An Approach Utilizing Epsilon-Constraint and NSGA-II for Circular Manufacturing Supply Chain Networks

Circular manufacturing supply chains offer a novel and compelling perspective within the realm of supply chain sustainability. Consequently, the development of a suitable solution approach for circular manufacturing supply chains holds significant value. This study presents appropriate solution approaches for a mathematical model that has been formulated for a circular supply chain. To address the small-sized problem, the epsilon-constraint method is proposed. This method aids in obtaining a Pareto set of optimal solutions, facilitating the evaluation of trade-offs among three objectives. Given the NP-hard nature of the problem, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is employed to approximate the Pareto front for larger problem sizes. A comparative analysis is conducted between the outcomes achieved in smaller dimensions using the epsilon-constraint method and those generated by the metaheuristic algorithm. The results indicate that the error percentage of the objective function, when compared to the epsilon method, remains consistently below 1%, underscoring the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. These methodologies empower decision-makers to offer efficient, optimal solutions, enabling them to select the most suitable alternative based on budgetary considerations and organizational policies.