Performance Analysis of Flow Lines with Non-Linear Flow of Material

Introduction.- Issues, Goals, and Methods of Flow Line Analysis.- Variability and the Performance of Flow Lines.- Non-Linearities in the Flow of Material.- Economic Design Problems in Flow Line Analysis.- Methods of Performance Analysis.- Two-Machine Decomposition of Flow Lines.- Review of the Literature.- Assembly/Disassembly Systems with Random Processing Times.- Discrete and Continuous Time Models.- Exact Solution of a Two-Machine Subsystem.- Decomposition Equations for Assembly/Disassembly Systems.- Two Algorithms to Determine Performance Measures.- Numerical Results.- Optimal Design of Assembly/Disassembly Systems.- Flow Lines with Rework Loops and Identical Processing Times.- Discrete-Material Flow Line Model with Identical Deterministic Processing Times.- Decomposition Equations for Loops and Identical Processing Times.- The Algorithm to Determine Performance Measures.- Numerical Results: Algorithms and Flow Line Behavior.- Optimal Design of Systems with Loops and Identical Processing Times.- Flow Lines with Rework Loops and Machine-Specific Processing Times.- Continuous-Material Flow Line Model with Machine-Specific Processing Times.- Decomposition Equations for Loops and Different Processing Times.- The Algorithm to Determine Performance Measures.- Numerical Results: Algorithms and Flow Line Behavior.- Optimal Design of Systems with Loops and Different Processing Times.- Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Research.- Derivation for the Discrete Material Flow Line.- Derivation for the Continuous Material Flow Line..