Allocation of maintenance resources in mixed model assembly systems

Mixed-model assembly systems (MMASs) have been well recognized for their ability to handle product variety for mass customization. With multiple products to produce, the prioritization of maintenance work-order becomes more crucial and challenging. This paper develops a quantitative method to systematically determine maintenance work-order priorities in an MMAS using on-line production information. The effect of product mix ratio on maintenance decisions is studied in detail. Based on the proposed approach, one can search for an optimal maintenance plan that will lead to improved productivity within the optimization horizon.

► We develop the system-value based method for maintenance prioritization in MMASs.
► The proposed method serves as a base for evaluation of maintenance priorities.
► Simulations on an MMAS with a set of predefined downtime scenarios are carried out.
► The priority effects are evaluated and simulation results are analyzed in detail.
► The effect of the mix ratio between different product variants is also studied.