A novel integrated condition-based maintenance and stochastic flexible job shop scheduling problem: simulation-based optimization approach

Abstract

Integrated consideration of production planning and maintenance processes is a real world assumption. Specifically, by improving the monitoring equipment such as various sensors or product-embedded information devices in recent years, joint assessment of these processes is inevitable for enhancing the level of the system optimization. By means of this equipment, managers can benefit from a condition-based maintenance (CBM) for monitoring and managing their system. The chief aim of the paper is to develop a stochastic maintenance problem based on CBM activities engaged with a complex applied production problem called flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSP). This integrated problem considers two maintenance scenarios in terms of corrective maintenance (CM) and preventive maintenance (PM). The activation of scenario is done by monitoring the degradation condition of the system and comparing the associated value by predetermined PM and CM levels. Moreover, to make it more realistic, the developed problem allows breakdown of the system between inspection intervals. The event time and duration of performing the maintenance activities are also considered stochastic. The developed methodology copes with high stochastic complexity of proposed problem through simulation-based optimization (SBO) approach, which works based on harmony search optimization algorithm. The developed items of SBO are discussed on different generated test problems and assessed through statistical methods and new visualization approach. Numerical example shows that the proposed method is practical for proposed integrated CBM and FJSP problem. It also offers a basis for any implementation of CBM on production problems.