Design for Automotive Glass Removal Using Active Disassembly

Active Disassembly is a well researched technique for creating assemblies or casings that can break themselves apart for recycling using a heat trigger. ‘Chiodo’ has applied this principle to consumer electronic goods since the mid nineties. In response to pending EU legislation, the scope of active disassembly has broadened to include automotive disassembly. The first automotive demonstrators produced have been to make self-disassembling window glass retaining channels that enable easy glass removal for recycling. This waste glass can then be used in coastal defences as an alternative to landfill. Both shape memory alloy and shape memory polymer solutions have been examined. The shape memory alloy solution has been successful. Optimisation for the polymer solution is required.