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JRM Vol.38 No.4 pp. 1139-1149
(2026)

Paper:

Unit-Assembly Module Design Enabling Easy Disassembly and Automatic Assembly for Recyclable Robots

Xingyan Cheng, Shuangyu Wang, Junichiro Shiomi ORCID Icon, and Yuki Asano ORCID Icon

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

Received:
February 27, 2026
Accepted:
June 11, 2026
Published:
August 20, 2026
Keywords:
recyclable robot, unit-assembly architecture, design for disassembly, releasable interfaces, automatic assembly
Abstract

This study proposes a unit-assembly architecture for robot modules that enables tool-less disassembly and automated assembly as a design pathway for recyclable robots. The robot module is decomposed into nine separable functional units (drivetrain, cooling, and control groups) connected exclusively via three types of releasable interfaces: magnetic docking, magnetic dowels, and mortise-and-tenon joints. This architecture allows non-destructive disassembly of all functional units in eight pull or slide operations, enables the clean separation of material streams, and facilitates the recovery and reuse of high-value components (motors, sensors, thermoelectric coolers, and printed circuit boards). Experimental validation confirms that the design does not compromise performance: the drivetrain achieves stable positioning (settling time ∼0.9 s, steady-state error ∼1%) and the active cooling system reduces motor temperature to room temperature within 200 s. Furthermore, we demonstrate an automatic assembly system using a 4-DOF robot arm with YOLOv8-based vision (mAP50=0.828), thereby validating that a representative set of releasable interfaces supporting disassembly are also compatible with the robotic assembly. Full nine-unit automatic assembly remains a topic for future investigation.

Unit-assembly design for robot recycling

Unit-assembly design for robot recycling

Cite this article as:
X. Cheng, S. Wang, J. Shiomi, and Y. Asano, “Unit-Assembly Module Design Enabling Easy Disassembly and Automatic Assembly for Recyclable Robots,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.38 No.4, pp. 1139-1149, 2026.
Data files:
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Last updated on Aug. 19, 2026