Smarter disassembly for a circular future
27 August 2025
Smarter disassembly, more reuse: in the DUPLO research project, researchers and companies are developing a standardised disassembly plan that makes circular manufacturing practically feasible.
How do you disassemble a product efficiently if you do not know how it was ever put together? That question is at the heart of the two-year DUPLO project, which started last April. Researchers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Fontys University of Applied Sciences are working with companies from different sectors to develop a standardised method for disassembly. The aim: to disassemble products in a smarter way, to encourage reuse and to prepare companies for circular manufacturing.
The approach is effective: by creating a standardised disassembly plan and linking it to a Digital Product Passport (DPP), companies receive hands-on manuals. This allows them to disassemble faster, better assess the residual value of parts, and more easily comply with European regulations. This is increasingly necessary, as the pressure to produce circularly is increasing, while technical plans are often lacking.
New way of working
For many companies, this means adopting a new way of working. For example, Ian Lin, co-founder of Biosphere Solar, explains that circular strategies in the solar sector are still hardly ever applied. ‘We want to change that,’ he explains. ‘This project is an opportunity to collaborate with companies from other sectors, such as electric motors, so that we can learn from each other. We provide prototype solar panels for the study. Ultimately, we want to be able to intelligently assess whether repair, refurbishment or remanufacturing is possible, so that broken solar panels do not need to be replaced immediately. Clear disassembly instructions and automation make that feasible.’
Disassembly plan development
DUPLO mainly targets SME manufacturing companies, which often encounter practical problems such as missing documentation and insufficient understanding of the value of parts or a circular design. This is why the research team - the Smart Sustainable Manufacturing Research Group of The Hague University of Applied Sciences and the High-Tech Embedded Software Research Group of Fontys University of Applied Sciences - is developing a disassembly plan with information on the order and method of disassembly. These data are standardised and made widely applicable using Asset Administration Shell Technology. In this way, all relevant information (e.g. specifications, status and measurement data) is made available digitally.
Useful for human and robot
Researcher Mirjam Zijderveld of The Hague University of Applied Sciences sees great advantages for companies that want to be prepared for the circular economy. She stresses that automatically generated product manuals are not only useful for people taking products apart, but also for robots: ‘Eventually, we are going to translate these manuals into a programming language for a “cobot”; a robot that works safely with humans,’ she says. ‘This way, we make the work less complicated and more accessible, in part because good workers are increasingly difficult to find.’
Useful for human and robot
Researcher Mirjam Zijderveld of The Hague University of Applied Sciences sees great advantages for companies that want to be prepared for the circular economy. She stresses that automatically generated product manuals are not only useful for people taking products apart, but also for robots: ‘Eventually, we are going to translate these manuals into a programming language for a “cobot”; a robot that works safely with humans,’ she says. ‘This way, we make the work less complicated and more accessible, in part because good workers are increasingly difficult to find.’
Practical testing
In the DUPLO project, we deal with all kinds of challenges from companies, with students from degree programmes such as Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, HBO-ICT and Industrial Engineering working on them. For example, students Industrial Engineering are investigating how circular processes can be set up for a specific company when products are returned after use. Mirjam: ‘By collaborating on concrete circular solutions in a real working environment, students experience how their contribution matters. This increases their motivation, learning ability and impact. This makes learning more than just practising, it turns it into participation.’ In this way, students not only develop theoretical knowledge, but actively contribute to solutions that are directly applicable in practice.
Circular manufacturing
‘The expected results are promising: manufacturing companies will soon be able to disassemble more efficiently, better assess which parts are suitable for reuse and better prepare for more stringent European regulations,’ Ian says. Moreover, thanks to the link with the Digital Product Passport, the knowledge gained can be easily shared and reused. DUPLO contributes to a future where circular manufacturing is not only desirable for companies, but also practically feasible.
More Information
Within The Hague University of Applied Sciences, DUPLO is linked to the Centre of Expertise Digital Operations & Finance. The project touches on two research themes. Data-Driven Sustainability: research on data collection and analysis, and Future of Work: developing digital skills of employees.
Would you like to learn more about the DUPLO research project? Please visit the project page or contact Mirjam Zijderveld.