Robotic disassembly and window upgrading

Regular renovation of the built environment is essential for regulatory compliance and environmental impact reduction, with window upgrades significantly improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints. Upgrading involves disassembling windows for repair or replacement and extending their life through reuse, repair, and remanufacturing. A Disassembly Map guides this process, showing different routes toward the end-of-life (EoL) for window components, ensuring efficient disassembly, repair, or replacement, thereby minimizing environmental impact. The ‘Right to Repair’ proposal in the EU promotes sustainable consumption, emphasizing the need for detailed disassembly planning. Robots can enhance disassembly efficiency, reduce costs, and decrease energy use. This study introduces a methodology for robotic window disassembly, focusing on an aluminum frame window to validate the method for upgrading window components. It includes a virtual simulation stage using RoboDk software and a demonstration stage with a UR10e robotic arm, emphasizing the critical role of Disassembly Maps in guiding efficient and sustainable upgrades.