Project based remanufacturing planning and optimization

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Project-based management is an effective approach for managing and control activities with precedence and other relationship such as resource sharing, quality control and workforce distribution. Project-based management approach is widely used in manufacturing, construction, IT development and other industries. The industry partner, Ontario Northland Refurbishment and Remanufacturing Centre, a major Canadian rail equipment manufacturer and supplier, produces high quality passenger and freight cars for many regional and national rail operators in Canada and in North America. Production of new and "as-good-as-new" products through manufacturing and remanufacturing normally requires less energy and less materials than that using new materials and components only. Hence remanufacturing practice has less carbon footprint than traditional manufacturing. Production management and control of with remanufacturing activities, however, are more complex and challenging. Problem solving through numerical modeling and mathematical analysis is a scientific and effective tool for management decision support. Research in general multi-project resource-constrained project scheduling problems is extensive while existing models and solution methodologies do not incorporate various requirements arising from production systems with remanufacturing activities. Developing proper numerical models, optimization schemes and effective solution methods to solve production related problems with significant remanufactuirng activities is the focus of this proposed research. The research results in terms of model and solution methodology development for the considered production systems will enhance the company's decision making process to further reduce production cost and maintain a smooth workforce in consolidating its competitiveness in the sustainable rail equipment manufacturing business. Numerical and analytical results will also contribute in research area of multi-project resource-constrained project scheduling and management of hybrid manufacturing/remanufacturing systems.