A web-enabled virtual disassembly manager (webVDM) for electronic products

The purpose of this research is to create object oriented, validated modeling methods and software tools, as well as a system architecture that enables enterprises to analyze and design all critical aspects of their demanufacturing processes over the web, manage their disassembly lines and provide electronic support systems for operators. The generic methodology developed focuses on all critical objects in the above listed disciplines, including their process parameters and their interactions with the relevant networked (web) databases. Furthermore, it integrates various process inputs, acting at different priorities from several different sources, including the web, constraints under which the processes must fire, and resources, that the processes must use in order to be able to produce outputs that represent value. Our method follows an open systems architecture that enables "third party" processes to be integrated into, and/or to interact with. By following internationally accepted total quality and environmental standards, important rules learned can be fed back to the product/process design team, as well as to all support systems and personnel, most importantly to the multi-life cycle engineering design, manufacturing/assembly planning and quality teams.