Dis-assembly is the first step in processing for re-manufacturing and acts as a gateway for parts to the re-manufacturing processes. Products are dis-assembled to the part level, assessed as to their re-maneuverability, and acceptable parts are then routed to the necessary operations. Parts not meeting minimum remanufacturing standards may be used for spares, or sold for scrap value. Purchasing requires information from disassembly to ensure that sufficient new parts are procured. Nasr et al. (1998) report that disassembly is not simply the reverse of assembly, and that a good design for assembly is not necessarily a good design for disassembly. Two-thirds of remanufacturing firms must practice reverse engineering to generate disassembly sequences, and this set of activities is time consuming (average time 22.7 days per product) and expensive (average cost $37k per product). Our survey findings indicate that three-quarters of products remanufactured are not designed for disassembly, and this has a significant impact on operations. Products not designed for disassembly have less predictable material recovery rates (MRRs), higher disassembly times, and generate more waste. Parts may be damaged during disassembly, especially on products not designed for disassembly, and this often increases material replacement rates