A mathematical model for aerospace product MRO scheduling with remanufacturing

The aerospace industry is pivotal for global transportation and is a cornerstone of high-tech industry growth in both developed and developing nations. Ensuring the integrity of aircraft products and components, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations is critical to the sector's success. This paper presents a linear programming model for scheduling aircraft C-check and D-check maintenance operations with multiple component treatment options: replacement, repair, and remanufacturing. Risk of component failure before the next maintenance is integrated into the model. The objective is to minimize maintenance cost while adhering to safety standards. The model also incorporates allocation of maintenance resources including labor and machinery capacities. Scenario analyses are conducted to assess varying parameters such as resource availability, unplanned maintenance costs, and penalty on the model solutions. The potential for remanufacturing to reduce maintenance expenses in MRO operations is evaluated. The main contribution of this work lies in its novel approach to integrating risk assessment with resource optimization in MRO scheduling with remanufacturing and in providing a comprehensive framework to enhance decision-making for MRO maintenance operations.