Multifactory Remanufacturing Process Optimization Considering Worker Scheduling

Multifactory remanufacturing is a widely adopted sustainable manufacturing approach nowadays. Its complexity lies in coordinating the dismantling, remanufacturing, and resource circulation among factories to maximize resource reuse and minimize environmental impact. Proper worker scheduling is crucial in this process to ensure efficient workflow and maximal resource utilization. This study proposes and addresses an optimization problem for multifactory remanufacturing considering worker scheduling, which is mainly divided into two parts: worker scheduling and remanufacturing process optimization (MRPO). A mixed-integer programming (MIP) mathematical model is established with the objective of profit maximization. A discrete battle royale optimization (BRO) algorithm is proposed to solve this problem, with a novel encoding structure and three soldier search strategies devised to better search for the optimal solution. The correctness of the model is validated through experiments on cases of different scales and comparisons with the IBM CPLEX optimizer. Furthermore, comparisons with the carnivorous plant algorithm (CPA), whale optimization algorithm (WAO), dingo optimization algorithm, and migrating bird optimization algorithm demonstrate the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.