Product's disassemblability evaluation using information entropy

The paper discusses major important issues in design for remanufacturing and focuses on the significance of disassembly evaluation at the design stage. In the first part of the research, various stages of design are elaborated and investigated, keeping in view the important factors responsible to ensure good remanufacturing. Then, in connection with disassembly, four important factors are identified that need to be evaluated at the design stage to facilitate remanufacturing. Then we formulate a unique evaluation system for all the four factors based on information entropy. Finally, two practical examples from existing printers are used to illustrate that the developed formulation is useful and the quantitative evaluation values are representative.