Modeling a remanufacturing reverse logistics planning problem: some insights into disruptive technology adoption

Remanufacturing is the process to restore the functionality of high-value end-of-life (EOL) products, which is considered a substantial link in reverse logistics systems for value recovery. However, due to the uncertainty of the reverse material flow, the planning of a remanufacturing reverse logistics system is complex. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of disruptive technologies in Industry 4.0/5.0, e.g., the Internet of things (IoT), smart robots, cloud-based digital twins, and additive manufacturing, has shown great potential for a smart paradigm transition of remanufacturing reverse logistics operations. In this paper, a new mixed-integer program is modeled for supporting several tactical decisions in remanufacturing reverse logistics, i.e., remanufacturing setups, production planning and inventory levels, core acquisition and transportation, and remanufacturing line balancing and utilization. The model is further extended by incorporating utilization-dependent nonlinear idle time cost constraints and stochastic takt time to accommodate different real-world scenarios. Through a set of numerical experiments, the influences of different demand patterns and idle time constraints are revealed. The potential impacts of disruptive technology adoption in remanufacturing reverse logistics are also discussed from managerial perspectives, which may help remanufacturing companies with a smart and smooth transition in the Industry 4.0/5.0 era.