A segmentation approach for solving buffer allocation problems in large production systems

Buffer space allocation is an important step in production line design. In this paper, we focus on maximizing the profit rate of a line subject to a production rate constraint. We describe a newly observed property of production line optimization. The property is that the production rate constraint, if it is effective, allows an original line to be decoupled into several short lines for optimization. An approximation method is developed from this property. Instead of optimizing a long line, the method divides it into several short lines, optimizes them separately and combines their optimal buffer distributions to find the optimal or near-optimal buffer distribution of the original line. The method greatly improves the computation efficiency for solving buffer allocation problems for long lines, while ensuring the accuracy of the optimal buffer distribution. A heuristic explanation is proposed. Numerical experiments are provided to show the accuracy and efficiency of the method. The effect of the number and length of line segments on the performance of the method is discussed.

Recommended citation: Shi, C. and S. B. Gershwin (2016). A segmentation approach for solving buffer allocation problems in large production systems. International Journal of Production Research 54(20), 6121-6141