Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous (De)(Re)Manufacturing of High-Value Products

The ‘what’ This PhD will develop reinforcement learning (RL) methods to enable robots to autonomously disassemble, repair, and remanufacture high-value products such as aerospace components, automotive systems, and electronics. The ‘why’ High-value products are often discarded or underutilised at end-of-life due to the complexity and cost of disassembly and remanufacturing. These processes are typically manual, requiring skilled operators to deal with variability, uncertainty, and incomplete information (e.g. unknown wear, hidden fasteners, or damage).

Advancing autonomous (de)(re)manufacturing is critical for enabling a circular economy, reducing waste, and lowering carbon emissions. Reinforcement learning offers a promising route to equip robots with the ability to learn adaptive strategies for complex, sequential tasks under uncertainty. This project addresses a key challenge: how to make RL robust, safe, and data-efficient enough for real-world remanufacturing applications.

The ‘who’ You will be based at Loughborough University, working within a multidisciplinary team spanning robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. Supervision will include experts in reinforcement learning, robotic manipulation, and sustainable manufacturing, with collaboration opportunities across UK research partners. Industry engagement and sponsorship The project will engage with industrial stakeholders in aerospace, automotive, and remanufacturing sectors, providing real-world components, use cases, and validation scenarios.

Opportunities for industrial placements or secondments will be available, ensuring strong alignment with industry needs. Aims and objectives Methodology (overview) The project will combine AI, robotics, and experimental validation: Skills and development You will gain expertise in: You will also develop transferable skills in interdisciplinary research, critical thinking, and collaboration with industry. Career pathways This PhD will prepare you for careers in: Why Loughborough Loughborough University provides a world-leading environment in manufacturing, robotics, and sustainability research.

You will benefit from: 94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021