A multi-layered disassembly sequence planning method to support decision making in de-manufacturing

End of Life (EoL) products management through crude recycling methods and direct shredding causes severe threat to environment by different kinds of pollution. The environmental benefits such as reduced CO2 emissions observed through recycling are mitigated by the direct release of toxic gases. De-manufacturing through systematic disassembly operations can reduce environmental damage but it requires more input cost to work within the threshold limit value (TLV). Complete disassembly sequence planning (CDSP) methods are not given importance in de-manufacturing objectives, which produce non-optimal solutions. The objective of present work is to produce an optimal solution to extract valuable materials from the EoL products while separating the toxic elements within TLV. A multi-layered method has been proposed that consists of five different layers, namely data input layer, application layer, modification layer, implementation layer and performance layer. It requires product bill of materials (BOM) and disassembly attributes such as liaison, geometric feasibility and stability as input from the user and generates an optimal solution by suggesting permissible operations to work within TLV. The proposed method has been applied on a case study and workability at producing practically feasible optimal solution has been confirmed. The effectiveness in working has been evaluated by comparing to the existing DSP methods. The proposed method can be used as a tool to achieve maximum profits through systematic disassembly operations within TLV by supplying essential information.