Architecture of Sensor Network System for Promoting Condition-Based Maintenance and Reuse

Considering the environmental load of material and energy consumption, many approaches to product design and manufacture have been discussed from an ecological viewpoint. In this paper, we propose the architecture of a sensor network system that promotes condition-based maintenance and reuse in order to reduce the environmental load in product manufacture and use. The system architecture stands on an agent-based sensor network and a modular reusable design. In this system, sensor data are used not only for condition-based maintenance but also for reuse management since they enable the estimation of product conditions that are indices for deciding a lifecycle option and a reuse plan. As a simple realization model of the proposed architecture, a motor-assisted bicycle CBM and reuse support system is developed by using wireless small sensor network and network agent systems. The system monitors product conditions and searches the next owner of each module for promoting reuse and avoiding product waste as much as possible. Case studies show some practical use and merits of this architecture.