Destructive disassembly of end-of-life household appliances: A structured analysis of cutting methods of the housing

Abstract

Materials recycling and components reuse are important key points in reducing the environmental impact of Waste from Electric and Electronic Equipments (WEEE). Disassembly could represent an efficient way for the treatment of end-of-life products, although the choice of suitable tools and methods is necessary for a quick, cheap and safe disassembly. The removal of the housing is an important step of the treatment process because it gives access to internal components allowing their disassembly. The aim of this paper is a structured analysis through a QFD like approach of the removal of the washing machine panels by means of some commercial cutting tools. Tests have been performed to collect results on speed, cost and safety of the plasma cutting and other tools. The study shows the performances required in the removal of the domestic appliances housing and confirms that plasma is an excellent method for an economic and safe cutting.