What is the purpose of Design for Disassembly?

Design for Disassembly focuses on creating products in a way that they can be easily taken apart at the end of their life cycle. This approach significantly assists in the repair, refurbishment, and recycling processes. By designing products so that components can be easily accessed and removed, it fosters a more sustainable lifecycle. This not only enhances repairability, allowing for easier maintenance and longer use of the product, but also facilitates recycling by ensuring that different materials can be separated effectively without damaging them.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the core principles of Design for Disassembly. Creating products that are more expensive does not relate to disassembly; the goal is to be cost-effective while promoting sustainability. Optimizing product performance usually focuses on enhancing the functionality of a product rather than its end-of-life considerations. Likewise, increasing the product's shelf life involves making products that resist degradation over time, which does not inherently address the disassembly aspect. The primary aim is indeed to design products that can be repaired or recycled easily, thus promoting sustainability and responsible consumption.