Integration of the Decisions Associated with Maintenance Management and Process Control for a Series Production System

This paper studies a series production system through the integration of the decisions associated with Maintenance Management (MM) and Statistical Process Control (SPC). Hence, the primary question of the paper can be stated as follows: In a series production system, how can the decisions of MM and SPC be coordinated? To this end, an integrated mathematical model of MM and SPC is developed. Using a method of factorial design, sensitivity analyses are performed. According to a stand-alone maintenance model, the effectiveness of the integrated model is assessed. The series production system investigated consists of identical units. Each unit has two operational states including an in-control state and an out-of-control state. The system is in-control if both units of the system operate in the in-control state. On the other hand, the system is out-of-control, if at least one of the units operates in the out-of-control state. The failure mechanism of each unit is based on a random variable with a continuous distribution. The results of analyses clarify that the integrated model improves the profit of the system.