Multidimensional remanufacturability assessment method for used products based on LCSA.

Purpose: Remanufacturing is a process in which used products are professionally repaired or upgraded to restore their performance to new products, but the uncertainties and complexities of the used products can greatly affect the remanufacturability. Blindly remanufacturing used products with uncertain remanufacturability can weaken the economic and environmental advantages. To improve remanufacturing efficiency, focusing on the three-dimensional sustainability of environment, economy, and society, this study presents a quantity remanufacturability assessment method for used products based on life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) theory, which we call Re-LCSA method. Methods: The remanufacturability assessment method assesses the environmental sustainability using life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques to compare the environmental benefits of product remanufacturing with new manufacturing. Economic sustainability is assessed by using life cycle costing (LCC) theory to compare the cost–benefit of product remanufacturing with new manufacturing. Social sustainability is assessed by using Dreyer's (Int J Life Cycle Assess 15:247–259, 2010a), (Int J Life Cycle Assess 15:385–402, 2010b) social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodology to analyze the factors of human rights, working conditions, and social economic related to product remanufacturing companies. The three dimensions of sustainability are respectively expressed by an indicator to assess the remanufacturability. Results and discussion: A used 5-year-old engine is used to illustrate the remanufacturability assessment process. The integrated environmental impact indicator of new manufacturing is more than five times that of remanufacturing, indicating that engine remanufacturing has great advantages over new manufacturing in reducing environmental pollution and energy consumption. The total remanufacturing cost accounts for approximately 50% of new manufacturing costs, with the greatest advantages found in the "raw material production" and "parts production" stages. The social analysis results show that engine remanufacturing performs well in terms of "human rights" and "social economy", but has lower scores in "working conditions." Conclusions: The Re-LCSA method provides an efficient means to identify the remanufacturing feasibility of used products and avoid unnecessary resource waste. It can also help in exploring ways to conserve resources, protect environment, and improve social conditions through remanufacturing. However, the assessment results depend largely on the underlying assumptions and investigation data; therefore, the accuracy of data and system boundaries must be ensured. In addition, the sustainability result is remarkably affected by weighting and value criteria, and it should be thoroughly investigated for rational decision making. Future work should focus on improving the adaptability of this method by developing an expert knowledge system for rational decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]