Experimental approach of control for unreliable manufacturing systems

Abstract

We consider a multiple and identical machines manufacturing system with random breakdowns, corrective maintenance activities and repair times. Our objective is to find the production rates of the system and the corrective maintenance rates of the machines so as to minimize the total cost of inventory/backlog. By combining analytical formalism and simulation based statistical tools, such as experimental design and response surface methodology, an approximation of the optimal control policy is obtained.