Title: Modelling and analysis of manufacturing systems: a review of existing models

Authors: Daniel Bergeron, M. Anouar Jamali, Hidehiko Yamamoto

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, 3351, boul. des Forges, local 2441 LP, Trois-Rivieres (Qc), G9A 5H7, Canada. ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, 3351, boul. des Forges, local 2441 LP, Trois-Rivieres (Qc), G9A 5H7, Canada. ' Department of Human and Information Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-city 501-1193, Japan

Abstract: Manufacturing system models with unreliable machines and buffers have received much attention in the past five decades. While the first studies considered only two machines and one buffer in series, the most recent ones can consider much more and present various configurations (parallel, assembly/disassembly, rework path, feed-forward path or any combination of these). By using indicators – such as the global production rate, probability of idleness and average buffer level – to evaluate the performance of such systems, it may give one the opportunity to determine the buffer sizing. This paper presents an overview of analytical manufacturing system models, starting from a two-machine-one-buffer model towards a complex manufacturing system integrating assembly/disassembly networks, rework loops and feed-forward loops.

Keywords: complex manufacturing systems; K-machine flow lines; assembly networks; disassembly networks; rework loops; feed-forward loops; buffers; parallel networks; production rates; performance evaluation; analytical manufacturing systems; product development; production design; production management; advanced production systems; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2010.029986

International Journal of Product Development, 2010 Vol.10 No.1/2/3, pp.46 - 61

Published online: 03 Dec 2009 *

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