Taking out of Service¶
Disassembly¶
Once the mobile robot has reached the end of its lifetime it should be disassembled and its components should be recycled.
Tip
Before the robot can be disassembled the battery charger, any other external power supply and the batteries must be disconnected from the robot. It is strongly recommended to wait for at least 30 minutes after disconnecting all power sources before starting the disassembly. This will help to discharge any electrical energy that might be left in the system.
Disassembly of the robot should be done by qualified personnel only, preferably someone who has already worked on the robot in the past and knows its technical details. This will ensure
- fast and trouble-free disassembly,
- reduced risk of injuries or damages to components that are to be reused and
- proper sorting of parts according to materials and way of recycling.
More information on qualified personnel can be found at Qualified Personnel.
Recycling¶
Reusable components¶
Many components of the mobile robot (e. g. the servo motors and the amplifiers) have a very long life expectancy and will most probably still be usable when the overall system has reached the end of its lifetime.
Please check carefully which components can be reused immediately or in later projects and make sure that they are removed with care.
Tip
Reusing components does not only help the environment by reducing resource consumption but will also safe a significant amount of money.
Mechanical parts¶
The frame and the other mechanical parts of the robot are mostly made from aluminium or steel. Both materials should be separated completely and can then be sold to certified recycling companies.
Electrical components¶
Electronic scrap and electrical wires are both a source of valuable resources as well as a threat to the environment and must not be treated like consumer waste.
Attention
All electrical wires and components must therefore be collected and sold to or deposited at the appropriate recycling facilities.