Optimising the value of remanufactured products

Remanufacturing is different from other types of material recovery. Recycling, for example, breaks down a product and rebuilds as something new. Remanufacturing is the process of restoring a product to like-new condition or better. As a concept, it turns many long-standing business practices on their head. The economics, supply chain and business models, and vocabulary all need to be understood.

The project

This project focuses on understanding how best to manage products as they’re returned from the customer to a business.

The condition of products being returned always varies. At the moment, there’s no standard way of defining the condition of returned products. This is because it’s impossible to assess the conditions a product has been subjected to throughout its life. This makes it difficult to make decisions about the feasibility of remanufacturing, along with how best to go about remanufacturing a product to optimise its value.

The aim of this project is to develop a framework for determining the value of returned electrical and electronic products given a lack of knowledge of the products history.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll work with a leading IT disposal company who’ll provide data to support the project and cases for validation of the framework.

Eligibility

You must have a first or second class Honours degree (minimum 2.1) or an MSc with Distinction in:

- Industrial Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Engineering Management
- Operations Management
- Related and relevant mathematical/computational degree.
- Exposure to computer programming, statistical analysis, or manufacturing/remanufacturing systems as part of your previous curriculum would be of benefit.

You must also demonstrate enthusiasm, creativity, resourcefulness and a mature approach to learning.

Applicants must be available to start in October 2016.

You’ll also need to provide:

- a CV
- two reference letters
- a cover letter