Production planning and control for remanufacturing: industry practice and research needs

Abstract

Remanufacturing represents a higher form of reuse by focusing on value‐added recovery, rather than materials recovery (i.e., recycling). Remanufacturing systems are widespread in the United States and are profitable. However, the management of production planning and control activities can differ greatly from management activities in traditional manufacturing. We report on managerial remanufacturing practices via a survey of production planning and control activities at remanufacturing firms in the United States. Production planning and control activities are more complex for remanufacturing firms due to uncertainties from stochastic product returns, imbalances in return and demand rates, and the unknown condition of returned products. We identify and discuss seven complicating characteristics that require significant changes in production planning and control activities. We also describe the research opportunities that exist for each of the complicating characteristics.

Addressing decision making for remanufacturing operations and design-for-remanufacture

“…These factors make the scheduling activity particularly complex in remanufacturing. However, the tools of conventional manufacturing are not ideally suited to easing these difficulties because remanufacturing planning, controlling, and managing operations are significantly different from traditional manufacturing production control [7]. Table 3, describes some principal operations control issues highlighted by the author's case-study work in industry along with some effective coping strategies.…”

“…Remanufacturers perceive the scarcity of effective remanufacturing tools and techniques as a key threat to their industry [7].…”

Princípios e ferramentas da produção mais limpa: um estudo exploratório em empresas brasileiras

“…O resultado do desenvolvimento de produtos ecológicos, as mudanças ecológicas incrementais nos produtos e o controle da disposição final por meio de remanufatura, reuso e reciclagem permitem desenvolver PL5 -projeto do processo produtivo ecoeficiente pautado na redução de emissões e resíduos (UNEP, 1990b). Com isso, é possível desenvolver projetos para apresentação ao governo pautado no mecanismo de desenvolvimento limpo para conquistar incentivos, principalmente porque, segundo Guide (2000), o valor agregado para desenvolver a estrutura de disposição final e substituição de componentes tradicionais por insumos ecológicos em muitos casos são inviabilizados economicamente.…”

Optimal Operation for Reverse Supply Chain Incorporating Inspection Policy into Remanufacturing of Used Products

“…The reverse chains/logistics consists of the flows from collection of used products through recycling parts from the used products to reuse the recycled parts. Theoretical analyses and the marginal insights obtained from numerical examples on the reverse chains/logistics are discussed in the following previous papers: Aras et al (2004), Behret and Korugan (2009), Ferguson et al (2009), Fleischman et al (1997, Guide (2000), Guide and Wassenhove (2001), Inderfurth (2005), Konstantaras et al (2010), Kusukawa and Akizawa (2015), Nenes et al (2010), Pochampally et al (2009), Pokharel and Liang (2012), Savaskan and Van Wassenhove (2006), Tang and Teunter (2006), Teunter and Flapper (2011), Watanabe and Kusukawa (2014), Watanabe et al (2013), Wei et al (2011), Wu (2012), Zhang et al (2014).…”