3204 Study on Product Modularization based on Life Cycle Scenario

Abstract

Product modularization is important not only for easy assembly and maintenance but also for effective reuse, upgrade and recycle. In this paper, a modular design method for assembly products is proposed. Some modularization methods on environmental conscious design have been proposed. However, most of these methods have not considered reuse and recycle process plan. Therefore, a new method is proposed to optimizes module structure based on life cycle process plan of each module so that environmental load becomes minimum. This computer support helps engineers to improve both product and process design. And, the method is implemented as a computer program applied by genetic algorithm in optimization processing. Some case studies show that computational results give us reasonable module structure and useful hints for environmental conscious design.