Framework for adaptable remanufacturing

Remanufacturing has received increased attention for its potential to reduce resource consumption and emissions in the manufacturing sector. Remanufacturing involves restoring and potentially upgrading end-of-life products to their original functionality and warranty. However, several challenges such as uncertainty about the timing and volume of returns, varying conditions and requirements for remanufacturing, reduced batch sizes, and increased workload variability hinder the efficiency of remanufacturing. Adaptable systems provide possibilities to manage these uncertainties and complexities. This paper aims to assess whether adaptability is beneficial for remanufacturing and to provide initial guidance on selecting appropriate implementation options. A framework is developed based on findings from a literature review, followed by analysis and systematization. This framework links remanufacturing influences and challenges to adaptability characteristics and their enablers, illustrating how these challenges can be addressed. The resulting framework demonstrates that some of the challenges in remanufacturing can be alleviated by increasing adaptability.