The impact of information transparency on the dynamic behaviour of a hybrid manufacturing/remanufacturing system

Abstract

A combined manufacturing/remanufacturing system is modelled and its dynamic behaviour is investigated using a control engineering approach. The model is an extension of the automated pipeline, inventory and order based production control system (APIOBPCS), which is well understood from a dynamic perspective. It is assumed that the remanufacturing process is based on a PUSH policy. Utilising different levels of information transparency from the remanufacturing process, three system types are developed and compared. Mathematical and simulation analyses of the system types were undertaken and their robustness to remanufacturing process uncertainties were tested. Our analysis indicates that the greater the degree of information transparency, the greater the robustness of the hybrid system.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous referees whose detailed critique has greatly improved the robustness of the paper. Prof. Naim would also like to thank the Royal Academy of Engineering for providing a Global Research Award for a 4-month sabbatical in the Department of Production Economics, Linköping Institute of Technology, Sweden.