Mathematical optimization model for remanufacturing scheduling with sequence-dependent setup times

Abstract

Remanufacturing is a key player in supporting sustainable manufacturing methods, a regenerative economic model, and the equitable allocation of resources in the ever-evolving environment of sustainable development. Our study tackles the scheduling difficulties in remanufacturing to facilitate sustainable practices. Specifically, we concentrate on scheduling operations on a mixed assembly/disassembly line, taking into account sequence-dependent setup time to minimize makespan, considering its substantial impact on remanufacturing efficiency. This work explores a crucial scheduling problem in hybrid production lines, concentrating on a mixed-flow job-shop structure. These systems provide an NP-hard scheduling challenge since they have two types of operations that need to be processed through the same group of workstations in different directions. Our main goal is to reduce the makespan or the maximum amount of time it takes to complete all the jobs. A mixed integer linear programming model (MILP) specifically addresses the complexities of this remanufacturing scheduling problem. Our goal in using this method is to find the best solutions for different cases while giving priority to processing efficiency. Extensive testing results confirm the effectiveness of our proposed mathematical framework, showing it can consistently provide outstanding performance in various scenarios. In this work, the implementation of modified scheduling methodologies to meet sustainable development goals expands the study of remanufacturing scheduling. It also highlights areas that may require more research, such as integrating logistics and improving the energy efficiency of remanufacturing processes.