Remanufacturing in the Russian Truck Sector: Safety, Costs, and Supply Resilience

Researchers from NUST MISiS named after Vavilov, SSAU, and Kazan National Research Technological University have explored a technology intended to extend the life of metal‑intensive truck components by replacing worn parts with hot plastic deformation. The approach centers on restoring exhausted parts through a careful sequence: cleaning the worn region, butt welding to a wear‑compensation layer, heating the workpiece to the temperature required for plastic deformation, and then stamping, forging, annealing, trimming to nominal dimensions, and heat treating. The goal is to bring the restored part’s physical and mechanical properties into alignment with the original manufacturer specifications, with the potential to double service life and improve road safety. Economic sanctions on Russia have affected the domestic automotive sector by restricting the flow of components for manufacturing and repair. A joint notice from educational institutions, reported by socialbites.ca, indicates that KamAZ is among the entities impacted by these sanctions, highlighting the broader challenges faced by large vehicle producers in maintaining supply chains. Proponents claim that restoring a component could cost about 80 percent of a new part, yet KamAZ remains cautious about remanufacturing worn truck components, emphasizing safety and the need for extensive testing before any wide‑scale adoption. A KamAZ spokesperson stressed that the company concentrates on producing automotive components that meet stringent safety standards and that decisions on remanufacture require thorough evaluation and testing. The same spokesperson underscored the necessity of understanding how restored parts perform in service and what impact they may have on road safety. KamAZ maintains its own testing facilities to evaluate every component installed on its trucks, including both in‑house parts and those supplied by authorized suppliers, ensuring conformance with the factory’s standards. While acknowledging the promise of remanufacturing technologies, the official emphasized that any adoption would require robust verification, and the testing program could, in the future, serve to assess remanufactured parts should they be offered for evaluation. Industry observers note that remanufacturing practices are well established in other sectors, including consumer electronics, where major automakers also operate. The process can be laborious, as it involves sorting usable components from those beyond repair. Experts point to long industrial precedents as well as modern European practices, where major manufacturers have sustained comprehensive remanufacturing programs for decades. Engines and other critical assemblies are among the parts that can be restored under factory oversight, often with guarantees from the original equipment producer, and the cost of these remanufactured parts is typically lower than new components. For Scandinavian truck manufacturers, deep remanufacturing of end‑of‑life elements such as axles and gearboxes is a profitable venture. The method proposed by the Russian researchers is not new; automotive industry analysts have noted similar strategies for years. The central question remains whether remanufactured parts can compete on price with domestic or Chinese alternatives. If restoration proves cost‑effective, demand could grow, particularly in situations where spare parts are scarce due to supply constraints. Yet challenges persist in sourcing certain components for KamAZ trucks, especially those originally produced in foreign facilities. Russia’s own production base covers a large share of KamAZ components, but issues remain with parts tied to foreign partnerships, including those related to axle and gearbox systems previously produced through collaboration with international manufacturers. Overall, the emerging remanufacturing concept is seen as a pathway worth closer scrutiny. It could provide a resilient option during supply disruptions, provided that restored parts meet safety and reliability benchmarks and demonstrate clear economic advantages over current supply arrangements.