How to Calculate Repairability, Reusability, and Upgradability Indices of Your Products

How to Calculate Repairability, Reusability, and Upgradability Indices of Your Products

In today's world, the longevity and adaptability of products play a crucial role in sustainability. DIN EN 45554:2020, a European Standard prepared by the Technical Committee CEN/CLC/JTC 10, provides general methods for assessing the repairability, reusability, and upgradability of energy-related products (ErPs). This guide outlines the processes involved in evaluating these indices.

Understanding DIN EN 45554:2020

DIN EN 45554:2020 is part of a series of standards (45550-45559) addressing various aspects of material efficiency for ecodesign of energy-related products. These standards focus on extending product lifetimes, enhancing the ability to reuse components, and increasing the use of recycled materials. This specific document provides a framework for assessing a product’s ability to be repaired, reused, and upgraded.

Scope and Structure

The standard outlines generic criteria and methods relevant for evaluating the potential to repair, reuse, or upgrade parts of a product. Key sections include:

1. Identification of Parts to be Assessed: Prioritizing parts based on their likelihood of failure, potential for reuse, or necessity for upgrades.
2. Product-Related Criteria: Assessing factors directly linked to the product’s design and functionality.
3. Support-Related Criteria: Evaluating external support provided by manufacturers, such as availability of spare parts and repair information.

Steps to Calculate Indices

1. Identifying Priority Parts

Assessing the repairability, reusability, and upgradability begins with identifying priority parts, which are the components most likely to need repair or upgrade. This involves consulting various sources such as manufacturer data, repair organizations, and consumer feedback.

2. Defining Criteria and Categories

Each part is assessed against specific criteria under three main categories:

• Repairability: Factors like disassembly depth, type of fasteners, required tools, and skill level.
• Reusability: Similar to repairability, with additional focus on the ability to transfer or delete personal data.
• Upgradability: Includes aspects like compatibility with enhanced parts and ease of software or firmware updates.

3. Assigning Scores

Each criterion is scored based on a predefined system. For example:

• Disassembly Depth: Number of steps required to access a part, where fewer steps indicate higher repairability.
• Tools: Classified by complexity, from basic tools (e.g., screwdrivers) to proprietary tools.
• Skill Level: Ranges from tasks a layman can perform to those requiring manufacturer-specific expertise.

4. Aggregating Scores

Scores for each criterion are aggregated to form an overall index for repairability, reusability, and upgradability. This aggregation considers the importance of each criterion and normalizes the scores to provide a comprehensive evaluation.

Example of a Scoring System

Fasteners and Connectors:

• Class A: Reusable
• Class B: Removable but not reusable
• Class C: Neither removable nor reusable

Tools:

• Class A: Basic tools
• Class B: Product-specific tools
• Class C: Other commercially available tools
• Class D: Proprietary tools
• Class E: No existing tools

Skill Level:

• Class A: Layman
• Class B: Generalist
• Class C: Expert
• Class D: Manufacturer-authorized expert

Documentation and Reporting

The assessment results must be documented comprehensively, detailing the scope, input data, methods used, and final scores. This ensures transparency and allows for verification and comparison across different product assessments.

For more detailed information, visit the DIN website.

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