Design and implementation of a circular remanufacturing production lineCente Lovato, Ever Alexander (Avtor) Valentinčič, Joško (Mentor) Rejeb, Helmi Ben (Komentor) remanufacturingcircular economyindustry 4.0sustainable manufacturingproduction lineThe growing concern over resource scarcity and environmental damage has exposed the limitations of linear production models “take-make-dispose”. On this basis, circular economy and remanufacturing, provide effective solutions by extending product lifecycle, value preservation, and reducing the energy and materials consumption. This thesis presents the design and implementation of a pilot remanufacturing production line, with the objective of demonstrating its viability and evaluating its performance. A hydro turbine was selected as case study, and the remanufacturing stages – disassembly, diagnostic, cleaning, repairing, kitting, reassembly and quality control – were physically implemented, simulated and tested. Lean manufacturing principles were applied to improve workflow, while Industry 4.0 technologies were integrated to improve accuracy, ergonomics, quality, data management and decision-making. The experiments of remanufacturing confirmed the technical feasibility of circular remanufacturing chains and demonstrated their potential advantages over linear models. Measured indicators such as value-added time, Material Circularity Index, and carbon footprint revealed improvements in productivity, quality, and sustainability. Overall, the thesis contributes to bringing together theory and practice in circular economy by offering a replicable framework for research and education, supporting the ecological transition towards more sustainable and digitalized manufacturing systems.20252025-11-28 08:30:41Magistrsko delo/naloga176366UDK: 658.51:502:621.224-027.33(043.2)VisID: 279823COBISS_ID: 261620739sl