A Method for Resolving Gene Mutation Conflicts of Retired Mechanical Parts: Generalized Remanufacturing Scheme Design Oriented Toward Resource Reutilization

Lei Wang, Yunke Qi, Yuyao Guo (), Zelin Zhang and Xuhui Xia
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Lei Wang: Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
Yunke Qi: Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
Yuyao Guo: Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
Zelin Zhang: Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China
Xuhui Xia: Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-27

Abstract: The widespread scrapping of retired mechanical parts has led to severe waste of resources and environmental burdens, posing a significant challenge to sustainable industrial development. To enable efficient recycling of retired mechanical parts and enhance the sustainability of their remanufacturing processes, the concept of biological genes is adopted to characterize the changes in the information of retired mechanical parts during the remanufacturing process as gene mutations of parts, aiming to maximize remanufacturing potential and devise an optimal generalized remanufacturing strategy for extending part life cycles. However, gene mutation of retired mechanical parts is not an isolated event. The modification of local genes may disrupt the original equilibrium of the part’s state, leading to conflicts such as material–performance, structure–function/performance, and function–performance. These conflicts constitute a major challenge and bottleneck in designing generalized remanufacturing schemes. Therefore, we propose a conflict identification and resolution method for gene mutation of retired mechanical parts. First, gene mutation graph of retired mechanical parts is established to express its all-potential remanufacturing pathways. Using discrimination rules and the element representation method from extenics, mutation conflicts are identified, and a conflict problem model is constructed. Then, the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) engineering parameters are reconstructed and mapped to the mutation conflict parameters. The semantic mapping between the inventive principles and the transforming bridges is established by the Word2Vec algorithm, thereby improving the transforming bridge method to generate conflict resolution solutions. A coexistence degree function of transforming bridges is proposed to verify the feasibility of the resolution solutions. Finally, taking the generalized remanufacturing of a retired gear shaft as an example, we analyze and discuss the process and outcome of resolving gene mutation conflicts, thereby verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed concepts and methodology.

Keywords: generalized remanufacturing; retired mechanical part genes; conflict resolution; transforming bridge; TRIZ; resource reuse (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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