Modeling and Optimization of Sustainable Reverse Logistics Enterprise

逆向物流 (RL) 是收集、检查、分类和处置从消费者到零售商或制造商的退回和/或使用过的产品的过程。过去几十年来，逆向物流中产品回收和处置的重要性正在稳步增长（2016 年，仅在美国，逆向物流成本就高达 9020 亿美元，请参阅 https://www.hollingsworthllc.com/guide-reverse-logistics/）。逆向物流被视为可持续发展的重要贡献者，可持续发展可以被定义为“满足当代人的需求而不损害子孙后代满足其自身需求的能力”的能力。 制造商收集旧产品进行再利用或回收有三个主要原因：(i) 政府或环保组织实施的产品回收法，例如针对原始设备制造商 (OEM) 的废弃电气和电子设备 (WEEE) 指令。根据该指令，OEM有责任收集其使用过的产品并保持环境清洁； (ii) 通过再利用或回收材料可产生的利润； (iii) 成为具有环保意识的公司的重要性。这些动机包括公司有必要将强化学习活动纳入其简介中，以通过再利用或回收旧产品来获取生态、经济和社会效益。 只有做出正确的处置选择并有效地退回产品，制造商才能从 RL 中获益。导致强化学习计划实施复杂性的因素包括：时间的可变性、退回产品的数量和质量。虽然制造系统已经达到了高水平的效率和有效性，但强化学习活动或再制造系统仍然远远落后。这是由于一系列原因造成的，包括：缺乏完善的绩效衡量模型、独特的预测模型和框架以及采用新技术或新兴技术。 该研究项目旨在通过采用更全面的建模技术和方法来理解和解决强化学习的复杂性。将使用基于代理的仿真和建模技术、元启发式方法、随机运筹学以及数字孪生等其他技术和技术。它还提倡再制造商之间以及再制造商和学术界之间加强合作，以提高强化学习设计和运营的效率和效果。概括地说，拟议的研究计划旨在支持可持续性并最大限度地提高逆向物流企业的盈利能力。这反过来又会提升制造商的社会、“绿色”或“生态”形象。

Reverse logistics (RL) is the process of collection, inspection, sorting and disposition of returned and/or used products from the consumer to a retailer or manufacturer. The importance of product recovery and disposition in reverse logistics is steadily growing since the past few decades (in 2016, in USA alone, RL costs have been $902 billion, see https://www.hollingsworthllc.com/guide-reverse-logistics/). Reverse logistics is seen as a vital contributor to sustainability, which can be defined as the ability to "meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." There are three main reasons for a manufacturer to collect used products for reuse or recycle: (i) the product take-back laws imposed by government or environmental organizations, like the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive on the original equipment manufacturers (OEM). Under this directive, OEM take responsibility to collect their used products and keep the environment clean; (ii) the profit that can be generated by reusing or recovering material; and (iii) the importance of falling under the banner of an environmentally conscious company. These motives encompass the necessity for a company to include RL activities in its profile to seize the ecological, economic and social benefits from reusing or recycling a used product. Manufactures may reap benefits of RL only if correct disposition options are made and the return of products is done effectively. The factors that cause complexity in carrying out a RL program include: variability of the time, the quantity, and the quality of returned products. While manufacturing systems have reached a high level of efficiency and effectiveness, RL activities or remanufacturing systems are still far behind. This is due to an array of reasons including: lack of well-established performance measurement models, distinctive forecasting models and frameworks, and adoption of new or emerging technologies. This research program aims at understanding and addressing RL intricacies by employing more comprehensive modeling techniques and approaches. Agent-based simulation and modeling techniques, meta-heuristics methods, stochastic operations research, and other techniques and technologies such as digital twin will be used. It also advocates for more collaboration among remanufacturers and between remanufacturers and academics to improve efficiency and effectiveness of RL design and operation. To recapitulate, the proposed research program aims at supporting sustainability and maximizing reverse logistics enterprise profitability. This in turn shall enhance the social, "green," or "eco" image of the manufacturers.