Exact analysis of a two-workstation one-buffer flow line with parallel unreliable machines

This paper examines a model of a serial flow line with two workstations and an intermediate buffer. Each workstation consists of multiple unreliable parallel machines which are not necessarily identical, viz., the processing times, failure times and repair times of the parallel machines at each workstation are assumed to be exponentially distributed with non-identical mean rates. The system under consideration is solved via exact Markovian analysis. More specifically, a recursive algorithm that generates the transition matrix for any value of the intermediate buffer capacity is developed and all possible transition equations are derived and solved analytically. Once the transition equations are solved the performance measures of the model under consideration can be easily evaluated. This model may be used as a decomposition block for solving larger flow lines with parallel unreliable machines at each workstation.     

A robust decomposition method for the analysis of production lines with unreliable machines and finite buffers

We consider production lines consisting of a series of machines separated by finite buffers. The processing time of each machine is deterministic and all the machines have the same processing time. All machines are subject to failures. As is usually the case for production systems we assume that the failures are operation dependent [3,7]. Moreover, we assume that the times to failure and the repair times are exponentially distributed. To analyze such systems, a decomposition method was proposed by Gershwin [13]. The computational efficiency of this method was later significantly improved by the introduction of the socalled DDX algorithm [5,6]. In general, this method provides fairly accurate results. There are, however, cases for which the accuracy of this decomposition method may not be acceptable. This is the case when the reliability parameters (average failure time and average repair time) of the different machines have different orders of magnitude. Such a situation may be encountered in real production lines. In [8], an improvement of Gershwin's original decomposition method has been proposed that in general provides more accurate results in the above mentioned situation. This other method is referred to as the Generalized Exponential (GE) method. The basic difference between the GEmethod and that of Gershwin is that it uses a twomoment approximation instead of a singlemoment approximation of the repair time distributions of the equivalent machines. There are, however, still cases for which the accuracy of the GEmethod is not as good as expected. This is the case, for example, when the buffer sizes are too small in comparison with the average repair time. We present in this paper a new decomposition method that is based on a better approximation of the repair time distributions. This method uses a threemoment approximation of the repair time distributions of the equivalent machines. Numerical results show that the new method is very robust in the sense that it seems to provide accurate results in all situations.     

Multi-state throughput analysis of a two-stage manufacturing system with parallel unreliable machines and a finite buffer

This paper models and analyzes the throughput of a two-stage manufacturing system with multiple independent unreliable machines at each stage and one finite-sized buffer between the stages. The machines follow exponential operation, failure, and repair processes. Most of the literature uses binary random variables to model unreliable machines in transfer lines and other production lines. This paper first illustrates the importance of using more than two states to model parallel unreliable machines because of their independent and asynchronous operations in the parallel system. The system balance equations are then formulated based on a set of new notations of vector manipulations, and are transformed into a matrix form fitting the properties of the Quasi-Birth–Death (QBD) process. The Matrix-Analytic (MA) method for solving the generic QBD processes is used to calculate the system state probability and throughput. Numerical cases demonstrate that solution method is fast and accurate in analyzing parallel manufacturing systems, and thus prove the applicability of the new model and the effectiveness of the MA-based method. Such multi-state models and their solution techniques can be used as a building block for analyzing larger, more complex manufacturing systems.     

Approximate analysis of unreliable transfer lines with splits in the flow of material

This paper presents a Markov process model and an approximate decomposition technique for a discrete material transfer line with limited buffer capacity. A fraction of the parts processed at some stations in the line may be scrapped or reworked at dedicated machines to meet product quality requirements. Reworked parts are not sent back into the main line. This leads to splits in the flow of material. Processing times are deterministic and identical for all machines and are taken as the time unit. Machine specific times to failure and to repair are geometrically distributed. The model is analyzed through a decomposition into twomachine systems. We develop new decomposition equations for machines performing split operations. Production rates and inventory levels are computed and compared to simulation results. The results indicate that the method produces useful results for a variety of systems.     

Efficiency and production rate of a transfer line with two machines and a finite storage buffer

A markov model for a transfer line with two unreliable machines separated by a finite storage size buffer is introduced. Service time distribution for the two machines is Erlang whereas failure and repair times are assumed to be exponential random variables. The paper presents an efficient method to solve analytically the steady state probabilities of the system. This method is independent of the buffer size. We also include in the paper a study of the behavior of some systems performance measures such as the efficiency of the two machines and the production rate of the system.     

Modeling and analysis of multi‐stage transfer lines with unreliable machines and finite buffers

This paper models and analyzes multistage transfer lines with unreliable machines and finite buffers. The machines have exponential operation, failure, and repair processes. First, a mixed vector–scalar Markov process model is presented based on some notations of mixed vector–scalar operations. Then, several steadystate system properties are deduced from this model. These include the reversibility and duality of transfer lines, conservation of flow, and the flow rate–idle time relationship. Finally, a fourstage transfer line case is used to compare and evaluate the accuracy of some approximation methods presented in the literature with the exact numerical solutions this model can provide. The properties and their proofs in this paper lay the theoretic foundation for some widely held assumptions in decomposition techniques of long transfer lines in the area of manufacturing systems engineering.     

Optimal management of the machine repair problem with working vacation: Newton’s method

This paper studies the M/M/1 machine repair problem with working vacation in which the server works with different repair rates rather than completely terminating the repair during a vacation period. We assume that the server begins the working vacation when the system is empty. The failure times, repair times, and vacation times are all assumed to be exponentially distributed. We use the MAPLE software to compute steady-state probabilities and several system performance measures. A cost model is derived to determine the optimal values of the number of operating machines and two different repair rates simultaneously, and maintain the system availability at a certain level. We use the direct search method and Newton’s method for unconstrained optimization to repeatedly find the global minimum value until the system availability constraint is satisfied. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate Newton’s method.     

On modeling failure and repair times in stochastic models of manufacturing systems using generalized exponential distributions

Failures of machines have a significant effect on the behavior of manufacturing systems. As a result it is important to model this phenomenon. Many queueing models of manufacturing systems do incorporate the unreliability of the machines. Most models assume that the times to failure and the times to repair of each machine are exponentially distributed (or geometrically distributed in the case of discrete-time models). However, exponential distributions do not always accurately represent actual distributions encountered in real manufacturing systems. In this paper, we propose to model failure and repair time distributions bygeneralized exponential (GE) distributions (orgeneralized geometric distributions in the case of a discretetime model). The GE distribution can be used to approximate distributions with any coefficient of variation greater than one. The main contribution of the paper is to show that queueing models in which failure and repair times are represented by GE distributions can be analyzed with the same complexity as if these distributions were exponential. Indeed, we show that failures and repair times represented by GE distributions can (under certain assumptions) be equivalently represented by exponential distributions.This work was performed while the author was visiting the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.     

A decomposition method for approximate evaluation of continuous flow multi-stage lines with general Markovian machines

In this paper, a decomposition method for evaluating the performance of continuous flow lines with machines characterized by general Markovian fluid models and finite capacity buffers is proposed. This study uses the exact solution of general two-stage Markovian fluid models as a building block. Decomposition equations are provided to propagate the effect of partial and complete blocking and starvation phenomena throughout the system. A decomposition algorithm that solves the new decomposition equations is proposed. Numerical results prove the good accuracy of the developed method. In particular, a comparison with existing techniques shows that our method is generally more accurate, especially in the estimation of the average buffer levels. Moreover, additional information can be collected by the application of our approach which enables a deeper analysis of the system behavior. Finally, the generality of the approach allows for modeling and studying many different system configurations within a unique framework, also including several previously uninvestigated layouts.     

A Numerical Approach to the Repairman Problem with Two Different Types of Machine

In this paper we deal with a heterogeneous machine-interference model under the assumption that the priority machines have pre-emptive priority over the ordinary ones. In each group, machines are characterized by exponentially distributed failure and repair times with different rates. The failed machines are served by a single repairman according to FIFO discipline. The aim of the paper is to give the steady-state operational characteristics of the system, such as operative utilization, expected busy-period length, machine availability, mean waiting times and average number of failed machines. Finally, numerical examples illustrate the problem in question.     

A Genetic Algorithm for the Allocation of Buffer Storage Capacities in a Production Line with Unreliable Machines

In this paper, we consider a flow-line manufacturing system organized as a series of workstations separated by finite buffers. The failure and repair times of machines are supposed to be exponentially distributed. The production rate of each machine is deterministic, and different machines may have different production rates. The buffer allocation problem consists in determining the buffer capacities with respect to a given optimality criterion, which depends on the average production rate of the line, the buffer acquisition and installation cost, and the inventory cost. For this problem we propose a genetic algorithm where the tentative solutions are evaluated with an approximate method based on the Markov-model aggregation approach.     

Cost analysis of the M/M/R machine repair problem with balking,reneging, and server breakdowns

We consider the machine repair problem in which failed machines balk (do not enter) with a constant probability (1 – b) and renege (leave the queue after entering) according to a negative exponential distribution. A group of identical automatic machines are maintained by R servers which themselves are subject to breakdowns. Failure and service times of the machines, and breakdown and repair times of the servers, are assumed to follow a negative exponential distribution. Each server is subject to breakdown even if no failed machines are in the system. This paper presents a matrix geometric method for deriving the steady-state probabilities, using which various system performance measures that can be obtained. A cost model is developed to determine the optimum number of servers. The minimum expected cost, the optimal number of servers, and various system performance measures are provided based on assumed numerical values given to the system parameters. Also the sensitivity analysis is investigated.     

Cost Analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M/M/R</Emphasis> Machine Repair Problem with Spares and Two Modes of Failure

In this paper we deal with the machine repair problem consisting of M operating machines with S spare machines, and R repairmen where machines have two failure modes under steady-state conditions. Spares are considered to be either cold-standby, warm-standby or hot-standby. The two failure modes have equal probability of repair. Failure time of the machines and repair time of the repairmen are assumed to follow a negative exponential distribution. A cost model is developed in order to determine the optimal values of the number of repairmen and the number of spares simultaneously, while maintaining a minimum specified level of system availability. Numerical results are presented in which several system characteristics are evaluated for three types of standby under optimal operating conditions.     

On the Decay Rates of Buffers in Continuous Flow Lines

Consider a tandem system of machines separated by infinitely large buffers. The machines process a continuous flow of products, possibly at different speeds. The life and repair times of the machines are assumed to be exponential. We claim that the overflow probability of each buffer has an exponential decay, and provide an algorithm to determine the exact decay rates in terms of the speeds and the failure and repair rates of the machines. These decay rates provide useful qualitative insight into the behavior of the flow line. In the derivation of the algorithm we use the theory of Large Deviations.     

Availability analysis of crank-case manufacturing in a two-wheeler automobile industry

The paper describes the availability of crank-case manufacturing system in an automobile industry. The units discussed here fail either directly from normal working state or indirectly through partial failure state. The machines are subjected to both preventive and corrective maintenance. Failure and repair times of the units are independent. The problem is formulated using probability consideration and supplementary variable technique. The system of equations governing the working of system consists of ordinary as well as partial differential equations. Lagrange method and Runge–Kutta method is used to solve partial differential equation and ordinary differential equation respectively. The study reveals that successful program of preventive and routine maintenance will reduce equipment failures, extend the life of the equipment, and increase the system availability to considerable margin.     

Dynamical Particle Simulation with Parallel Cache-Aware Domain Decomposition Strategies

The simulation of large particle systems with the Discrete Element Method can be very time consuming. This is due to the necessity for collision detection between the disordered particles. Various methods, originating from different areas such as computer science, are well established and have been used in various applications. For parallel computations the simulation domain needs to be divided into subdomains to be distributed among the different nodes or machines within a supercomputer or a computer-cluster. The strategy for this domain decomposition has a significant influence on the performance of the calculation. In this paper we discuss some aspects of the development of a hierarchical domain decomposition algorithm that provides flexible adaption of the decomposition pattern to the changing structure of the particle system during the simulation. Thus an even load distribution among the different machines can be maintained. Moreover, the same method is also used to deal with the computational bottleneck caused by the presence of unstructured data. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

An Optimum Repair Policy for the Machine Interference Problem

This paper presents two repair policies for the machine interference problem where machines have two failure modes. In policy I priority of repair is assigned to one failure mode over the other, while in policy II the two failure modes have equal probability of repair. Computer programs were developed to obtain the optimal number of machines to be allocated to a single repair crew for the two policies. Under the same operating conditions, policy II is superior to policy I. The repair crew efficiency and machine availability were evaluated for both policies.     

Optimal corrective maintenance contract planning for aging multi‐state system

This paper considers an aging multi‐state system, where the system failure rate varies with time. After any failure, maintenance is performed by an external repair team. Repair rate and cost of each repair are determined by a corresponding corrective maintenance contract with a repair team. The service market can provide different kinds of maintenance contracts to the system owner, which also can be changed after each specified time period. The owner of the system would like to determine a series of repair contracts during the system life cycle in order to minimize the total expected cost while satisfying the system availability. Operating cost, repair cost and penalty cost for system failures should be taken into account. The paper proposes a method for determining such optimal series of maintenance contracts. The method is based on the piecewise constant approximation for an increasing failure rate function in order to assess lower and upper bounds of the total expected cost and system availability by using Markov models. The genetic algorithm is used as the optimization technique. Numerical example is presented to illustrate the approach. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decomposition of unreliable assembly/disassembly networks with limited buffer capacity and random processing times

An assembly/disassembly (A/D) network is a manufacturing system in which machines perform assembly and/or disassembly operations. We consider tree-structured systems of unreliable machines that produce discrete parts. Processing times, times to failure and times to repair in the inhomogeneous system are assumed to be stochastic and machine-dependent. Machines are separated by buffers of limited capacity. We develop Markov process models for discrete time and continuous time systems and derive approximate decomposition equations to determine performance measures such as production rate and average buffer levels in an iterative algorithm. An improved parameter updating procedure leads to a dramatic improvement with respect to convergence reliability. Numerical results demonstrate that the methods are quite accurate.     

Representation and analysis of transfer lines with machines that have different processing rates

A transfer line is a tandem production system, i.e. a series of machines separated by buffers. Material flows from outside the system to the first machine, then to the first buffer, then to the second machine, the second buffer, and so forth. In some earlier models, buffers are finite, machines are unreliable, and the times that parts spend being processed at machines are equal at all machines. In this paper, a method is provided to extend a decomposition method to large systems in which machines are allowed to take different lengths of time performing operations on parts. Numerical and simulation results are provided.