Assessment of end-of-life product lifecycle 'ilities'

There has been an increasing interest in adopting product end-of-life (EoL) strategies, such as product recovery, reuse, remanufacturing, and/or recycling, throughout the total product life cycle. Product EoL strategies need to be considered early during product design in order to enhance product sustainability, increase global manufacturing competitiveness, reduce the cost of manufacturing and disposal, and promote sustainable economic growth. However, metrics and/or attributes that can be used to assess product life cycle ilities, such as recoverability, reusability, disassemblability, remanufacturability, and recyclability, have not been addressed in previous studies. In this study, we propose a methodology for the evaluation/quantification of product life cycle ilities using individual metrics and/or attributes to help enhance sustainable product design and extend the product useful life. The proposed methodology is implemented on an industrial based case study. Results of this study can help companies evaluate product life cycle ilities and importance of individual metrics and/or attributes in product sustainability. The findings can also help design products that enhances overall sustainability.