A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT PROJECT DEMONSTRATES HOW PRODUCTS CAN BE DESIGNED TO BE REMANUFACTURABLE
Any future circular economy will involve remanufacturing, a process that restores end-of-life parts and products so that they can go back into service. By giving products a new life rather than treating them as waste, remanufacturing reduces the need for raw natural resources to make new products from scratch.
A project led by the Rochester Institute of Technology set out to identify and document a clear path for integrating remanufacturing principles into computer-aided design (CAD) tools and design practices. In partnership with the equipment company Caterpillar and the Remanufacturing Industries Council, the researchers developed a set of design rules for a heavy-duty off-road (HDOR) techno-economic case study, validated the impact of design on remanufacturing, and outlined next steps.
Read more about this project, its objectives, impacts, and the next steps taken by reading the full summary here.
Project Participants:
- Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
- Caterpillar
- Remanufacturing Industries Council