Chapter 2: Collaborative Product Development

Title: Supporting consumers with network agents for product lifecycle management

Author(s): Takayuki Nakada, Hiroyuki Hiraoka

Address: Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-8551, Japan | Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-8551, Japan

Reference: International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management 2009 pp. 95 - 105

Abstract/Summary: It is essential to promote the reuse of mechanical parts with lifecycle management for the realization of sustainable society. However, due to the unpredictable behavior patterns of consumers, it is difficult to manage products in the use phase of a product's lifecycle. The authors propose a product lifecycle management system using network agents and RFID tags attached on product parts in order to support consumers and to promote their reuse in the use phase. We have developed a prototype of this network agent system on the basis of the product lifecycle of consumer-electronic appliances. This paper describes a developed prototype with functions of a network agent in order to support consumer activities. The functions of the prototype enable the network agent to control the environmental load in the use phase and to predict the failure of the parts.

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