Towards cloud remanufacturing: economic feasibility of hybrid additive manufacturing-enabled metal component repair
研究通过混合增材-减材修复成本模型和供应链优化,评估了三种云再制造场景的经济可行性,发现分散协作在成本最优5%内且提升区域响应性,为管理者提供了成本、服务与质量权衡的决策工具。
Abstract Remanufacturing-as-a-Service promises scalable, lower-cost repair of metal components by coordinating distributed capabilities through a cloud platform. This paper formulates a quantitative, supply-chain optimization of cloud-enabled remanufacturing built on a hybrid additive–subtractive (ASM) repair cost model and evaluates three delivery scenarios: (i) centralized national hubs with hybrid ASM; (ii) collaborations with tier-one local facilities that own separate AM and SM equipment; and (iii) collaborations with tier-two local facilities that provide only partial capability, requiring multi-facility routing. Using a U.S. tooling and machinery case study, this paper quantitatively fuses stepwise ASM repair economics with strategic facility location under an explicit quality–cost trade-off, closing a gap between process modeling and supply-chain design in remanufacturing. Results show that across plausible freights and capital costs, decentralized collaborations remain within 5% of the cost optimum while improving regional responsiveness; longer planning horizons shift the near-optimal set toward 5–8 hubs, rather than a single national site. Sensitivity tests confirm that (a) higher transportation costs and longer horizons favor additional hubs, while (b) tighter accuracy thresholds steer volume to hybrid hubs or vetted tier-one partners. The model provides clear trigger points—based on accuracy targets, capital expenditures, and freight conditions—for deciding when to build new hubs versus contracting with local partners. It offers managers a robust tool to navigate the critical trade-offs between cost efficiency, service reach, and quality.