Dynamic reliability analysis of a multi-state manufacturing system

In reliability analysis of systems, multi-state systems are proposed instead of binary-state systems because they are more practical to use in real life situations. Especially multi-state models are useful in describing many engineering systems such as pipe-line systems, power generating systems or manufacturing systems, etc. Different from binary state systems, they have more than just two levels of working efficiency. A multi-state system and its components can have M (M>1) working states, from perfect functioning state φ(0)=M to less efficient states φ(t)∈{M-1,M-2,...,1,0}, where φ(t) denotes the state of the system at an arbitrary time point t. To have the general idea behind the multi-state theory and the basic evaluation methods on the reliability of such systems, see the works of Huang et al.[8], Tian et al. [24] and Eryilmaz [4]. Also for a detailed theory of multi-state modelling we refer to Kuo and Zuo [10]. This study examines a manufacturing system containing seriallyconnected workstations within its structure. Although the literature Funda IscIoglu Aydın KocAK