Remanufacturing is the process of rebuilding a product to match the original specifications using a mix of reused, repaired, and new parts. It involves fixing or replacing parts that are worn out or no longer suitable. Components that affect the product’s performance or lifespan are replaced. Remanufacturing is a type of product recovery that is unique because it aims to make the product as good as a new one.

In 1995, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started the Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) program. This program encourages using materials from solid waste to reduce waste and save resources. It also ensures that materials collected through recycling are used to make new products. The EPA must identify products that can be made with recovered materials and suggest ways to buy these items. Once a product is approved, state and federal agencies must buy it with the highest possible amount of recovered materials.

In 2004, the EPA updated its CPG program for the third time (CPG IV). This update added seven new product categories and revised three existing ones. One new category was "Rebuilt Vehicular Parts." The EPA defines these parts as vehicle components that are remanufactured using original parts. These parts go through detailed testing and must meet the same performance standards as new parts.

In the UK, the remanufacturing industry has a potential value of up to 5.6 billion pounds. Benefits include better business profits, higher income, and more reliable supply. Between 2009 and 2011, the U.S. remanufacturing industry grew by 15%. In 2020, remanufacturing made up 2% of all manufacturing in the United States and 1.9% in the European Union.

Definition

Many sources describe remanufacturing, but the first published report on the topic, written by R. Lund in 1984, explains it as "an industrial process in which worn-out products are restored to like-new condition." In this process, a product is completely taken apart in a factory. Usable parts are cleaned, repaired, and stored. Then, the product is put back together using old parts and new parts if needed to create a unit that works as well as or better than the original new product.

The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) noticed that people from different countries sometimes had trouble communicating about remanufacturing because terms could mean different things in different places. In 2013, APRA helped solve this issue by creating a list of common translations in many languages to help people in the automotive industry understand each other better.

The word "rebuilding" is an older term for remanufacturing. It is still often used in the automotive industry. For example, APRA uses the term "rebuild/remanufacture" on its website to avoid confusion.

The term "rebuilding" is also used by railway companies. For example, a steam locomotive might be rebuilt with a new boiler, or a diesel locomotive might be rebuilt with a new engine. This process saves money because parts like the frame and other components can still be used for many years. It also allows for better technology, such as engines that use less fuel, produce less pollution, and work more reliably. Recent examples include British Rail Class 57 and British Rail Class 43 locomotives.

Types of remanufacturing

There are three main types of remanufacturing activities, each with different challenges in how the work is done.

• Remanufacturing that keeps the product's original identity
• This method involves rebuilding a current machine based on an older model, giving it the same improvements, expected lifespan, and warranty as a new machine. The physical structure, such as the chassis or frame, is checked for damage. The entire product is restored, and important parts are repaired, upgraded, or replaced. Any flaws in the original design are fixed. This approach is used for customized remanufacturing of items like machine tools, airplanes, computer mainframes, large medical equipment, and other expensive goods. Because each item is unique, this type of product recovery is treated as a special project.

• Remanufacturing that changes the product's original identity
• In this method, used items are taken apart into specific parts, which are then repaired and stored for later use in making new products. This is common for items like car parts, photocopiers, toner cartridges, furniture, cameras, and personal computers. Once the items are disassembled and the parts are recovered, the process continues with steps similar to original manufacturing. These parts are kept in inventory, just like new parts, and are ready for final assembly. This type of remanufacturing has challenges in managing parts inventory and planning the order of disassembly. Questions remain about how similar parts are across different product generations, the uncertainty of receiving used items, and how these factors affect production planning. The National Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (C3R) at Rochester Institute of Technology is studying remanufacturing processes, including testing standards for remanufactured products.

• Repetitive remanufacturing that keeps the product's original identity
• This method includes the challenge of planning the order of tasks that depend on each other and identifying where to store parts temporarily. There is a clear difference between repetitive remanufacturing that keeps the product's identity and a full product overhaul. The final product looks and functions like a new one and comes with a warranty similar to a new product.

Remanufacturing by recoating worn engine parts
In addition to these types, there is a less common method: remanufacturing by recoating worn engine parts. This method is used for engine parts and other large, expensive components that wear down over time. For example, engine blocks, especially the parts that form the cylinder, must withstand high heat and pressure from combustion. Instead of throwing away these parts, they are reused by coating them with a process called plasma transferred wire arc spraying (PTWA). This method is also used in aviation and for geothermal pipes.