Research Talks

Research talks

Sessions will feature presentations and posters from researchers and PhD students, covering the following topics:

Circular economy and remanufacturing innovation
Digital transformation (AI, IoT, data analytics) applied to remanufacturing
Technical and industrial approaches to sustainability
Collaborative European–African projects
Workforce development and educational initiatives

The event also includes student-led management and an opportunity for young researchers to present and network with industrial experts.

Sessions

Session	Theme	Date	Time	Talks
S1	Barriers and challenges to market uptake	7 Oct	10:40-11:50	4
S2	Reverse logistics, operations and circular sourcing	7 Oct	11:50-13:00	4
S3	Digital ecosystems, DPPs and distributed remanufacturing	7 Oct	15:30-16:40	4
S4	AI, robotics and human-centred automation	7 Oct	17:00-18:30	5
S5	Inspection, certification and advanced repair	8 Oct	09:30-10:40	4
S6	Design for remanufacturing, disassembly and re-functionalisation	8 Oct	11:00-12:10	4
S7	Energy, critical materials and material reclamation	8 Oct	12:10-13:20	4
S8	Healthcare, water and essential-service systems	8 Oct	15:20-16:50	5
S9	Circular infrastructure, construction and Europe-Africa implementation ecosystems	8 Oct	17:10-18:55	6

Session details

S1. Barriers and challenges to market uptake

7 October 2026 | 10:40-11:35 | 3 oral contributions

The opening technical session establishes the strategic case for remanufacturing, linking resilience, resource security, market uptake, policy and the sustained exploitation of circular business models.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Antonino Valenza

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
65	Bridging Europe and Africa: Overcoming Barriers to Remanufacturing through Innovation Networks and SME Support Monica Favaro; Marco Gorini CNR-ICMATE, National Research Council of Italy, Padova, Italy; Veneto Innovazione S.p.A., Venezia, Italy
57	Challenges of digital tools for remanufacturing-oriented circular business models: insights from the DiCiM project A. Klapalova; R. Skapa Department of Business Management, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
67	A Modular, Life-Cycle-Oriented Framework for Structuring Sustainability Instruments Sara Respondek Digital Product Development – Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, Trier University of Applied Sciences, Germany

S2. Reverse logistics, operations and circular sourcing

7 October 2026 | 11:30-13:00 | 5 oral contributions

This session moves from strategy to execution through reverse logistics, operational improvement, circular sourcing and a quantified industrial machine-tool remanufacturing case.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Alberto Baesso

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
10	Strategic Reverse Logistics for Remanufacturing: Challenges, Management, and Value Recovery in Independent and OEM Contexts E. Bassey; W. Ijomah Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
45	From Import Dependency to Circular Sourcing: Disassembly Planning for Automotive Engine Remanufacturing under Spare-Parts Supply Chain Frictions I. Zouaghi; O. Okorie; K. Govindan; S. Fosso Wamba Ecole Nationale Polytechnique, Algiers, Algeria; University of Manchester, United Kingdom; Adelaide University, Australia and University of Southern Denmark, Denmark; TBS Business School, Toulouse, France
61	CNC retrofit as industrial remanufacturing: two woodworking machining centres returned to the market as new machines V. Ottaviano Meckatronic S.r.l., Ragusa, Italy
41	Optimising Remanufacturing Processes through an Integrated Theory of Constraints, Lean and Six Sigma Model: An Empirical Investigation A. M. Goni; W. Ijomah Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
7	Designing Climate Information Services: A Case for Service Remanufacturing from Northern Ghana S. Di Dio; P. La Scala Department of Architecture, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

S3. Digital ecosystems, DPPs and distributed remanufacturing

7 October 2026 | 15:30-16:40 | 4 oral contributions

A coherent digital thread connects product identification, Digital Product Passports, data spaces, distributed capability matching and industrial deployment.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Ignazio Infantino

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
8	Remanufacturing-X: An Operational Framework for Digitally Enabled Circular Manufacturing Ecosystems José Ferreira; Claudio Sassaneli; Miguel A. Mateo-Casali; Raul Poler; Ricardo Jardim-Goncalves UNINOVA-CTS and LASI, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal; Politecnico di Bari, Italy; Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain
11	Configurable Digital Product Passports to Support the Identification, Treatment and Valorisation Workflows of Used Equipment W. Sterkens; M. Benkedadra; H. Qin; D. J. Diaz-Romero; J. R. Peeters Life Cycle Engineering, KU Leuven; EAVISE, PSI, KU Leuven; Flanders Make@KU Leuven; Leuven Centre for Affordable Sustainable Technology (CAST), Belgium
30	Advancing Circular Printer Remanufacturing Through Digital Technologies M. Furkel Xerox
46	RemaNet: Enabling Distributed Remanufacturing through a Federated Digital Platform C. Cimino; L. Bernini; P. Albertelli Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

S4. AI, robotics and human-centred automation

7 October 2026 | 17:00-18:30 | 5 oral contributions

The session combines AI-enabled decisions, Industry 4.0 learning environments, robotic disassembly, multimodal intelligence and human-centred ergonomic considerations.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Carmelo Mineo

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
5	AI for Remanufacturing Decision Support C. Ikotun Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria
29	Adaptive Robotic Disassembly of Electric Vehicle Batteries as an Enabler for Remanufacturing and Circular Value Recovery A. Rastegarpanah; C. Mineo; C. A. Contreras; A. Aflakian; A. Shaarawy; G. Paragliola; R. Stolkin Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Extreme Robotics Lab, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; ICAR-CNR, Palermo, Italy
27	Artificial Intelligence in Automotive New Product Development: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions R. Kannadasan; V. Sudhir; V. Pattabiraman; P. Vagheswara Subramanian Academy for Product Development & Technology Excellence, Institute of Quality & Leadership, TVS Motor Company, Hosur, India
32	The role of design in Remanufacturing: towards an integrated eco-design approach through “Synthesis” G. Gobbo; C. Proserpio; A. Baesso Product System Design, ISIA Roma Design, Pordenone, Italy; Società Italiana Remanufacturing (SIR), Galati Mamertino, Italy
58	Addressing ergonomic challenges for AI-Driven circular manufacturing: experiences from the DiCiM Project M. Krčal; A. Klapalova Department of Business Management, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

S5. Inspection, certification and advanced repair

8 October 2026 | 09:45-10:40 | 3 oral contributions

The technical backbone of high-value remanufacturing is addressed through diagnosis, embedded and non-contact NDT, qualification, certification and advanced repair.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Carmelo Mineo

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
28	From Worn Part to Local Production: Mobile Hybrid Remanufacturing for Resilient Spare-Part Supply M. Witt Technical Development, METROM Mechatronische Maschinen GmbH, Hartmannsdorf, Germany
43	Non-Destructive Testing for Certification of Remanufactured High-Value Metal Components by Laser Thermography and Ultrasound N. Montinaro; D. Cerniglia; G. Pitarresi; M. Ferraro Institute for Advanced Energy Technologies Nicola Giordano (ITAE-CNR), Palermo, Italy; Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Italy
51	Embedded NDT as an Enabler for Adaptive Remanufacturing J. L. Lanzagorta; I. Sanchez; I. Aizpurua-Maestre; J. Mendikute; U. Iparaguirre IDEKO, member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance, Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa, Spain

S6. Design for remanufacturing, disassembly and re-functionalisation

8 October 2026 | 10:45-11:55 | 4 oral contributions

The contributions examine how design choices support separability, disassembly, product-life extension, re-functionalisation and safe remanufacturing pathways.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Ignazio Infantino

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
16	Recyclable Structural Adhesives for Design for Disassembly and Remanufacturing Applications M. Luciano; R. Miranda; V. Fiore; A. Valenza Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
19	Fashion Remanufacturing within the Circular Economy Context R. Mossotti; E. Tortarolo; A. G. Zanola; G. Dalla Fontana; T. Battistini STIIMA-CNR, Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, Biella, Italy; Aquafil SpA, Arco, Italy
33	Multimodal Artificial Intelligence for Disassembly Cycle Definition in Automotive Remanufacturing M. Caterino; V. De Simone; A. Baesso; R. Macchiaroli; M. Fera Department of Engineering, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy; Società Italiana Remanufacturing (SIR), Galati Mamertino, Italy
40	Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design criteria for re-functionalization strategies in remanufacturing I. Zanoni; M. Perucca; M. Blosi; S. Ortelli; M. Nicola; P. Mantecca; M. Gualtieri; R. Bengalli; F. Garaventa; C. Gambardella; J. Koivisto; M. Eliat; A. L. Costa CNR-ISSMC, Faenza, Italy; Project HUB360, Avigliana, Italy; University of Turin, Italy; Adamantio srl, Turin, Italy; University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy; CNR-IRBIM, Genoa, Italy; ARCHE Consulting, Belgium; University of Helsinki, Finland

S7. Energy, critical materials and material reclamation

8 October 2026 | 11:55-13:20 | 5 oral contributions

The workshop’s broader material-reclamation scope is used to connect energy storage, secondary feedstocks, critical raw materials and circular resource recovery while preserving terminological clarity.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Antonino Valenza

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
13	Identifying and Categorising the Challenges Associated with Flow Battery Remanufacturing Using PESTEL Analysis J. Agbonrofo; W. Ijomah Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
15	Remanufacturing second-generation biocomposites from salt-fog aged flax composites V. Fiore; I. Kovinchuk; F. Sarasini Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Italy; Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
34	Novel route for the sustainable production of noble metal functional materials from automotive spent catalysts A. Di Nardo; L. P. Di Bonito; G. Ruoppolo; F. Migliardini; F. Di Natale; G. Landi Institute of Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy and Mobility, CNR, Naples, Italy; Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
60	Reclaiming marine magnesium minerals for safe, sustainable, and circular production of chemicals: the MareMag LIFE project G. Battaglia; A. Cipollina; G. Micale; A. Tamburini; F. Vicari Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; ResourSEAs S.r.l., Palermo, Italy
66	Life Cycle Assessment, Critical Raw Materials Assessment and Safe and Sustainable by Design Framework for Supporting Europe-Africa Remanufacturing S. Fiameni; F. Visentin; S. Battiston; M. Favaro; M. Losurdo CNR, Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (ICMATE), Padova, Italy

S8. Healthcare, water and essential-service systems

8 October 2026 | 15:20-16:50 | 5 oral contributions

This block focuses on essential services where remanufacturing can strengthen access and resilience, including medical equipment, healthcare infrastructure, heat exchangers and membranes.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Winifred Ijomah

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
6	A Circular Framework for Sustainable Biomedical Equipment Remanufacturing to Advance Healthcare Resilience in Resource-Constrained Settings: The Nigerian Context M. Akintunde Mechatronics Engineering Department, First Technical University, Ibadan, Nigeria
17	Circular Adaptability and Remanufacturing Readiness in Healthcare Infrastructure: RAF(+I) through the Lens of Tigray D. S. Negese; M. A. Barucco; D. Patassini Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Università Iuav di Venezia, Venice, Italy
37	Remanufacturing of Heat Exchanger using polymeric legacy printers A. Fotia; G. Di Bella; G. Palomba; V. Palomba National Research Council, Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy “Nicola Giordano” (CNR-ITAE), Italy; University of Messina, Italy
52	Assessing the Circular Economy Viability of Medical Device Remanufacturing in Nigerian Health Sector C. S. Ajaelu; A. O. Coker; A. O. Lawanson; W. L. Ijomah Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom
59	Remanufacturing concept in membrane technology: sustainable practices and circular processes for reuse A. Gugliuzza National Research Council, Institute on Membrane Technology Enrico Drioli (CNR-ITM), Rende, Italy

S9. Circular infrastructure, construction and Europe-Africa implementation ecosystems

8 October 2026 | 17:10-18:05 | 3 oral contributions

The closing technical session brings together circular urban systems, infrastructure, construction, Europe-Africa implementation ecosystems and sustainable lightweight structural materials. It provides a bridge to the third-day discussions on capacity building, business models, funding and societal adoption.

Presentation format: approx. 17.5 minutes per contribution – 13-15 minutes for the presentation, followed by brief questions and presenter changeover.

Chair: Carmelo Mineo

ID	Contribution, authors and affiliations
18	Life Cycle Assessment of circular urban furniture solutions: a case study R. Rincione; C. Armenio; F. Guarino; S. Longo; M. Cellura Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
56	Enabling Construction Remanufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa through Circular Facilitators and Stakeholder Networks C. Jonathan Bauhaus Earth, Berlin, Germany
62	Remanufacturing of RC buildings using innovative materials: geopolymer sandwich panels E. Gentile; S. Benfratello; L. Palizzolo Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy