Development of a design for end-of-life approach in a strongly guided design process. Application to high-tech products.

Abstract

In response to a growing concern for environmental problems and to waste management from mass production products, several regulations have appeared to tackle end-of-life (EoL) issues. They address for instance end-of-life vehicles or waste electrical and electronic equipment. EoL management mainly lays on both EoL industry and product design. Thus, new methods of design have already been implemented since the past decades to answer the regulation requirements, notably through material choices and product architecture. However, some high-tech products remain out of the scope of these legislations. But for some years, initiatives have emerged for these products, coming from governments, international programs or customers’ requirements which become increasingly strict. This paper focuses on a new design approach that would allow taking into account EoL considerations for such type of products, based on EoL strategies and adapted to aeronautic and defence products.