Optimal depth of industrial products´ disassembly

The applicability of the presented methodological framework is validated through its implementation on the case of netMod ISDN network terminal, as a real-world case study. The proposed approach presents an interface between concepts such as corporate social responsibility, economic efficiency and eco-friendliness. In this light, EEE manufacturers may simultaneously achieve significant cost savings by introducing reusable parts or components into their supply chain and thus closing the loop of the products they bring to market. Analysing the case of the netMod, minimum required recycling and reuse rates (set either due to the imposed legislation or according to a manufacturer´s environmental strategy), together with personnel cost (since products´ disassembly still heavily depends on manual processes) and fluctuations of material prices in the international market seem dominant in the determination of the optimal depth of disassembly.