Optimizing a reverse supply chain including quality assurance consideration

Reverse supply chain is a process dealing with the backward flows of used/damagedproducts or materials. Reverse supply chain includes activities such as collection, inspection, reprocess, disposal and redistribution. A well-organized reverse supply chain can provide important advantages such as economic and environmental ones. In this study, we propose a configuration in which quality assurance is a substantial operation to be fulfilled in the reverse chain so that to minimize the total costs of the reverse supply chain. A mathematical model is formulated for product return in reverse supply chainconsidering quality assurance. We consider a multilayer, multi-product for the model. The main objective of the paper is minimizing the total costs of reverse supply chain with respect to inspection.

Optimizing a reverse supply chain including quality assurance consideration Keywords:

Reverse Supply Chain , Product Return , Quality inspection , Mathematical Model