A dynamic programming algorithm for the bufferallocation problem in homogeneous asymptotically reliable serial production lines

摘要

In this study, the buffer allocation problem (BAP) inhomogeneous, asymptotically reliable serial production lines isconsidered. A known aggregation method, given by Lim, Meerkov, andTop (1990), for the performance evaluation (i.e., estimation ofthroughput) of this type of production lines when the bufferallocation is known, is used as an evaluative method inconjunction with a newly developed dynamic programming (DP)algorithm for the BAP. The proposed algorithm is applied toproduction lines where the number of machines is varyingfrom fourup to a hundred machines. The proposed algorithm is fast becauseit reduces the volume of computations by rejecting allocationsthat do not lead to maximization of the line's throughput.Numerical results are also given for large production lines.