Optimal number of minimal repairs before replacement based on a cumulative repair-cost limit policy

摘要

In this paper, we consider a replacement model with minimal repair based on a cumulative repair-cost limit policy, where the information of all repair costs is used to decide whether the system is repaired or replaced. As a failure occurs, the system experiences one of the two types of failures: a type-l failure (repairable) with probability q, rectified by a minimal repair; or a type-II failure (non-repairable) with probability p (-1 - q) that calls for a replacement Under such a policy, the system is replaced anticip-atively at the nth type-I failure, or at the fcth type-l failure (fe < n) at which the accumulated repair cost exceeds the pre-determined threshold, or any type-II failure, whichever occurs first The object of this paper is to find the optimal number of minimal repairs before replacement that minimizes the long-run expected cost per unit time of this polish. Our model is a generalization of several classical models in maintenance literature, and a numerical example is presented for illustration.