Modeling of finite buffer cellular manufacturing systems with unreliable machines

We develop a methodology for the analysis of finite buffer cellular manufacturing systems with unreliable machines. We model the system using an open stochastic queueing network. Decomposition, isolation and expansion methodologies are used to calculate the throughput of the system. The methodology is tested rigorously. Orthogonal arrays are used to design the experiments in order to cover a large experimental region. The results of these experiments are compared to their corresponding simulation results. In order to investigate the differences between the results of the methodology and the simulation results, t-tests are carried out. When tested over a wide range of parameters, the results show that the methodology is remarkably accurate and robust. Significance: Finite buffer cellular manufacturing systems with unreliable machines are extremely difficult to model without using simulation methodology which is itself burdensome and time consuming. The methodology proposed in this work can be used to determine the throughput of the system which is used as the overall measure of performance of the system. The methodology is derived analytically and is found to be reliable, easy to use and robust.