A new approach to rework in merge production systems

Abstract

This paper introduces and incorporates the concept of rework in modelling of a merge production system under random conditions. Merge and split production stages are common in assembly lines. Merging of components can be performed correctly or otherwise. If not done properly, a merging operation can be redone, i.e. the merging operation can be reworked. This paper explains the modelling of a two stage merge production system subject to rework using semi-regenerative stochastic processes. The modelling has been done to obtain various busy period durations over finite time duration for transient state analysis.Also, themodelling and analysis has been carried out without any particular assumption on the distributions of processing times. All the processing times involved have been assumed to be arbitrarily distributed.