Contribution of simulation to the optimization of maintenance strategies for a randomly failing production system

This paper compares two strategies for operating a production system composed of two machines working in parallel and a downstream inventory supplying an assembly line. The two machines, which are prone to random failures, undergo preventive and corrective maintenance operations. These operations with a random duration make the machines unavailable. Moreover, during regular subcontracting operations, one of these machines becomes unavailable to supply the downstream inventory. In the first strategy it is assumed that the periodicity of preventive maintenance operations and the production rate of each machine are independent. The second strategy suggests an interaction between the periods of unavailability and the production rates of the two machines in order to minimize production losses during these periods. A simulation model for each strategy is developed so as to be able to compare them and to simultaneously determine the timing of preventive maintenance on each machine considering the total average cost per time unit as the performance criterion. The second strategy is then considered, and a multi-criteria analysis is adopted to reach the best cost-availability compromise.