Buffer allocation in an unreliable homogeneous serial parallel production line

Abstract

Buffers are inventory held in between machines to avoid stockout of parts. When a company has large buffer quantities between machines the inventory holding cost increases. Reducing the amount in a buffer increases the chance of stockout and hence will have a direct impact on the throughput of the line. Hence there is a need to maximize the throughput of the production line for a minimum quantity of buffers carried between machines. In large volume manufacturing, homogeneous unreliable serial parallel production lines are typical. For this line, a method is developed to identify the buffer allocation that maximizes the throughput of the line with a constraint on the maximum buffer size that can be held in the line. The developed method is implemented in case studies to identify buffer allocation that maximizes throughput.