New tool supports future-proof product design

Circonnect launches the Design for Repair & Remanufacturing (DfR) tool: a practical design tool that supports you in integrating repairability, reassembly and upgrading & reuse at the component level for your product. The tool, developed by Circonnect in collaboration with TU Delft and CIRCO, helps you discover the reuse potential of your product and anticipate this already in the design phase.

Understanding value retention and reuse at the component level

By applying Design for Repair & Remanufacturing strategies, you can steer towards a high form of value retention for your product or its components. This provides immediate opportunities to add new business models to existing products and supports you in future-proof product development. Circular design strategies help you reduce environmental impact and better anticipate resource scarcity.

The DfR tool gives you insight into different Design for Repair & Remanufacturing strategies and lets you perform a product assessment using the Hotspot Mapping method. This method, developed by TU Delft, reveals which product parts are crucial for easy (dis)assembly, with a view to retaining value, reuse and reducing environmental impact. In this way, you map out in a targeted way where the biggest gains can be made in smart and future-proof design.

Targeted application for design and development processes

Raw materials can suddenly become more expensive or difficult to supply, putting direct pressure on production processes and operations. When depending on specific materials or semi-finished products, this can even affect the continuity of your organization. With the tool you will discover how circular design can contribute to long-term supply security of raw materials. By taking into account value retention, (de)assembly, reparability and reuse already in the design phase, you can mitigate these risks around security of supply while reducing the environmental impact of your product or service.

The tool is not only made for (product) designers; technical supply chain and sourcing managers, product managers, business owners, R&D managers and engineers can also put the tool to good use.

Here's how to apply the Design for Repair & Remanufactoring tool

In the workshops around the Design for Repair & Remanufacturing tool, you will learn how to work with the Hotspot Mapping method and immediately make a product assessment of your own product or service. In addition, practical examples will be explained and you will discover how to achieve integral circular innovations through the CIRCO methodology.

Use this tool to strengthen the design and development process by structurally integrating repairability, reuse and value retention.

Check our calendar for upcoming workshops around Design for Repair & Remanufactoring. No workshop scheduled, or the date/location is not convenient? Then sign up with our Learnworlds and put yourself on the waiting list for this tool.

https://tools.circonnect.org/course/design-for-repair-remanufacturing