A Markovian model for the hybrid manufacturing planning and control method ‘Double Speed Single Production Line’

In this paper, the hybrid production planning & control method Double Speed Single Production Line (DSSPL) is presented, modelled and its performances evaluated and compared to classical Production Planning and Control methods (PPC). DSSPL combines JIT/kanban and Material Requirement Planning for the production of different classes of products (A-and B-items based on a market or customer oriented analysis) on one single production line. By the use of a Markovian birth-death queuing model of a single-stage, two-product production system, the performance and the behavior of the basic DSSPL concept are analyzed and compared to the classical MRP concepts. Its capability to cope with limited resources is illustrated with an industrial case study where DSSPL has been implemented to solve coordination problems between a plastic molding feeder shop and the final assembly line of a micromotor producer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.