Reverse MRP under uncertain and imprecise demand

This paper presents an algorithm for scheduling the disassembly of discrete parts characterized by a well-defined product structure in an uncertain environment. Gupta and Taleb (Int J Prod Res 32(8):1857-1866, 1994) defined an algorithm, the reverse MRP, that can be applied to a product structure in which there is a certain demand for components and a need to know the number of products to disassemble in order to fulfill the demand for said components. Although they considered deterministic data, real information about the demand of used components is often ambiguous, vague or imprecise. To address this fact, we have re-formulated the reverse MRP algorithm using a fuzzy logic approach, incorporating imprecision and subjectivity into the model formulation and solution process. An extensive experimental framework is presented to illustrate the performance of the algorithm.