Designing the optimal process means and the optimal production run for a deteriorating process

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated model for simultaneously determining the optimal initial process means and the optimal production run length in cases with multiple quality characteristics, in which the process means are assumed to shift from an in-control state to an out-of-control state by the occurrence of an assignable cause. It is assumed that the elapsed time until the occurrence of the assignable cause is exponentially distributed. A mathematical model for the expected cost per unit time is derived based on the framework of a multivariate quality loss function. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the application and usefulness of the proposed model. A sensitivity analysis is provided to study the impact of the input parameters on the model. Furthermore, some future research directions are outlined.