In view of the increasing tendency to make use of second-hand items, we present a
schematic framework that models the possible reuse of an item considering its defective
condition, based on the delay time concept. A parallel between the traditional delay time
model for single-component systems and the proposed model for the reuse of items is
provided in order to emphasize our contribution. In general terms, our model may be applied
to any component that wears out over time and that may be replaced by a new one or by a …