CINEMA – Towards circular economy via ecodesignand sustainable remanufacturing

Remanufacturing is an essential part of the concept circular economy. Conventional economic systems used to be based on a linear “takemake – dispose” production model. Products and production were based only on the initial use of the product and recycling is segregated from production. For the circular economy, however, there is a difference between the consumption and use of materials, and the circular economy is based on the sustainable use of resources.

According to the pronciples of circular economy, the circulation of products and raw materials can be promoted in 4 (or 5) ways (Sitra 2014):

1. Maintain:  Build  products  to  last  longer  without  repairsand  offer  maintenance  services  to  prolong  product  lifecycles enabling longer use by the same owner.

2. Reuse/redistribute: Reuse the product for the same pur-pose on the resale markets.

3. Remanufacture/refurbish: Plan the product life cycle asseveral life cycles and resell the product after thorough-going refurbishment or remanufacture.

4. Recycle:  Recycle  product  materials  for  reuse  and  de-sign products so that their materials are easy to sort. For biological materials, it would also be important to con-sider how to ensure the safe and sustainable return of nutrients to the nutrient cycle following their optimal use.

In addition to these four, cascade is often considered to be the fifth way to promote circulation, meanin: Make use of a material or parts of it in another value chain, when it can no longer be used in the original sector.

Remanufacturing is an industrial process by which a used, worn or non-functional product or part is returned to a ‘like-new’ or ‘better-than-new’ condition.

According to one definition stated by the British Standard Institution (BS 8887-2), remanufacturing is an industrial practice of:
“Returning a product to at least its original performance with a warranty that is
equivalent or better than that of the newly manufactured product.”

meaning that warranty given by the remanufacturer is the essential feature that separates remanufacturing from normal repair process.

The scale of the implemention of industrial remanufacturing has been relatively small, but is has a large potential. According to The Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) and a conservative scenario, remanufacturing could bring 165–225 million € in additional sales for the Finnish machinery and equipment industry.

Centria, Riitta Saarelainen, Bachelor’s thesis

Kiertotalouden edistämissuunnitelma metalliteollisuuden toimijoille: Elinkaarimallin selvitys liiketoimintamallin mahdollisuutena EU:n tulevaisuudensuunnitelmien perusteella(in Finnish)

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Centria, Mier González Raquel, Bachelor’s thesis

Applicability of polymer-ceramic composite coatings to repair metal components

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LTU, Fedina, Tatiana, Licentiate thesis

Laser beam-material interaction in Powder Bed Fusion

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Tampere University, Andrea Gómez Fernándezin M.Sc. thesis

Automated remanufacturing and upgrading of large industrial equipment

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Jonne Näkki

Uudelleenvalmistusalan ReMaTec-messut ja ICoR-konferenssi Amsterdamissa (in Finnish)

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Jonne Näkki

Uudelleenvalmistus osana kiertotaloutta ja vähähiilisyyteen pyrkimistä (in Finnish)

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Prasad Himani Siva, Brückner Frank, Kaplan Alexander

Blown powder directed energy deposition on various substrate conditions

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Fedina Tatiana, Sundqvist Jesper, Kaplan Alexander

The role of powder morphology in particle movement behavior in laser powder bed fusion with an emphasis on fluid drag

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Fedina Tatiana, Sundqvist Jesper, Kaplan Alexander

Spattering and oxidation phenomena during recycling of low alloy steel powder in Laser Powder Bed Fusion