Asymptotically Reliable Serial Production Lines: A System-Theoretic Approach

这项研究的目的是帮助理解大规模生产环境下被建模为串联生产线的制造过程的基本系统论特性。所涉及的一类特定工艺称为渐近可靠的系列生产线。这些生产线由单独具有非常好的性能特性的机器组成。然而，被放在生产线上，它们的运行效率可能(而且经常是)低得多。因此，本项目所要解决的主要问题是如何设计一条系列化生产线，使其性能尽可能接近孤立机器的性能。将开展一项研究，以开发形式化的分析程序，用于最优缓冲区容量分配、排料调度的反馈控制和最优质量控制系统设计。这项研究的方法是基于对描述所考虑的生产系统的马尔可夫链的渐近分析。虽然马尔可夫过程的简化分析已被用于现代系统和控制理论的许多场合，但这项工作中所用的渐近性在过去还没有被探索和利用。预计该项目的成果将有助于将制造系统建模为系列化生产线的科学基础。

The goal of this research is to contribute to the understanding of fundamental system-theoretic properties of manufacturing processes modeled as serial production lines in mass production environment. A particular class of processes addressed is referred to as asymptotically reliable serial production lines. Such lines consist of machines that have, in isolation, very good performance characteristics. Nevertheless, being placed in a production line, they may (and often do) operate much less efficiently. Therefore, the main problem addressed in this project is how to design a serial production line so that its performance is as close to that of machines in isolation as possible. A study to develop formalized, analytical procedures for optimal buffer capacity assignment, feedback control of row material dispatch, and optimal quality control system design will be performed. The approach of the study is based on an asymptotic analysis of Markov chains that describe production systems under consideration. Although simplified analysis of Markov processes has been utilized in modern System and Control theory on a number of occasions, the asymptotics employed in this work has not been explored and exploited in the past. It is expected that the results of this project will contribute to the science base of manufacturing systems modeled as serial production lines.