Performance analysis of a flexible manufacturing line operated under surplus-based production control

In this paper we present our results on the performance analysis of a multi-product manufacturing line. We study the influence of external perturbations, intermediate buffer content and the number of manufacturing stages on the production tracking error of each machine in the multi-product line operated under a surplusbased production control policy. Starting by the analysis of a single machine with multiple production stages (one for each product type), we provide bounds on the production error of each stage. Then, we extend our analysis to a line of multi-stage machines, where similarly, bounds on each production tracking error for each product type, as well as buffer content are obtained. Details on performance of the closed-loop flow line model are illustrated in numerical simulations. Keywords—flexible manufacturing systems, tracking systems, discrete time systems, production control, boundary conditions.