The DfD guidelines done in 2005 will be updated soon!
http://www.activedisassembly.com/guidelines/ADR_050202_DFD-guidelines.pdf
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Laptop Disassembly - As complex as they get. Part 2
PART 2
Part 1 consisted of dismantling of the major
components that made up the product architecture on the bottom half of the
laptop. This post will be a start of the dismantling of the subassembly
components. I emphasize "start".
13. Hard drive intact: underneath, all components soldered or bonded components
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14. Hard drive dismantled: metal cover, PCB,
drive and fasteners
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15. Hard drive: PCB, as typical for PCBs, all soldered or bonded components
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16. Hard drive dismantled (other sides): metal cover, PCB, drive
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17. Hard drive (other side): PCB
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18. Hard drive (other side): drive
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21. Main PCB: aluminum and copper heatsinks etc. separated
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22. Main PCB (other side), numerous soldered and bonded components
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23. Aluminum heatsink, highly pure aluminum
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24. Aluminum heatsink (other side)
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26. Bottom assembly, components
dismantled and removed parts shown separated, parts from above photos:
26.1 Panels removed and
exposing under carriage (center and left)
- upper control
board and speaker grill panel (right)
-
mainboard:
~
disk drive (top right)
~
main PCB (middle)
- hard drive
(top left of PCB main assembly)
- bottom plastic
cover of laptop (left: gray rectangular plastic molded)
- battery pack
(bottom right)
- hard drive
panel (top middle left)
- memory card
panel (bottom middle left)
- numerous fasteners
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28. Hard drive dismantled: outside
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29. Bottom cover of laptop: outside
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1. (1st photo again) Not done yet by a long shot. Here, it
looks so uncomplicated.
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These are the same components (from Part 1) removed and separated
from each other with their subassemblies taken apart. This is just for the
bottom portion of the laptop. After many dismantling efforts:
- Time in Part 1, average was 3min. I could have been exact to the second, but in reality, it would vary. If you want specific times, see there many publications on it. There are 100s on:
www.ActiveDisassembly.com (publications) related to this topic and future technology in 'Design for Disassembly; (DfD).
- Time here in Part 2: 5min. As in Part 1., this is mainly due to the
amount of machine screws and complexity. I had the proper tools and 2 power drills with correct bits in place. To get consistently under 5min would require mechanized or robotic systems. Alternatively DfD and www.ActiveDisassembly.com, which could do it in fractions of a second with batch processing.
Conclusions (similar issues as in Part 1)
Design issues:
- too many screws (dozens), more than in Part 1, in this next level of dismantling
- too many snap fits that make it hard not to break the subassemblies - snap fits are usually better than screws
- non-obvious disassembly
- mixed materials
- complexity
- numerous brass captain bolts molded into injection molding
- non-standardized screws
- under spec polymer casings (warping, cracking and wear)
- glued labels
- too time-consuming and complex for repair (PCB and battery pack etc.)
~ batter pack is bonded to ensure closure, contains high grade materials
- too time-consuming for upgrade (memory board, hard drive etc.)
Even with numerous snap fits, they were breakable and at times required cracking of the assembly in order to open parts apart. Overlapping of components was still somewhat minimal as in Part 1. There are still many insulating materials mixed in with others.
I will go into the next level of detail in subsequent posts.
In the next post, I'll finish the bottom half macro disassembly of its subassemblies.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Laptop Disassembly - As complex as they get.
I've taken 1000s of electronics apart in the last 20 years. These have all been the subject of 'Design for Disassembly' (DfD) study, from windup watches, automobiles to almost every time of electronic product you can think of.
This time, it's time to take apart the most complex laptop I've ever attempted. I'm going to analyze the parts and then model them and re-design it. I'll write up the development and apply a variety of 'Design for X' (DfX) strategies to it. I'll apply this same model to other products.
Here are is the test mule:
1. Outside casing intact: inside-top assembly
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2. Outside casing intact: front view open
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3. Outside casing intact: close-up of upper control board and speaker grill panel
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4. Outside casing: upper keyboard control panel removed
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5.1 Battery pack spring clip and lock unsnapped open
- no screws
5.2 Hard drive panel unscrewed and unhinged
- x1 machine screw, simple 3-pronged hinge and 5 snap fit release
5.3 Memory card panel unscrewed and unhinged
- x1 machine screw, simple 3-pronged hinge and 8 snap fit release release
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6.1 Panel removed
- x24 snap fits
- x4 female brass captive bolts
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7. Under upper control board and speaker grill panel:
- speaker
- manual volume controls
- mode controls
- power button (just under Speaker)
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- upper control board and speaker grill panel (top)
- mainboard:
~ disk drive (top left)
~ fan (top right)
~ main PCB (middle)
~ connection board (bottom left - green upside down 'L' under disk drive)
- hard drive (bottom left of PCB main assembly)
- bottom plastic cover of laptop (large silver rectangular plastic molded)
- battery pack (bottom)
- hard drive panel (bottom right )
- memory card panel (bottom left)
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9. Outside of bottom plastic cover of laptop
- all pieces separated
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10. Under mainboard close-up:
- disk drive (top left)
- fan (top right)
- main PCB (middle)
- connection board (bottom left - green upside down 'L' under disk drive)
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- all parts removed
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12. Hard drive
- removed
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These are all the main components removed and separated from each other. The first time you disassemble the laptop it obviously takes a bit of time to get used to. After a lot of practice:
- Time: 3min. This is mainly due to the amount of machine screws and complexity. It would be difficult to get under this 3min as I had the proper tools and 2 power drills with correct bits in place.
Conclusions
Design issues:
- too many screws (dozens)
- too many snap fits that break (dozens), snap fits are still preferable to screws.
- non-obvious disassembly
- mixed materials
- complexity
- brass captain bolts molded into injection molding
- nonstandardized screws
- under spec polymer casings (warping, cracking and wear)
- glued labels
- too time-consuming and complex for repair (PCB and battery pack etc.)
- too time-consuming for upgrade (memory board, hard drive etc.)
Some care in design had been taken into account since there were snap fits in places where previous designs might have had more screws and mixed material hinges. Overlapping of components was somewhat minimal. There were, however, various insulating materials mixed in with other smaller, break to snap off components. I will go into further detail in subsequent posts.
In the next post, I will disassemble the components' subassemblies.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Design for Disassembly Chair
A rather good idea! This one by Javier
Mariscal of Ecole Parsons a Paris.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Design for Disassembly - 1st Blog: Ever!
Design for Disassembly & Eco-Design enthusiasts
There are valid reasons to recycle our electronics. And not necessarily for environmental reasons. May 2012, story from msnbc: Fort Worth Texas
Fastest growing segment of recycling: e-cycling in USA
- EPA
- over 3M tons every year
- of that, only 430,000 are recycled as of 2012
- leaving over 2.5M tons go to landfill
- Universal Recycling
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/47227632/
But, it can get even more complicated that the list above! Here's a start:
http://www.raremetalblog.com/2012/05/chinas-rare-earth-stance-proving-a-complex-issue.html
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