Planning the Regeneration Processes of Complex Capital Goods

The condition of complex capital goods deteriorates during their operation. In light of scarce resources and the high residual value of used goods at the end of a life cycle, the primary goal is to restore or “regenerate” as many parts of the goods as possible so that their functional characteristics can be maintained or even improved. The characteristics of this regeneration—e.g., different repair paths or a high variance concerning the functionality of goods—create difficult challenges when planning regeneration processes. Due to the characteristics, planning approaches known for the remanufacturing of often low-value goods are not applicable for the regeneration. In this article we present the primary problems of the corresponding planning tasks and solution-targeted approaches to solve these problems. More precisely, we develop an embracing capacity and load-adjustment method for these regeneration processes, considering different planning horizons. In addition, we present a framework that demonstrates how to identify the most profitable regeneration requests. Furthermore, we concentrate on the selection of different regeneration modes that can be applied to regenerate capital goods. Finally, we address design options for capacity and load adjustment in the regeneration processes and the pool management. All planning and control approaches together represent a holistic planning approach for regeneration processes.