From Service to Second Life: A Two-Tier Scoring Framework for Reuse, Remanufacturing, and Recycling of Multidomain Assemblies

This paper presents a component-resolved decision logic that enables automated disassembly systems to select optimal second-life pathways for control and switchgear cabinets. A two-tier scoring model, calibrated through the weighting of qualitative criteria, is employed to screen component types against reuse and remanufacturing indicators. Where necessary, a recycling assessment is applied to distinguish between recoverable and scrap parts. The framework has been enriched with ECLASS 14.0 classifications in order to generalise results across a range of heterogeneous mechatronic products. However, the results show that coarse taxonomic granularity can mask divergent second-life suitability and thus refinement of the framework is needed. The method has been validated on an industrial cabinet that has been repurchased from service, containing 842 mechanical, mechatronic and electrical components. Direct reuse is a viable option for 229 components (27.2 %), while 460 components (54.8 %) necessitate minor repair work and are thus directed towards the remanufacturing process. A further 144 items (17.1 %) proceed to material recycling, leaving only 0.72 % of components for disposal. In summary, 99.28 % of the cabinet’s components remains available for a second life. These outcomes achieve a balance between environmental and economic imperatives by utilising the residual value of components, whose manufacturing accounts for the majority of costs. The proposed logic therefore offers manufacturers a practical tool for operationalising circular-economy objectives and informs future research on taxonomy refinement and robotic disassembly. This paper addresses therefore two research gaps, the absence of (i) a quantitative framework linking component condition, feasibility, and demand for end-of-life decisions, and (ii) tools aligning ecological gains with economical break-even, validated in an industrial case study.