Performance Evaluation of Production Lines with Random Processing Times, Multiple Failure Modes and Finite Buffer Capacity — Part II: The Decomposition

Abstract

The paper presents a decomposition method for the performance evaluation of production lines with exponential processing times, multiple failure modes and finite buffer capacity. The key feature of the proposed method is the capability to model machines subject to different types of failures, each one characterized by exponentially distributed time to failure and time to repair. This feature, being the method based on the approximation of the behavior of a K-machine transfer line by the behavior of K-1 two-machine lines, or building blocks, makes it possible to consider in each building block in which the original line is decomposed real failure and virtual failure modes. While real failures are directly connected with the reliability of the machines of the original line, virtual failures are introduced to model the interruption of flow that take place in the system as a result of machine disruption propagation. Simulation and numerical experiments are carried out to show the performance of the new method in comparison with existing ones. The method can be extended to the analysis of larger open systems, such as assembly/disassembly networks, and systems with loops.Keywordsexponential linesdecompositionmultiple failure modes