Control of manufacturing systems with a two-value, production-dependent failure rate

• Published in: Automatica (Oxford) Vol. 41; no. 11; pp. 1943 - 1948
• Main Author: Martinelli, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computer science; control theory; systems; Control theory. Systems; Exact sciences and technology; Hedging point; Inventory control, production control. Distribution; Manufacturing systems; Miscellaneous; Non-homogeneous Markov processes; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Process control. Computer integrated manufacturing; Production-dependent failures; Production-dependent failures; Non-homogeneous Markov processes; Hedging point; Manufacturing systems; Markov process; Production system; Process control; Optimal policy; Homogeneous process; Failure rate; Penalty function; Production management; Production rate; Inventory control; Repair; Single machine
• ISSN: 0005-1098; 1873-2836
• DOI: 10.1016/j.automatica.2005.05.016

In this paper we consider a failure prone, single machine, single part-type, limited inventory, manufacturing system subject to a non-homogeneous Markov failure/repair process with the failure rate depending on the production rate through a two-value function. The problem is to minimize a cost function which includes a penalty for waiting customers. We derive and prove the optimality of a policy which depends on a threshold but is not the so-called hedging point policy, optimal for the Markov homogeneous case.