Supporting design for remanufacture through waste-stream analysis of automotive remanufacturers

摘要

Waste streams of three automotive remanufacturers were analyzed to determine factors that impede the reuse of parts. The eventual goal of this work is to enable the design of products that facilitate reuse. Remanufacturers disassemble and clean used products, replace or repair failed parts, and reassemble products in a production-batch process. Although design that facilitates any of these steps benefits remanufacture, the essential goal of remanufacture is to reuse parts. Parts not reused enter the waste stream. Worn parts that could not be further refurbished were found to constitute the highest contribution to the waste streams of the remanufacturers studied.