Fast evaluation of an unreliable transfer line with limited transportation devices

SUMMARY This paper presents an approximate method for the analysis of transfer lines composed of unreliable machines linked by an unreliable transportation system carrying a limited number of transportation devices (conveyor carrying pallets, wire guided carts, etc.). We are interested in defining the productivity of the system with regard to the characteristics of the system and, in particular, the number of transportation devices. The result of the study is a formula which gives the productivity of the system according to the transportation devices available and the mean breakdown times of the machines and the transportation system. A comparison is made with simulation results showing the accuracy of the formula at least for the main usual breakdown and working period distributions.

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