Shuker, Simon (2024) The Role of Emerging Advanced Technologies in Facilitating the Remanufacture and Upgrade of End-of-use Electro-Mechanical and Mechanical Equipment, Tooling and Assets. How Successfully are These Emerging Advanced Technologies Contributing to the Adoption of Advanced Methods of Remanufacturing. Masters thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
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Abstract
With the accepted need for a sustainable approach to manufacture with consideration for increasingly limited natural resources, the application of ‘remanufacture’ is becoming an increasingly important route for end-of-life whole vehicles, assemblies, tools, or materials. We can define the term in many ways but ‘remanufacture’ can be usefully described as ‘ a process of returning a used product back to at least as-new condition’ (Scottish Institute for Manufacturing), and Ijomah et al, 2005 gives us a good basis for consideration of the process (Appendix 15). If we couple this increasing scrutiny on resource use to the spreading digitisation within manufacturing, following advanced technology advancing control, automation and data handling methods, then we would seem to have two potentially divergent themes, sustainable use of resource against the rising cost, resource and energy demands of the new technologies, techniques and approaches. Costs could indeed increasingly outstrip any advances we can make in the already successful re-use of materials by remanufacture. This research will undertake a literature review to set out some current themes in remanufacture, and current thinking within remanufacture as advanced manufacturing techniques and advances are improving efficiency in the traditional remanufacture processes. Having defined the current situation, the research will then extend into a critical view of comparative paths of improvement of remanufacture, or otherwise, in adopting the advanced manufacturing techniques. The themes of carbon reduction and energy efficiency within manufacturing are likely to impact on future business thinking on advanced manufacturing methods – but can degrees of adoption be raised by easing the barriers to re-manufacture, increasing the sustainability of advanced manufacturing technology advances from introduction to wider take-up within any business? Are view will be made on the effects of common global and UK Government support and how this might promote -or deter – re-manufacture using advanced manufacturing across the UK. To research the current reman uptake across manufacturers and professionals in industry, I engaged in some primary research to seek their views, take-up of reman and advanced technologies, and their wider opinions on remanufacturing. This was informative and pivotal to my full understanding of the impact – or otherwise – of advanced technology on the take up of reman across industry. A view will be taken on how business models are changing due to emerging remanufacture opportunities and will need to evolve further as reman develops to match new capabilities becoming available to reman practitioners. Processes are emerging that may be financially viable, or acceptable viable in resource or other considerations, due to the introduction of advanced manufacturing technologies. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds can change nothing” Ref: George Bernard Shaw 1944
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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| Subjects: | T Technology > TS Manufactures |
| Divisions: | Theses and Dissertations > Masters Dissertations |
| Depositing User: | Victoria Hankinson |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Jan 2025 16:01 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jan 2025 16:01 |
| URI: | https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/3333 |
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