Buffer allocation problem in production flow lines: A new Benders-decomposition-based exact solution approach

The Buffer Allocation Problem (BAP) in production flow lines is very relevant from a practical point of view and challenging scientific perspective. For this reason, it has drawn great attention both industry the academic community. However, despite problem’s relevance, no exact method available literature to solve when long are being considered, i.e., settings. This work proposes new Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation for solution sample-based BAP. Due huge number variables constraints model, an algorithm based on Benders decomposition proposed increase computational efficiency. iterates between simulation module that generates cuts optimization involves updated MILP model. Multiple after each run generated by exploiting structural properties reversibility monotonicity line throughput. tighter than state-of-the-art model theoretical view, order magnitude computation time saving also observed numerical results.