Reuse of Electric Motors in Consumer Products

Abstract

Summary Product takeback calls for sound strategies of product recovery management One such strategy‐is the reuse of the components of a product. There are consumer products such as power tools whose most expensive component, the electric motor; offers potential for reuse. Empirical evidence reveals that the lifetime of a motor often exceeds the life‐time of the product using it. This article focuses on the reuse of electric motors. For this purpose, a novel circuit was developed that measures, computes, and records parameters strongly correlated with the degradation of a motor during the use stage of the product. This circuit, called electronic data log (EDL), provides valuable insights into the usage patterns of products. The data recorded during the use stage are retrieved after product takeback as a basis for reuse decisions. In this article, the trade‐off between higher initial manufacturing cost caused by the EDL and cost savings from the reuse of used motors is analyzed. The problem of misclassifications of used motors is also addressed. It is shown that the return rate of used products is the critical parameter determining the economic efficiency of a motorreuse strategy based on EDLs. The analysis shows that the implementation of EDLs in products as an enabler for motor reuse may be associated with large cost savings

One-Dimensional Renewable Warranty Management within Sustainable Supply Chain

“…Klausner et al [30] analyzed the trade-off between the higher initial manufacturing costs caused by using an electronic data log (EDL) in products and the cost savings from the reuse of used motors. Simon et al [31] improved the cost-benefit analysis of Klausner et al [32] by taking into consideration the limited lifespan of a product's design.…”

Optimizing two-dimensional renewable warranty policies for sensor embedded remanufactured products

“…Although the majority of the studies presented above focus on the development of SEP models that enable product data acquisition during their life cycle and/or in their EOL phase, only a select few number of researchers have conferred a cost-benefit analysis. Klausner, Grimm and Hendrickson (1998a) analyzed the trade-off between the higher initial manufacturing costs caused by using an electronic data log (EDL) in products and the cost savings from the reuse of used motors. Simon et al (2001) improved the cost-benefit analysis of Klausner, Grimm and Hendrickson (1998b) by taking into consideration the limited lifespan of a product's design.…”

Lifecycle scenario design for product end-of-life strategy

“…Although most of these studies focus on the development of SEP models, only few researchers presented a cost-benefit analysis. [29] analyzed the trade-off between the higher initial manufacturing cost caused by the use of an electronic data log in products and cost savings from the reuse of used motors. [30] improved the cost-benefit analysis of [29] by considering the limited life of a product design.…”

“…[29] analyzed the trade-off between the higher initial manufacturing cost caused by the use of an electronic data log in products and cost savings from the reuse of used motors. [30] improved the cost-benefit analysis of [29] by considering the limited life of a product design. They showed that, in that case, servicing provides more reusable components compared to EOL recovery of parts.…”