Optimal Modular Remanufactured Product Configuration and Harvesting Planning for End-of-Life Products

Abstract

Remanufacturing is a representative product recovery strategy that can improve economic profitability and sustainability, but many companies are struggling because of the lack of understanding of the market and the design strategies for remanufactured products. Unlike the production process of new products, remanufacturing requires unique production processes, such as collecting used products and dis(re)assembly. Therefore, several factors need to be considered for the design of remanufactured products. First, when designing a remanufactured product, it is crucial to ensure that the specifications of components meet the customer's requirements because the remanufacturing uses relatively outdated components or modules. In addition, it is necessary to consider the disassembly level and order to facilitate the disassembly process to obtain the desired parts. This study proposes an integrated model to (i) find configuration design suitable for remanufactured products that can maximize customer utility based on customer online review analysis regarding End-of-Life products, and (ii) establish a harvest plan that determines the optimal disassembly operations and levels. This proposed model can be used as a decision-making tool that helps product designers find the appropriate design of remanufactured products while increasing the efficiency of the remanufacturing process.