Performance Evaluation of an Assemble-To-Order System Operated by the CONWIP Control Mechanism

초록

We study a multi-product, unit-demand production and inventory system in which individual components are made to meet various demand types. We assume that the demands arrive according to a Poisson process, but there is a fixed probability that a demand requests a particular kit of different components. Each component is produced by a flow line with several stations. The production of each component is operated by the CONWIP control mechanism. To analyze this system, we propose an approximation method based on an aggregation method. In application of the aggregation method, a product-form approximation technique as well as a matrix-geometric method is used. Comparisons with simulation show that the approximation method provides fairly good results.