Multi-objective optimization of reliability-redundancy allocation problem for multi-type production systems considering redundancy strategies

Abstract

This paper innovatively proposes a new model of multi-type production system which can process different types of production. The multi-type production system consists of several independent sequentially ordered subsystems which undertaking different tasks. Different types of production require different manufacturing lines: required subsystems will be powered on, while others powered off. The system can switch into different production line based on detection results. A binary matrix is suggested to describe the composition of each production line of the multi-type production system. Reliability-redundancy allocation on each subsystem is considered for achieving higher reliabilities of different production lines. The reliability-redundancy allocation problem for the proposed multi-type production system is essentially multi-objective subject to resource constraints. This paper formulates the multi-objective optimization problem and considers the optimal redundancy strategy, either active or cold standby. The exact reliabilities of cold standby redundant subsystems with imperfect detector/switch are determined by introducing an approach based on continuous time Markov chain. Then, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is suggested to solve the proposed reliability-redundancy allocation problem. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed methods.