbers. The miniaturisation in the electronic
industry leads to an integration of more functionality in electronic products. However,
the functionality of mobile phones is often expanded by external modules using
Bluetooth as module interface, e.g., external GPS device. The company that can offer the
best composition of additional functionality in a high quality is more successful on the
market.
The mobile phone is a device accompanying the user to almost every place.
The integration of more functionality in a mobile phone has a positive effect on the
resource productivity in case other products or product modules can be substituted.
For example, an integrated device for mobile television could substitute the television
receiver at home. Favourite channels and personal settings could be stored on the
personal mobile device. Especially in the electronic industry, such approaches have a
high potential to increase the resource productivity. This seems apparent, since the
manufacturing of electronic devices consumes plenty of resources (Figure 7)
(Basdere, 2004).

Figure 7 Primary Energy Demand of EEE along the product life cycle

Source: Basdere (2004)

2.3 Extension of product life span

Extension of the product life span can be achieved, on the one hand, by expanding the use
phase and, on the other hand, by the realisation of multiple use phases. Maintenance and
modification are means of expanding the use phase of a product. A balanced strategy
of preventive maintenance preserves or increases the residual value of a product
(Seliger, 2000). Modification is the adaptation of a product during the use phase due to
changed functional requirements. Kinds of adaptation are up- and downgrading,
enlargement and reduction as well as rearrangement and modernisation. Modification and
adaptation require disassembly and reassembly processes (Müller, 2001). Additional
processes are cleaning, testing, component supply and removal.
Multiple use phases are realised by remanufacturing and adaptation. Nasr defines
remanufacturing as reviving a product to a like-new condition in terms of performance
and durability by disassembling, cleaning, inspecting, repairing, replacing, and
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 67

reassembling the components of a product (Nasr, 2004). Adaptation processes are applied
to react on changed functional requirements of the next use phase in the respective
market. Requirements to products for this strategy are modularity, integrability,
customisation, convertibility, and diagnosability supporting efficient processes of
preventive maintenance and modification as well as remanufacturing and adaptation.
The Caterpillar Remanufacturing Service has 12 remanufacturing factories all over
the world. Its European remanufacturing factory in Shrewsbury, UK, is the largest
European remanufacturing factory. Their remanufactured product spectrum ranges from
a 1 kg water pump up to 1200 PS military tank engines. 61% of engines and components
are directly remanufactured. They say their remanufacturing process saves 85% of the
energy in comparison with original production, and 25% of the remaining material is
recycled. Figure 8 shows before and after views for remanufacturing of a commercial
vehicle engine (Hoefling, 2005).

Figure 8 Before and after the remanufacturing of a vehicle engine block

Source: Hoefling (2005)

The Flection Group is one of the largest ‘Re-Use of Information Technology’ companies
in Europe. They have operations in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France and
Spain. About 2450 Assets are refurbished and remanufactured per day. The main
products are PCs, servers, notebooks, printers, monitors, keyboards and copiers.
The company buys end-of-life IT products from several leasing companies and strategic
partners like HP, Fujitsu Siemens, Dell and IBM. In 2005, more than 288.000 assets were
processed, redeployed and sold worldwide. They had 15 Million revenues in 2005,
which is a growth rate of 7.5% (NN, 2007f).
In the following, exemplary case studies enhancing the product life span by efficient
adaptation processes will be presented from own research work.

3 Efficient adaptation processes

Allowing multiple use phases of products and components is a major element of the
strategy extension of product life span. The environmental impacts caused by production
and disposal can be reduced, while the remarketing of remanufactured and adapted
products can be profitable business fields. By providing affordable remanufactured
products and components in low and medium income regions, the standard of living can
be enhanced. Especially EEE products, such as mobile phones and flat screen monitors,
have a large impact on the environment because of their large production volumes and
often short time scales of technological and stylistic obsolescence.
68 G. Seliger et al.

For efficient remanufacturing and adaptation processes, on the one hand, products
have to be designed considering the whole life cycle, starting from the development along
their use up to their reuse or disposal. On the other hand, flexible and adaptable tools and
production facilities as well as product-accompanying information systems are necessary
to provide data about the product status.

3.1 Technological enabler

Product and process-related enabling technologies for efficient adaptation of products and
components are modularity and diagnosability. The implementation of these properties in
a high level increases the applicability and the availability of a product in multiple usage
phases.

3.1.1 Modularity
Modularisation is the key enabler for adaptability and reconfigurability of a product
allowing quick disassembly and reassembly of modules. Aspects of technological
stability, upgradeability, serviceability and technical lifetime (Kimura and Satoru, 2002)
have to be considered while developing the modular structure of the product.
The objective of modularisation is to achieve a high degree of physical and functional
independency of the modules. The physical independency between modules is higher
than between components within a module. A vital element of physical independency is
the design of disassembly and reassembly suitable module interfaces. Hereby, functions
for material, signal and energy flow are integrated in the physical design of the module
interface. Module interfaces can be divided into definite, multiple and universal
(Basdere et al., 2004). The highest degree of independency is achieved by multiple and
universal interfaces that allow an arbitrary exchange of the modules leading to a highly
flexible product structure.
The standardisation of module interfaces is significant for the reuse of modules in
different product generations and variations. To achieve functional independency of a
product, the carriers of functions have to be grouped appropriately. The groupings have
to be carried out with respect to different competing goals, which can be described as
module drivers (Erixon, 1998). A multicriterion modularisation methodology based on
module drivers has been developed and implemented in a software-based module
configuration tool called Module Configurator. The Module Configurator supports the
complex process of developing modular product architectures (Zettl et al., 2006;
Seliger and Zettl, 2007).

3.1.2 Diagnosability
Knowledge about the usage and status of a product allows adaptation in case of physical
changes. For instance, in the business model selling use instead of selling products, the
use provider is responsible for the continuous failure-free availability of the products
functionality. Thus, diagnosability becomes a core competency of the use provider.
But also by purchasing the product the availability of knowledge about physical changes
is of significance for the user to plan maintenance activities or to decide whether the
product or its modules can be reused.
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 69

Current existing monitoring systems are based on the recognition of indications of

failure (Engel et al., 2000). The main physical values they analyse are force, temperature,
current, and magnetic field (Seliger et al., 2003). Life-cycle-accompanying diagnosis
requires the identification of use-intensity factors for components and modules of a
product (Seliger et al., 2000). The Life Cycle Unit (LCU) enables checking for the
deterioration status of components by sensorial devices, for data storage, processing and
transferring by microcontroller boards and for initiating maintenance and save
disassembly by actuators (Figure 9).
In a collaborative research project between the Center for Intelligent Maintenance
Systems (IMS) of the Universities of Cincinnati and Michigan and the Technical
University (TU) Berlin, the LCU concept is investigated for the assessment and
performance prediction of product condition, in this project a freight train bogie. The goal
is to minimise the downtime and extend the utilisation phase of a freight train bogie by
monitoring standard components such as shock absorber, braking system and bearings.
The developed electronic system is called Embedded Watchdog Agent/Life Cycle Unit
(EWA/LCU). The challenge lies in the methodical modular design of hardware and
software components of the EWA/LCU and integration of performance assessment and
prognostic capabilities within the frame conditions of embedded technology,
e.g., restricted power supplies and limited processing power (Buchholz, 2005;
Yang et al., 2004).
With the help of the LCU, the permanent access on knowledge about the usage of a
product is possible. This allows adaptation of the product in case of capacity and
functional changes, and Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) in case of physical
changes.

Figure 9 Principle of EWA/LCU functionality

Source: Buchholz (2005)

The product knowledge is crucial to guarantee the required functionality and to make
reuse of products economically feasible. Moreover, the concept of the LCU can be used
to collect, store, evaluate and transfer data about economic, environmental and social
70 G. Seliger et al.

aspects of a product to support, e.g., Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Life Cycle Costing
(LCC).

3.2 Applications for processes and products

The application of the technological enabler modularisation and LCU are introduced
and discussed on the examples Intelligent Disassembly Tool Kit (DTK) allowing
process-sided efficient adaptation and modular Mobile Telephone Kit (MTK) allowing
product-sided efficient adaptation. The main characteristics and advantages are
highlighted.

3.2.1 Adaptable and Intelligent Disassembly Tool Kit (DTK)

The development of modular tools for manual as well as automated disassembly
processes lead to the development of the DTK. The DTK supports easy reconfiguration to
different process conditions. The generation of the DTK product structure has been
supported by the application of module drivers. Hereby, the module driver
adaptation/modification of the product gained the highest importance. The final product
structure is characterised by the carrier module, the energy module, the kinematics
module, the acting module and the information module.
Acting modules are interacting with the product by transmitting force and torque for
loosening and handling operations. Energy modules support, e.g., mechanical energy
from converting the energy of the source such as electricity as well as compressed air and
oil. Information modules acquire, store, process and transmit process data. Carrier
modules are required for the connection between acting, energy, and information
modules. They are also a part of the interface between robot and tools allowing
automated application as well as labourer and tool for manual application.
Quick and accurate configuration of the DTK is supported by the development of
disassembly and reassembly suitable multifunctional interfaces. The DTK interfaces
support functions such as physical stability, reconfigurability as well as energy and
information flow. According to Basdere et al. (2004), the modules were equipped with
definite interfaces allowing accurate configuration of the DTK modules. To enhance the
reliability, the DTK has been equipped with LCUs. The LCU monitors the different
modules of the DTK to assess, diagnose and predict the behaviour to reduce downtime
and idle capacity. This concept enables extended utilisation of products and components
(Buchholz and Odry, 2004).
Currently, the system consists of three networked LCUs: The DTK-LCU delivers the
status of the DTK, while the two remaining LCUs are integrated into the acting module
(Figure 10) and the energy module. The user of the DTK can access the DTK-LCU to get
information about the DTK status. In case more detailed information on module level of
the DTK is needed, the LCUs in the DTK modules may be accessed independently.
The gathered sensor data is used to predict the wear of the DTK components and to
deliver accurate facility information to the DTK user.
The data and information is transmitted between the DTK-LCU and the module
LCUs using Bluetooth. The uplink between the DTK-LCU and the disassembly system is
implemented using Ethernet. Energy is supplied to the independent module LCUs using
newly designed pin connectors, that are not affecting the rotational lock systems between
the DTK modules.
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 71

Figure 10 Dissassembly Toolkit and acting module with attached LCU

Source: Seliger et al. (2005)

3.2.2 Modular Mobile Phone Kit (MMPK)

The Modular Mobile Phone Kit (MMPK) is suitable for efficient maintenance, repair and
modification as well as for remanufacturing and adaptation. Additional characterisitcs of
the MMPK is the standardisation of the housing components for the form factors
candy-bar, slide, and flip phone so that a reconfiguration supported by simple
disassembly and reassembly operations of the mobile phone is possible. For the
development of the modular product architecture, the multicriterion modularisation
methodology is applied. To derive the necessary information for the module drivers,
e.g., remanufacturing possibility, scenario management is used. Hereby, the objective is
the identification of product requirements for the first and second use phase.
Based on the scenarios, weak points of current mobile phone models,
recommendations for the design of the MMPK, and the weights of the module drivers
have been derived. Weak points of current mobile phone models are, e.g., low grade of
modularisation and standardisation, complex disassembly by snap-fit, glue and screw
connections, different assembly and disassembly directions, high costs for cosmetic
part supply such as housing and keypad. Recommendations for the design
are, e.g., modularisation of the product architecture, standardisation of modules, module
interfaces and housing components, disassembly and reassembly suitable module
interfaces, and decoupling of the electronic interior components from the housing.
The most important module drivers assigned with a high weighting are: core
competencies and supply chain, reuse of functional carrier, product innovation, and
treatment after the first use phase (Zettl et al., 2006; Seliger and Zettl, 2007).
Based on the best modular product architecture, the alignment of the modules has
been generated by considering the different form factors of mobile phones. The final
arrangement of the modules is characterised by a platform, the printed circuit board, and
11 modules (Seliger et al., 2006). Besides the modules that are used for the candy-bar
72 G. Seliger et al.

phone, the modules flip mechanism and second display is added for assembling the
flip phone. For the slide arrangement, a nearly invisible slide mechanism instead of
the flip mechanism and a housing cover need to be subjoined. The slide phone can be
opened by sliding the top parts over the lower parts to uncover the numerical keypad
(Figure 11).

Figure 11 Virtual Prototype of the Modular Mobile Phone Kit (MMPK)

Source: Seliger et al. (2006)

4 Road map

A considerable gap remains between an increasing public awareness about social,

ecological and economical challenges and implementation of sustainability in societal life
in different regions of the globe. Every location on earth can be reached physically in less
than one day by modern traffic means and immediately by the communication
infrastrucutre. Globalisation has become an inevitable condition of life confronting
mankind with respective complexity in how to cope with the intertwined social,
ecological, economical, and technological challenges. Apparently, industrialised as well
as emerging countries have to face these challenges together to conserve the resources
and the ecosystem of the planet for future generations. Humankind as a community under
the framework of globalisation can only survive if the distribution of wealth is shifted to
less concentration, i.e., increasing the equity and if more use is provided by fewer
resources, i.e., increasing the use-productivity of resources.
Education, which means both learning and teaching, becomes a coining element of
leadership and teamwork in the management of societal institutions owing to an
ever-increasing speed of innovation. Modern information and communication technology
gives opportunities for an immediate exchange of documents and real-time
communication across the globe. Internet-based learning and teaching in internationally
assembled teams in cooperation with partner universities has been implemented since a
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 73

few years. The framework of sustainability in its Global Thinking/Local Acting scheme
offers attractive contents in global engineering education.
Figure 12 derived from NN (2007g) and Wackernagel (2006) specifies relevant
aspects of how in the second half of the 20th century parameters, all determined by
human activity have developed. About one quarter of earth’s surface accounting for
11.3 billion hectares can be considered as biologically productive area contributing to
regeneration of resources. The average amount of biocapacity per capita on earth in 2001
is calculated, dividing the productive area by 6.15 billion people with the result of
1.8 global hectares biocapacity per capita. The diagram curves in Figure 12 show
humanity’s total ecological footprint and the respective CO2 portion of it from 1961 to
2001. Since 1985, resource consumption on global level is higher than the ecological
capacity. The global population has increased from 3.08 billion in 1961 to 6.15 billion in
2001. Water withdrawals in the same time have increased from 2.04 per year to
3.98,000 km3. Total energy consumption in 2001 is more than seven times the amount in
1961. Remarkable losses have occurred in biodiversity, where the indices since 1970
show an exponential decrease.
Engineering in a broader perspective of potentials and applications is to investigate
how to cope with the challenge by increasing the use-productivity of resources.
Researchers from engineering science, e.g., manufacturing, medical, transportation,
design, information, process, electrical, and civil engineering, integrate their
domain-specific knowledge and experiences thus developing methods and tools in
management and technology for useful applications in selected processes and products
according to criteria of sustainability. An initiative on Sustainability in Engineering could
be structured as shown in Figure 13 (Seliger, 2007).

Figure 12 Ecological Footprint

Source: Wackernagel (2006)

74 G. Seliger et al.

Water, energy, construction, health, mobility and manufacturing are domains of

engineering activities to be directed along the guidelines of sustainability. Mathematics
and knowledge creation by information science provides tools for modelling solutions
without expensive realisations. Manufacturing gives methods for realising products in
processes. Valuation/assessment helps considering the manifold of sustainability criteria
in creating physical artefacts and related services. Education enables for convincing and
instructing people about the advantages and methods of sustainability in engineering.

Figure 13 Research areas

Source: Seliger (2007)

The domains and enabling guidelines and tools could be covered in selected aspects of
expertise in research and development by the partners of the initiative. Research clusters
are described by how partners, coming from their own areas of competence by
interdisciplinary approaches, identify areas of mutual interest and contribute in systemic
integration to cope with the challenge of sustainability in engineering. It is expected that
crossing disciplinary borders and referring to multiple criteria helps improve design and
valuation of processes and products.
A common understanding beyond disciplinary borders shall be gained by developing
indicators of sustainability. Wealth is created by growth based on environmentally
friendly management and technology. Processes and products are adapted to economical,
environmental and social conditions in different regions of the globe, thus creating
sustainability according to the regional and local conditions in the global network of
demand and supply. Representing imagination and experience, the partners apply their
common understanding in exemplarily developing physical artefacts and related services
of sustainability in and across their respective scientific technical community. Extraction
of freshwater and processing wastewater, energy transformation and storage, energy and
resource-saving mobility and construction, adaptable equipment for multiple usage
phases in agriculture, health, mobility, achieved by respective processes of maintenance
and (re)manufacturing represent means of fulfilling elementary human needs by
resource-saving technologies. Modelling techniques from mathematics and information
science, valuation according to sustainability indicators giving guidelines and tools for
design of processes and products, dissemination of knowledge and experiences on
 Approaches to sustainable manufacturing 75

sustainable processes and products by innovative means and tools of education enable
for the development of sustainable and innovative means fulfilling human needs
(Seliger, 2007).
In a study carried out by the Korea National Cleaner Production Center in
cooperation with the Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management at Technical
University Berlin, technological road maps were developed for the 18 technological
areas. Figure 14 shows an example of ‘Remanufacturing’ technologies for complex
products in the topic field ‘Adaptation’. The road maps are synchronised with the three
steps in the strategic development plan:
Phase I: Securing technical background and core technologies (technical background for
enhancing use-productivity, selected development of core technologies, securing of
international network of sustainable manufacturing).
Phase II: Development and realisation of systems (application of the technologies as real
cases, development of systems using the core technologies, reaching global standards in
the field of sustainable manufacturing).
Phase III: Facilitating technology transfer and extension of application areas
(optimisation of prototypes for mass production, application of technologies into other
industries, domestic and international standardisation of sustainable manufacturing).

Figure 14 Technological road map: Adaptation – Remanufacturing of complex products

Source: NN (2003)

Acknowledgements

This contribution presents research results of the Collaborative Research Center 281
‘Disassembly Factories for the Recovery of Resources in Product and Material Cycles’,
financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and of the
‘Comprehensive Planning on Infra-Structure Establishment of the Sustainable
Manufacturing’, financially supported by the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry
and Energy (MOCIE).
76 G. Seliger et al.

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