Development of a model for a two-station serial transfer line subject to machine and buffer failure

Abstract

In modern automated production lines, it is common to connect pairs of machines with mechanical storage devices in order to provide buffering between processing stations. Since these devices are mechanical, they are prone to failure. Previous research concerning the analytical modeling of a class of production lines, the serial transfer line, assumes that these buffers are completely reliable. The concept of an unreliable buffer is introduced and an analytic model of a two machine line with an unreliable buffer is developed. It is proposed that this model will form the foundation for an analytic model of the more complex K > 2 machine serial transfer line with unreliable buffers.

Keywords:

• manufacturing performance modelling.
• discrete event systems
• performance modelling

^∗Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Ohio University, Athens, OH45701, USA.

^†Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA

^∗Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Ohio University, Athens, OH45701, USA.

^†Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA

Notes

^∗Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Ohio University, Athens, OH45701, USA.

^†Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA