Application of Feature Technology in a Disassembly-Oriented Information Technology Infrastructure

Abstract

Aiming at the goal to use engineering resources most effectively and efficiently, the life cycle engineering process has to be based on an appropriate infrastructure of information technology which supports all information flows according to the requirements of an optimal life cycle management. To represent and evaluate different information technology (IT-) infrastructures the development of a reference model is necessary, which is suitable to derive specific infrastructures. In this article this will be shown for the case of disassembly process chains. At the same time, potentials of modern information and communication technology applied within a disassembly oriented IT-infrastructure will be pointed out. One main focus of this paper lies in the scope of feature technology. In an exemplary fashion the use of features for modelling the phase of product use shows their potentials to optimise the design for disassembly. The model of the used product, created during the design phase, is the basis for simulating the disassembly process, to get realistic statements about the possibilities to disassemble this product, and to reuse its components.