Impact of automation during innovative remanufacturing processes in circular economy: a state of the art

TL;DR

This paper reviews how automation, especially cobots, impacts sustainable remanufacturing processes within the circular economy, highlighting challenges and opportunities for a more sustainable industry.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of automated remanufacturing's role in sustainability and formalizes an approach to integrating automation in remanufacturing processes.

Findings

Automation can enhance sustainability in remanufacturing.

Cobots are increasingly used in industry 4.0 remanufacturing.

Challenges include technological and economic barriers.

Abstract

With the increasing demand of raw materials nowadays, and the decrease in supplies, the industrial sector is suffering. The environment and the society are also indirectly affected. The goal to reach a sustainable development imposes several studies on the economic, environmental and community level. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing body of literature on automated remanufacturing, and its potential impacts on the three pillars of sustainability. A particular interest is given to the growing use of cobots promoted by the principle of industry 4.0. The investigation that covers each part of the remanufacturing process will help in formalizing an approach about the automation of such processes. It highlights the challenges found and aims to improve the remanufacturing sector towards a more sustainable industry.