We’re used to seeing robots placing collectively our large home equipment and merchandise, however at a Panasonic facility in Japan, the robots’ job is not to place washers and air conditioners collectively however to take them aside. And so they’re utilizing AI to determine how the corporate could make issues so that they are simpler to disassemble.
It is a part of a “round financial system” push that the corporate highlighted at CES 2026. Panasonic is attempting to cut back the necessity for brand new uncooked supplies and reduce its environmental footprint. “Recycling is not so good as reuse or remanufacture,” mentioned Andrea Murphy, director of environmental affairs and sustainability for Panasonic North America.Â
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Panasonic began with the massive home equipment — washing machines and washer-dryer combos. These objects have large elements which are straightforward to reuse. Because the robots are educated to take issues aside (like popping metallic coverings off with magnetic arms), they determine issues that get in the best way, like inconveniently positioned screws and connectors. The AI fashions controlling the robots can present suggestions on higher methods to assemble the machines so their elements may be reused or repaired.
This has large implications not only for the disassembly of previous washing machines and the manufacture of recent ones, however for repairs and upkeep that may make the gear last more. Components that fail extra usually or require extra repairs, like the warmth pump in a washer-dryer combo, may be moved to areas which are simpler to repair or substitute. That retains the machine working longer.
AI fashions additionally assist designers type by way of what occurs if you happen to attempt to transfer or change one a part of the machine. They’ll use simulations to calculate whether or not one thing would nonetheless work.
“It is exhausting for a designer to really calculate all of the completely different eventualities,” Panasonic design engineer Michael Shadovitz informed me. “So we’re attempting to make use of this know-how or language fashions sooner or later to assist design with the design course of for disassembly.”
Panasonic’s sales space at CES confirmed off movies of the disassembly robots in motion.
Utilizing robots to take machines aside additionally makes it simpler to reuse elements in new fashions. Movies of the robots at work confirmed them utilizing magnets and different mechanisms to do issues like pop the duvet off of a microwave. If, like me, you’ve got taken electronics aside for enjoyable or curiosity, you know the way troublesome it may be to detach all of these elements with out breaking or snapping one thing. Maintaining these elements as pristine as potential makes it simpler for them to finish up in a brand new microwave with little to no refurbishment wanted.
“It is completely different than manufacturing,” Shadovitz mentioned. “It requires completely different actions when it comes to being a bit of bit delicate and a bit of bit extra educated for disassembly.”
Shadovitz has been designing merchandise for years and mentioned a number of years in the past, he began to consider what occurred to all the things he had created. The place did it find yourself when its helpful life ran out? Might higher design imply fewer previous microwaves and washers winding up in landfills or as scrap?
“I awakened a bit of bit,” he mentioned.
