Study on the Bounded Inventory Model with Returning Items and Disposals

Abstract

This paper addresses a dynamic lot sizing problem with mixed returning items and disposals and bounded inventory. The returning items mean that returns are in good enough condition to re-enter the inventory supply stream. The producing, the holding, backlogging and disposals cost functions are concave cost functions. Furthermore, backlogging level and inventory level at each period is limited. The goal is to minimize the total cost of production, inventory holding/backlogging and disposal. A dynamic programming algorithm with complexity O(T3) is developed to solve this model, where T is the length of the planning horizon.