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Firms are finding it increasingly important to leverage social media to facilitate knowledge access, get valuable feedback, and improve innovations to cater for emerging markets. However, using social media without integrating other key factors does not seem to add value to innovation efforts. Therefore, this study investigates the potential of social media usage (SMU) in enhancing green product innovation (GPI) and how two types of environmental collaboration may affect that relationship, which is a subject that has been under-explored. First, the literature on the expansion of the use of social media in enhancing GPI was reviewed to develop the theoretical framework and hypotheses. Then, data collected from 211 manufacturing firms were analysed using structural equation modelling to examine the proposed relationship. The results revealed that SMU does not directly influence GPI. Rather, internal environmental collaboration (IEC) and environmental collaboration with suppliers (ECS) fully mediate the relationship between SMU and GPI. The results further disclosed a positive relationship between IEC and ECS, where both types of environmental collaboration seem to be key factors in improving GPI. Hence, this study highlights the importance of knowledge sharing through environmental collaborations for the generation of ideas to improve products in order to remain competitive in the market.

The concept of repair and restoration using additive manufacturing (AM) is to build new metal layers on a broken part. It is beneficial for complex parts that are no longer available in the market. Optimization methods are used to solve product design problems to produce efficient and highly sustainable products. Design optimization can improve the design of parts to improve the efficiency of the repair and restoration process using additive manufacturing during the end-of-life (EoL) phase. In this paper, the objective is to review the strategies for remanufacturing and restoration of products during or at the EoL phase and facilitate the process using AM. Design optimization for remanufacturing is important to reduce repair and restoration time. This review paper focuses on the main challenges and constraints of AM for repair and restoration. Various AI techniques, including the hybrid method that can be integrated into the design of AM, are analyzed and presented. This paper highlights the research gap and provides recommendations for future research directions. In conclusion, the combination of artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms with genetic algorithms as a hybrid method is a key solution in solving limitations and is the future for repair and restoration using additive manufacturing.

End-of-life vehicle (ELV) management is becoming increasingly important as the automotive industry is one of the world’s most critical sectors and is rapidly expanding. ELV management is essential for environmental protection and wellbeing under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, provides more jobs under SDG 8, and promotes a circular economy under SDG 11. All these factors contribute to the importance of ELV management as a research topic. Today, ELV management is well-positioned and an emerging research area particularly on ELV recycling systems in Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China. This paper aims to provide a review of ELV management in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, which are the major automotive production bases in Southeast Asia, but which lack formal ELV recycling policies. Towards this end, the researchers have adopted a qualitative study in which document research has been used to analyze existing scientific studies and other published sources. The findings reveal that immature ELV management systems in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are the reason that no specific ELV laws and regulations exist, as well as why there are no precise ELV statistics. Nevertheless, there have been growing concerns about ELV management, as evidenced by environmental regulations and programs aimed at better management of ELV recycling in these countries. These findings will assist the respective authorities in formulating specific laws and regulations that will ensure sustainable management of ELV and will also ensure a better life and economy for society and for industry.

Tuning of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for a complex multi-joint structure, such as an exoskeleton, using conventional methods is difficult and imprecise. In this paper, an optimal PID tuning method for a 3-dimensional model of a lower-limb human exoskeleton in gait training condition is presented. The dynamic equation of the human-exoskeleton is determined using a Lagrangian approach, and its transfer function is established in a closed-loop control system. PID controller gains, initialized by the Ziegler–Nichols (Z-N) method, are used as the input to an adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) algorithm for minimizing the multi-joint trajectory error. The optimized controller is tested in the Gazebo virtual environment and compared with the Z-N and conventional optimization methods. The numerical analysis shows that the PID controller tuned by a combination of Z-N and APSO improves the performance of a lower-limb human exoskeleton in gait training.

This study proposed the use of an LCA supported by a design efficiency evaluation based on Design for Assembly principles to reduce the environmental impact of a product. To illustrate the methodology, a water leakage alarm (WLA) was selected as the object for a case study. Based on the identification and evaluation of the LCA results, it was inferred that the stage with the highest environmental impact was the manufacturing stage (75.35%), followed by the use stage (23.88%), the disposal of the WLA (0.64%), and finally, the disposal of the batteries (0.14%). For the manufacturing stage, the most interrelated categories were the hazardous waste and human toxicity, while the use stage was the main contributor to ozone depletion and acidification. Moreover, the disposal of the WLA and batteries contributed to the bulk waste. Furthermore, from the assembly evaluation, the design efficiency of the product was 14%. Two recommendations for improving the design of the WLA were: (1) to reduce the number of screws from three units to one unit, and (2) to eliminate the use of a cable and to replace it with a wireless component. By implementing both the proposed recommendations, the design efficiency was improved by as much as 34%. From the environmental perspective, there is not much difference between the wired alarm and wireless alarm. The wired alarm was considered to be more environmentally friendly in terms of product manufacturing but the wireless alarm has an advantage in terms of design and energy efficiency. By combining LCA and DFA design evaluation, a more comprehensive perspective of the product life cycle can be achieved.

The inclusion of additive manufacturing (AM) as an automated repair method leads to a sustainable remanufacturing process, which is known as additive repair. Despite its potential in improving the efficiency of repair and restoration, additive repair remains in its infancy and requires a thorough investigation on part design and process parameters. The major concern raised in additive repair is the capability to create perfect bonding between two metals, which will affect the mechanical properties of the complete repaired part. Hence, performing evaluation from the beginning is crucial to validate the feasibility of the process through appropriate structural analysis and to obtain deformation and stress results. Brake caliper housing is selected as a remanufacturable component for case exemplary purposes. Prior to analysis, the potential damages and failures of the brake caliper component were initially evaluated through literature surveys and direct interviews with industry experts where two types of damages were identified, namely, cracks and broken or fractured parts. Then, the validation focuses on comparative analysis of two different conditions of the brake caliper housing: original, and repaired caliper model using finite element analysis in ANSYS. Results indicate that the strength of the repaired caliper model shows equal and higher strength compared with the original model. This result confirms that the repair process through AM can retain or improve the quality of the remanufactured brake caliper housing. Therefore, this paper provides a systematic framework for the evaluation of mechanical properties in multi-metal additive repair with the integration of failure analysis techniques.

The conventional component repair in remanufacturing involves human decision making that is influenced by several factors such as conditions of incoming cores, modes of failure, severity of damage, features and geometric complexities of cores and types of reparation required. Repair can be enhanced through automation using additive manufacturing (AM) technology. Advancements in AM have led to the development of directed energy deposition and laser cladding technology for repair of damaged parts and components. The objective of this systematic literature review is to ascertain how intelligent systems can be integrated into AM-based repair, through artificial intelligence (AI) approaches capable of supporting the nature and process of decision making during repair. The integration of intelligent systems in AM repair is expected to enhance resource utilization and repair efficiency during remanufacturing. Based on a systematic literature review of articles published during 2005–2021, the study analyses the activities of conventional repair in remanufacturing, trends in the applications of AM for repair using the current state-of-the-art technology and how AI has been deployed to facilitate repair. The study concludes with suggestions on research areas and opportunities that will further enhance the automation of component repair during remanufacturing using intelligent AM systems.

Background: A good quality of seating comfort requires integration of capabilities and limitations of the human body and the occupant’s preferred posture in different seating environments and tasks. This study provides a systematic and comprehensive review of past research related to the correlation between anthropometric parameter to seat pressure variables to determine the impact on comfort and safety in seat design. Methods: This systematic review consisted of PRISMA flow diagram guidelines searched in Web of Science, Scopus, Sciencedirect and Google Scholar from 2009 till January 2020 related to keyword lists. Results: As a result, 26 articles which addressed the correlation between anthropometric parameters and pressure variables were selected. Body mass index and weight were the most influence anthropometric parameter towards the pressure variables. In addition, almost all studies showed that there were medium to strong correlation between the lower body parts and the pressure variables, with R as above 0.5. Conclusion: Comfort and safety depend on the design and ergonomics of the seat to maintain the body posture under complex roads, driving conditions and changing environment. In essence, seat and geometry functions help to reduce fatigue level and improve comfort, safety and health among drivers based on user, task and environment of driving activities.

This paper is to investigate the current status of national culture variables in Libyan manufacturing companies to furnish a base for TQM framework design. In order to achieve the objectives, an extensive literature review had been carried out, this was followed by a survey questionnaire conducted in major manufacturing industries in Libya (Oil & Gas Sector and Industrial Sector). SPSS software was used for performing the analysis, we found that Libyan manufacturing culture comprises of high power distance, slightly high uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and masculine society. We also found that the society is on average of individualistic collectivistic dimension. The findings compared with other studies and suggested for future improvement of the Libyan companies.

Remanufacturing is one of the ways forward for product recovery initiatives and for maintaining sufficient production flow to satisfy customer demand by providing high-quality goods with a combination of new and return parts through a circular economy. Recently, manufacturers have been progressively incorporating remanufacturing processes, making their supply chains vulnerable to disruptions. One of the main disruptions that occurs in remanufacturing systems is the shortage of spare parts supply, which results in unexpected delays in the remanufacturing process and could eventually result in a possible loss of sales. In the event of such potential disruptions, remanufacturing facilities must manage their supply chains in an effective and optimal manner such that the negative impact of disruptions to their business can be minimised. In this study, a two-stage production–inventory system was analysed by developing a cost-minimisation model that focuses on the recovery schedule after the occurrence of a disruption in sourcing spare parts for a remanufacturer’s production cycle. The developed model was solved using the branch-and-bound algorithm, where the experimental results demonstrated that the model provides effective solutions. Through numerical experiments, results indicated that the optimal recovery schedule and the number of recovery cycles are considerably dependent on the disruption time, lost sales and backorder costs. A sensitivity analysis showed that the lost sales option seems to be more effective than the backorder sales option in optimising the system’s overall cost due to unmet demand, which becomes lost sales when serviceable items are reduced, thereby shortening recovery time. Furthermore, a case study revealed that a manufacturer’s response to disruption is highly influenced by the spare part costs and overall recovery costs as well as the supplier’s readiness level. The proposed model could assist managers in deciding the optimal production strategy whilst providing interesting managerial insights into vital spare parts recovery issues when disruption strikes.