Remanufacturing in the Circular Economy

Chapter 6Design for Remanufacturing

Brian Hilton* and Michael Thurston^†

Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

* Corresponding author: [e-mail]

^†Corresponding author: [e-mail]

Abstract

A viable industrial strategy for decades, remanufacturing is reemerging as a key enabler of the modern transition to a circular economy. In order to encourage widespread adoption of remanufacturing, however, it is vital to consider not only the business models, supply chains, and market systems that support it, but also, fundamentally, what makes products remanufacturable. In this chapter, we explore the concept of Design for Remanufacturing (DfReman), its role in both new product development and remanufacturing business models, and the major principles that constitute the framework for an effective Design for Remanufacturing strategy. We suggest that there are three such principles: designing to (1) create value, (2) protect and preserve value, and (3) easily and cost effectively recover value. Each of these principles incorporates multiple supporting concepts, which are discussed in the latter sections of this chapter. Ultimately, we posit that design strategy is at the center of the remanufacturing equation. In other words, the economic, environmental, and technical feasibility of building a circular economy through remanufacturing effectively hinges on products being designed specifically to be remanufactured.

Keywords: Remanufacturing, ...