Optimization of disassembly sequence planning for preventive maintenance

Disassembly sequence planning is considered an important research topic in the manufacturing automation field. In recent years, in close collaboration with manufacturers, many investigations have been conducted to design robust and profitable dismantling systems. Therefore, the designers of new products have to consider the disassembly constraints in the design phase of products. Moreover, considering the disassembly constraints is important not only in the context of life end of a product but also in its life cycle in order to reduce problems related to its exploitation and maintenance. Consequently, the optimization of the disassembly process of a product is a crucial task for improving the product design. This article presented an automated disassembly sequence planning approach based on ant colony algorithm. The developed method permits the generation of an optimal and feasible disassembly sequence planning of a product from its computer-aided design (CAD) model. Several criteria were introduced in this approach such as part volume, tool change, disassembly directions, and the maintainability of wearing part. A comparison between genetic and ant colony algorithms was conducted to reveal the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A case study is presented and an implemented tool was developed. The obtained results demonstrate the satisfactory side of the considered criterions to identify the feasible disassembly sequence plan.