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This case study shows the implementation of a highly innovative re-use and recycling system for waste of electric and electronic equipment (WEEE). This so called multi life cycle center makes use of the latest developments in automation and information technology in order to obtain an efficient economical and ecological process. In this center, implemented as a pilot plant in Vienna, Austria, WEEE will be transformed back into valuable products. The product groups treated for re-use include IT and telecommunication equipment, consumer electronics, electrical and electronic tools, toys and leisure equipment. The management of the reverse logistic system is based on RFID technology (radio frequency identification). The multi life cycle center follows the philosophy of recovering WEEE at the highest possible level, starting with re-use of the whole product down to the subassembly and component level and finally to the recycling of materials. This approach is unique in the world and we are going to prove that an eco-efficient re-use of WEEE on a large scale can be feasible by using highly sophisticated technologies. The presented paper gives an overview of the various functions of the multi life cycle center and highlights two key technologies: semi automatic disassembling and reverse logistic based on RFIDs.

Due to the fast pace of technological innovation, and the consequent shortening lifetimes of electronic products, particularly ICT equipment, a,flexible semi-automatic disassembling cell "/spl Sigma/! 1592 - Disassembly Factory" for extracting components from printed wire boards (PWB) has been developed. Based on these disassembling experiences design criteria for a re-use optimized structure of PWBs and electronic components have been defined in order to maximize the benefit for economy and environment. If industry becomes aware of the elaborated design criteria and uses these investigations, number of reusable components can be achieved and enhanced significantly hand in hand with the improved quality and positive feedback regarding landfill volume and depletion of primary materials.

Almost all end-of-life possibilities-upgrade, re-use, recycling of materials-require some form of disassembly. Despite the high standard of automation for the assembly of electric and electronic equipment, the standard of automation for disassembling is still very low and therefore dismantling is often done manually. The approach to automate disassembling processes of electr(on)ic equipment with disassembly cells and the development of a flexible semi automatic disassembly cell for printed circuit boards (PCB) is described and discussed.

Design for environment (DFE) is becoming more and more important, especially as there is a tremendous need to increase resource productivity because of the decreasing capacities of nonrenewable resources. One way to achieve this goal is to enhance a product's lifetime. Therefore the Austrian Society for Systems Engineering and Automation started to build a demonstration plant within the Strategic CARE initiative: "/spl Sigma/! 1592-Disassembly Factory". The idea of this project is to develop a flexible semiautomatic disassembling cell for extracting valuable and reusable components from printed circuit boards (PCB). Furthermore design impacts for a concept of a "disassembly-oriented product structure" is investigated. This paper illustrates how the experience of the Disassembly Factory will influence DFE methodologies in the future.