A mathematical model for designing sustainable cellular remanufacturing systems

This article proposes an integrated approach towards the design optimization and production planning of cellular manufacturing systems as a part of closed-loop supply chains in an effort to make manufacturing enterprises sustainable. For industrial applications both at the system design and operation stages, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model, to integrate the production planning problem in cellular manufacturing systems and the tactical planning of a closed-loop supply chain, has been developed. The cellular manufacturing system in the proposed mathematical model has several features including dynamic cell configuration, multi-period production settings, machine capacity, machine acquisition, machine procurements, and multiple units of identical machines as well as considering different cost parameters such as production cost, operational cost of the machines, and subcontracting cost of the part demands; mainly targeted to be used in industry at the operational level. In addition, several activities such as acquisition, disassembly, setup for disassembly, and disposition of the returned products have been considered on the reverse flow of the closed-loop supply chain of the proposed mathematical model, which would lead to further industrial applications mainly at the integrated design stage of manufacturing and supply chain systems in addition to the potential applications at the operational level.