Sustainable Smart Mobile Devices Lifecycles through Advanced Re-design, Reliability, and Re-use and Remanufacturing Technologies

01.09.2015 - 31.10.2019
Research funding project

sustainablySMART will make a change to the life cycle of mobile information and communication devices by developing new product design approaches (including enhanced end-of-life performance, re-use and re-manufacturing aspects; i.e. implementing “Design for a Circular

Economy”) for smartphones and tablet computers on the product and printed circuit board level, and by new re-/de-manufacturing processes with improved resource efficiency through (1) enhanced sorting capabilities and speed (optimized sorting efficiency), (2) automated disassembly of mobile IT devices for extraction of reusable components / modules, better material separation and depollution of end-of-life devices (increase value creation out of discarded devices significantly to create an economic advantage over shredding processes), and (3) high-quality performance testing (batteries) and rework (semiconductors and modules) of reusable components/modules (creating a market push for reusable parts through enhanced availability for repair and cascade reuse)

 

People

Project leader

Institute

Grant funds

  • European Commission (EU) H2020 III.5 Climate action, environment, resource efficiency a. raw materials Pillar Societal Challenges Framework programme Horizon 2020 European Commission Call identifier H2020-FoF-2015 Application number 680604

Research focus

  • Beyond TUW-research focus: 50%
  • Efficient Utilisation of Material Resources: 30%
  • Sustainable Production and Technologies: 20%

Publications