Process Flexibility for Multiperiod Production Systems

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Shi, Cong; Wei, Yehua; Zhong, Yuan
• 署名单位: University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; Boston College; University of Chicago
• 刊物名称: OPERATIONS RESEARCH
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0030-364X
• DOI: 10.1287/opre.2018.1810
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 1300-1320
• 关键词: scheduling flexible servers; convex delay costs; long-chain; queuing-networks; performance; policies; DESIGN; Throughput; optimality; benefits

摘要

We develop a theory for the design of process flexibility in a multiperiod maketo-order production system. We propose and formalize a notion of effective chaining termed the generalized chaining gap (GCG), which can be viewed as a natural extension of classical chaining structure from the process flexibility literature. Using the GCG, we prove that, in a general system with high capacity utilization, one only needs a sparse flexibility structure with m plus n arcs to achieve similar performance as full flexibility, where m and n are equal to the number of plants and products in the system, respectively. The proof provides a simple and efficient algorithm for finding such sparse structures. Also, we show that the requirement of m plus n arcs is tight by explicitly constructing systems in which even the best flexibility structure with in plus n minus 1 arcs cannot achieve the same asymptotic performance as full flexibility. The goal of this paper is to make progress toward the better understanding of the key design principles of process flexibility structures in a multiperiod environment.