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The manufacturing process for many large components of machines leads to a difference in their properties and performances based on changes in location. Functionally graded materials can meet these requirements and address the issue of generation and expansion of interface cracks. Ni204–dr60 gradient coatings were successfully fabricated using laser direct energy deposition (LDED). Microstructure mechanism evolution and microhardness of the gradient coating were comprehensively investigated. The change in the precipitated phase at the grain boundary and the intergranular zones resulted in a change in microstructural characteristics and also affected the microhardness distribution. The reinforced phase of the Ni204 → dr60 gradient zone from Ni204 to dr60 gradually precipitated and was rich in Mo and Nb phase, lath-shaped CrC[sub.x] phase, network-shaped CrC[sub.x] phase, block shape (Ni, Si) (C, B) phase, block CrC[sub.x] phase, and block Cr (B, C) phase. The gradient coating thus acts as a potential candidate to effectively solve the problem of crack generation at the interface of dr60 and the substrate.

Manufacturing industry is becoming more and more moving from linearity to circularity. There are several circular strategies to follow in their search to become more resource efficient and circular e.g. through remanufacturing. The aim of this paper is to describe the differences between remanufacturing definitions and how to redefine remanufacturing from an industrial perspective. To meet this aim, a literature study has been performed in academic and grey literature. A specific focus has given to definitions made in standards and legal documents since they have a strong impact on manufacturing industry. In addition, semi-structured interviews have been performed with industrial participants to get their view on this topic. Results show that there is a bit of confusion about how to define remanufacturing, mainly in the standardization community. This research recommends and new definition of remanufacturing according to industrial preferences.

PurposeTo review the state-of-the-art in smart remanufacturing, highlighting key elements of an Industry 4.0 (I4.0) future that supports circular economy (CE) principles and offer a conceptual framework and research agenda to accelerate digitalisation in this sector.Design/methodology/approachThe Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases and search terms “Industry 4.0”, “Internet of things”, “Smart manufacturing” and “Remanufacturing” were used to identify and select publications that had evidence of a relationship between those keywords. The 329 selected papers were reviewed with respect to the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental). The study benefited from advanced text quantitative processing using NVivo software and a complete manual qualitative assessment.FindingsChanges in product ownership models will affect the remanufacturing industry, with the growth of product-service-systems seen as an opportunity to re-circulate resources and create value. This is being supported by changes in society, user expectations and workforce attributes. Key to the success of remanufacturing in an I4.0 future is the uptake of existing and emerging digital technologies to shorten and strengthen links between product manufacturers, users and remanufacturers.Originality/valueRemanufacturing is recognised as a key CE strategy, which in turn is an important research area for development in our society. This article is the first to study “smart remanufacturing” for the CE. Its uniqueness lies in its focus on the remanufacturing industry and the sustainable application of I4.0 enablers. The findings are used to create a framework that links to the research agenda needed to realise smart remanufacturing.

Purpose Worldwide, facing increasing resources pressure, more and more manufacturing firms aim to circular economy (CE), which is a system characterized by the application of remanufacturing principles and adoption of sustainable manufacturing practices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the function of remanufacturing capability in influencing supply chain resilience in supply chain networks under the moderating effects of both flexible orientation and control orientation. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered through a survey performed online in South Africa, and 150 participants completed the survey. Participants were mainly industry professionals holding senior administrative positions. Findings Results indicate that market factors, management factors and technical factors positively influence dynamic remanufacturing capability (DRC). More specifically, on one hand, market factors strongly influence DRC, whereas, on the other hand, both management and technical factors influence at lower level DRC. DRC has a positive influence on supply chain resilience. Flexible orientation is found to positively moderate the effect of DRC on supply chain resilience, whereas control orientation does not exert any moderating effect on DRC and supply chain resilience. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that explore research gaps between current vs desired remanufacturing capability requirements to achieve sustainability goals in CE.

PurposeIn this paper, the authors aim to study the optimal strategy of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) considering both consumer segmentation and upward substitution of remanufactured products in the product life cycle.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors develop two remanufacturing models: the OEM remanufacturing model and the authorized remanufacturing model. Then, the authors study the impact of both green consumers' scale and the product life cycle expressed as the market growth rate on the OEM's optimal decision-making. Therefore, the authors derive the optimal solutions of the two models by using game theory.FindingsThe authors find that in the case of low market growth rate, when there only exist ordinary consumers, if the substitutability of remanufactured products produced by the OEM is below one threshold or above another threshold, the OEM can obtain higher profit in the OEM remanufacturing model, and vice versa. If the substitutability of remanufactured products produced by the OEM is below a threshold when there are both ordinary and green consumers, the OEM prefers the authorized remanufacturing model; and vice versa. Moreover, in the case of high market growth rate, the OEM prefers the OEM remanufacturing model only when the substitution-level in OEM remanufacturing model is above a threshold.Originality/valueThe present study fills the gap in existing researches by simultaneously discussing product life cycle and green consumers' scale. The authors provide manufacturers with a new basis for remanufacturing decisions.

Product innovation for remanufacturing, beginning at the development stage, has become an important strategic decision in third-party remanufacturing. This study investigates decision-making on product innovation for remanufacturing under two third-party remanufacturing modes and examines how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and remanufacturers respond. Results show that outsourcing remanufacturing consistently offers a wider profitability range for the OEM and increases the likelihood of the remanufacturer adopting a full remanufacturing strategy. Furthermore, a higher innovation level enhances OEM profits, particularly when the remanufacturing industry is mature or when the innovation investment efficiency is high. Otherwise, incremental innovation is more beneficial. Innovation also lowers entry barriers for remanufacturers. Finally, the authorization remanufacturing is initially more environmentally friendly, whereas the outsourcing mode becomes superior as the innovation level increases.

Traditional remanufacturing is characterized by disassembly of a core up to an optimal depth of disassembly and by the replacement of some parts in order to achieve the specifications and reliability of the original product. Because of the product architecture and the reliability characteristics of electric vehicle batteries, such an approach does not recover the full residual value of battery cells. For batteries, a depth of disassembly up to cell level is necessary, but problematic because of inconvenient battery design features. Hence, an alternative framework will be presented, where each of the battery cells and the battery system key components are considered a core in itself, and the value of a remanufactured battery module depends on the combination of its cells. The product architecture and component requirements will be explained for batteries made of the three most common cell types used in the automotive industry. In addition, three solutions will be presented for the implementation of the proposed framework for remanufacturing regarding both product design and key aspects of the process chain, such as laser cutting and laser welding of battery cells.

Remanufacturing is one key element of a circular economy by closing the loop on the product level and thus maintaining or restoring the product design and the associated product properties. The remanufacturing process chain involves disassembly of used products, cleaning of parts, inspection and sorting of parts, reconditioning or replenishment by new parts, and product reassembly into as-new products. If new parts are required, additive manufacturing is a promising alternative to conventional manufacturing or the purchase of spare parts. Additive manufacturing is characterized by the layered or element-based construction of parts and does not require product-specific tools, enabling a cost-efficient production of individual pieces or small series. The use of specific design rules in product and process development to meet the requirements of the intended process enables and simplifies additive manufacturing or remanufacturing. Despite the design rules for additive manufacturing and remanufacturing, there are no design rules for implementing additive manufacturing technology in the remanufacturing process. In this paper, existing design rules on Design for Additive Manufacturing and Design for Remanufacturing will first be identified and compared, and possible synergies and conflicts of objectives will be analyzed. Based on this, a guideline for a Design for Additive Remanufacturing is developed to facilitate and promote the implementation of additive manufacturing in remanufacturing. The developed design rules enable the evaluation of a part aimed to be produced by additive manufacturing within the remanufacturing process and give advice on how to optimize the design of the part. This paper aims to derive general design rules for a “Design for Additive Remanufacturing” that specifically address the additive remanufacturing process.

Inevitable welding fumes/slags and high energy costs induced by fusion repairing technologies brought about a pressing concern to propose an environmentally friendly alternative for the repair of worn-out aluminum alloy components. Sparked by its solid-state cleaner repairing characteristics, wire-based friction stir additive remanufacturing (W-FSARM) was proposed and exploited to realize volumetric defects repairing with waste minimization. With the high-speed rotation of the pin, filler materials were thermo-plasticized within the W-FSARM tool and flowed downward into the defects to blend with the substrate. The material flow and filling behavior contributed to sound-repaired joints, ensuring a high-quality interfacial bonding. Prefabricated volumetric defects with the width of 8 mm and depth of 1 mm were successfully repaired on 2219 aluminum alloy components. The grains in repaired zone were equiaxed grains with an average grain size of only 2.35 ± 0.04 μm. The ultimate tensile strength of the repaired joints reached 90% of the base materials. This indicated that the W-FSARM technique can eco-friendly repair surficial defects without waste production and realize improved structural integrity towards life cycle extension.