Digital Twin for Electronic Component Reprocessing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic component reprocessing methods involve shredding and thermal/chemical treatment, leading to material loss due to mechanical destruction, making it inefficient for ecological and economic recycling.
Innovation Solution
A device with a digital twin of an electronic component, containing reprocessing data, is used to analyze and determine an optimal reprocessing process, allowing for selective and efficient recovery of materials by considering current prices, legal requirements, and design-phase preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If electronic components are shredded and treated thermally and chemically for reprocessing, then materials can be recovered, but a large part of the materials are lost due to mechanical destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by storing reprocessing data (including disassembly instructions, material composition, and reprocessing parameters) in a data medium during the manufacturing phase. This allows the reprocessing process to be optimized in advance, avoiding material loss during actual reprocessing by having all necessary information readily available for selective disassembly and material recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy (digital twin) of the electronic component's manufacturing and material information stored in a data medium. This copy contains all necessary reprocessing data, allowing the actual component to be reprocessed without physical destruction by referencing the digital information for selective disassembly and material recovery.
2Productivity
If conventional shredding and thermal/chemical treatment is used for reprocessing, then materials can be recovered, but the process is inefficient from ecological and economic perspectives
Solution Approach 1:
By storing reprocessing data in advance in a data medium, the patent enables optimized reprocessing that avoids unnecessary shredding and thermal/chemical treatment. The pre-stored information allows for selective disassembly and targeted material recovery, improving productivity while reducing harmful emissions and ecological impact associated with conventional reprocessing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical shredding system with an information-based system. Instead of using mechanical force to destroy components and then separate materials, the system uses stored reprocessing data to guide selective disassembly, substituting mechanical destruction with information-guided precision processing that is more efficient and environmentally friendly.
3Loss of substance
If a digital twin with reprocessing data is implemented, then material recovery can be optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data medium serves multiple functions: it stores manufacturing information, material composition data, disassembly instructions, and reprocessing parameters. This multi-functional data storage system reduces the need for separate systems for each function, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing material recovery optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The data medium acts as an intermediary between the electronic component and the reprocessing system. Instead of requiring direct complex interactions between processors and multiple data sources, the data medium consolidates all necessary reprocessing information in one place, simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling optimized material recovery.
Data Source
AI summary
A device having a digital twin of an electronic component includes at least one data medium having reprocessing data regarding the component and at least one processor for processing the reprocessing data. The reprocessing data can include current reprocessing data. It is thus possible to determine a recycling (reprocessing) process which respects a specific relevant basic condition (e.g., legislation, raw material prices, etc.). The electronic component is reprocessed optimally, from ecological and economical perspectives.