A Review on Remanufacturing Reverse Logistics Network Design and Model Optimization

Remanufacturing has gained great recognition in recent years due to its economic and environmental benefits and effectiveness in the value retention of waste products. Many studies on reverse logistics have considered remanufacturing as a key node for network optimization, but few literature reviews have explicitly mentioned remanufacturing as a main feature in their analysis. The aim of this review is to bridge this gap. In total, 125 papers on remanufacturing reverse logistics network design have been reviewed and conclusions have been drawn from four aspects: (1) in terms of network structure, the functional nodes of new hybrid facilities and the network structure combined with the remanufacturing technologies of products are the key points in the research. (2) In the mathematical model, the multi-objective function considered from different aspects, the uncertainty of recovery time and recovery channel in addition to quantity and quality, and the selection of appropriate algorithms are worth studying. (3) While considering product types, the research of a reverse logistics network of some products is urgently needed but inadequate, such as medical and furniture products. (4) As for cutting-edge technologies, the application of new technologies, such as intelligent remanufacturing technology and big data, will have a huge impact on the remanufacturing of a reverse logistics network and needs to be considered in our research.

Automated summary

This article reviews 125 papers on the design of remanufacturing reverse logistics networks, and concludes that functional nodes and network structure, mathematical models, product types, and cutting-edge technologies are the key aspects in related studies.