Thesis

Insights into the importance and challenges of the cleaning operation in automotive remanufacturing

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2014
Thesis identifier
  • T13878
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Abstract
  • The common practice of a throw-away life style with only a forward-loop supply chain is causing many issues such as rapid depletion of natural resources, ever-increasing global warming and solid waste issues. The concept of sustainable manufacturing encourages the recovery of used products by promoting closed loop supply chains. Remanufacturing is one such product reuse strategy among other options like repair, recondition and recycle. Remanufacturing returns used products to original performance with a warranty matching a new counterpart. To be price competitive in the market, remanufactured products have to be produced with strict cost control. The cleaning process has been found to be the second most costly operation during remanufacture. This research aims to identify the significance and challenges of cleaning operation in automotive remanufacturing and thereby provide insights to reduce overall cost/effort of remanufacturing. Its main objective is to uncover the factors causing higher cleaning efforts. The research follows an inductive methodology with multiple case study approach. Three remanufacturers (Independent, Contract and OEM) in the automotive sector and one photocopier remanufacturer in the UK were studied. The remanufacturing processes from gate-to-gate were observed and key personnel were interviewed in gathering data. The research was guided by four research questions. Seven factors affecting higher efforts of cleaning were identified. These are, complexity of components in terms of shape and size, type of material being used, environment regulation on waste disposal, excessive debris, corrosion, form of output in the market and approaches for cleaning. These factors are categorised in two dimensions as the 'Technical nature of products and processes' and the 'Business nature of the remanufacturer'. Design for Cleaning (DfC), material selection, use of compound material products and design to last long have been identified as new knowledge areas that could be used in reducing the effort of cleaning. It can be concluded that the new knowledge can be used for both in product design and cleaning equipment design. The research provides a good foundation for a PhD research with a more detailed and in-depth analysis to enhance the profitability of remanufacturing.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2014
Former identifier
  • 1041644

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