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repairable by design 

the bachelor thesis illustrates what repairable product design can look like using three exemplary products. ten guidelines outline the key requirements and encourage users to engage in repairs themselves. the work is divided into two parts: the guidelines and their visualization through practical examples.

2021/2022
bachelorthesis 
team member: david schöllhorn









facts

through repair, products are given back their actual use and their product life is extended. as a result, fewer new products need to be produced and the energy and resources required for this are saved.




processwe spoke with many experts from various industries. we visited ifixit in stuttgart and participated in a repair-cafe for a weekend. by disassembling existing products, we understand which problems exist and how products are built.





ten principles

the guidelines are intended to create a visual incentive to engage more intensively with repairable product development and to support designers and companies along the way.




normed standard parts



reversible connection methods



little or no tools




recycling



honest and intuitive 





modular and accessible structure



instructions and documentation



component-appropriate use 



feedback during repair



spare part access











exemplary
productsin the second part of the work, three exemplary products are used to visualize what specific solutions can look like and how the principles can be implemented in the product.









[1] electric toothbrush 

the toothbrush is designed so that both the housing and charging station can be opened without tools. translucent parts reveal the inner components and spark curiosity, while external interaction points are highlighted with color.

























the station is fixed by a nut on the bottom, with a screw that can be unscrewed by hand.







toolless access is made possible by visible plastic snap connectors. their shape explains the locking mechanism and they can be opened reversibly.

























[2] wireless earbuds 

at most existing earbuds, all components inside are glued in place. our earbuds do without this and hold the components through recesses in the material. they can be opened with everyday tools. to spark the user's curiosity, all elements that would hide components are translucent.











the buds have visible indicators where they can be opened. they can be opened with common household objects, such as a coin. we also use the left-right color coding from the audio field.







the buds have two circuit boards, one that handles charging and power management, and the other that handles connectivity and processes the audio signal.








the connection to the battery is made via contact pins on the boards.








the motherboard in the case is attached to the inner shell via snaps. the entire unit is unlocked by loosening the screw and can be pulled out.












the batteries are connected to the board on both sides by connectors.
























[3] coffee machine 

the coffee machine has been designed so that its functional processes are clearly visible and easy to understand.
a major focus here is on regular maintenance and the accessibility of the components. this should make servicing and repairs much easier.










the coffee machine has been designed so that its workflows are clearly visible and understandable. a major focus is on regular maintenance and the accessibility of components. this is to emphasize maintenance and make repair much easier.











control panel





























when it is necessary to change beans, water or coffee grounds, this is indicated by a blue LED on the control unit. next to the LED, the waste water collection tray indicates via a blue float that the waste water must be emptied.









all elements for maintenance are placed present and marked in yellow. when maintenance is required and as a reminder, a yellow LED lights up on the control unit. the brewing unit can be removed after unlocking it using the two yellow levers on the front and can then be cleaned and serviced.









in the event of a problem, this will be indicated by the malfunction LED lighting up red. the user can then use the hexagonal wrench to loosen the screws on the rear panel, which are also coded in red. 

once the back panel is removed, the inner workings of the machine are revealed and markings on the housing and circuit board show where which component is located and how they are connected.