Abstract
Remanufacturing processes have been widely identified as being important elements of a sustainable economy. However, the commercial viability of this product recovery route is significantly influenced by several operational challenges that are different from those that occur in conventional manufacturing. One of the most widely used systematic process improvement methods in conventional manufacturing is lean production, which seeks to minimize all forms of waste throughout an operation. As the academic study of lean best practices in remanufacturing processes is relatively new, there is a lack of knowledge regarding implementation and impact. As such, this paper presents multiple case studies investigating the application of lean methods in industrial remanufacturing operations. These studies focus on the automotive industry, where both conventional and remanufacturing operations have been the leading adopters of lean thinking and practice. The results of the investigation identify specific lean methods that help manage the inherent complexity of the remanufacturing processes, and consequently improve the overall productivity of the process. Similarly, factors that limit the application of lean practices within remanufacturing are also identified and discussed. Matrices for opportunities and threats are developed to enable the simple adoption of these findings. Overall, the research provides a more holistic understanding of the application of lean within a remanufacturing environment, with benefits for both academia and industry.
Highlights
The continued strain on the planet’s resources, including limited sites for product disposal and the introduction of new environmental legislation, have resulted in a growing interest in the idea of a circular economy (CE) as a way of “harmonizing ambitions for economic growth and environmental protection” [1]
A major benefit observed in this study was the elimination of non-value-added activities which resulted in significant cost savings, suggesting that the effectiveness of the remanufacturing process can be improved through the deployment of lean best practices
This research focuses both on the identification of lean practices that help manage the complexity in the remanufacturing processes and factors that limit the application of lean practices within remanufacturing
Summary
The continued strain on the planet’s resources, including limited sites for product disposal and the introduction of new environmental legislation, have resulted in a growing interest in the idea of a circular economy (CE) as a way of “harmonizing ambitions for economic growth and environmental protection” [1]. With a view to sustainability in general and the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) in particular, CE initiatives should positively impact the social dimension Remanufacturing is both a CE strategy and an industrial product recovery process that shows great signs of promise with respect to economic, environmental and social impact. The factors that limit the application of lean practices within conventional manufacturing have already been widely reported in the literature, the aim of this work is to explicitly identify the characteristics of remanufacturing that either mitigate or complicate the adoption of lean practices. This aim is associated with the following objectives:.
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