In recent years, many studies have

In recent years, many studies have thus been conducted in the field of green modular design. Ishii [45] proposes the concept of “technical modular”, which uses “cluster” analysis to connect “modularity” with “product retirement design”. The goal of the “technical module” is to group components with the same method of retirement into the same module. Huang et al. [46] adopted five basic rules for recycling in a modular design. These embrace the environmental impact of recycling, material compatibility, life cycle analysis, recycling profits, and an analysis of structural and physical interactions. Gu and Sosale [47] consider the needs of the entire product life cycle and studied modulardesign methods. Umeda et al. [48] propose a modular design method that develops the optimal design of a modular structure based on life cycle attributes and geometric information. Tseng et al. [49] use a grouped genetic algorithm to gather components into modules that support lifecycle engineering, with the resulting green modules derived based on green design factors. Considering the inclusion of green factors in the new module, Smith and Yen [50] present a green modular approach based on atomic theory, in which the green module is developed by combining or decomposing structural modules to reduce the environmental impacts.