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. (C) 2013 The Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.