Modelling and analysis of service parts logistics systems

Fernando Tovia, Robert M. Brooks, C. Richard Cassady and Manuel D. Rossetti

International Journal of Operational Research, 2011, vol. 10, issue 1, 60-81

Abstract: Many organisations purchase equipment that is subject to unpredictable failures to carry out their services. When these breakdowns occur, maintenance technicians restore the equipment in a timely fashion either through repair or the installation of spare parts. In this research, the behaviour of the service parts logistics system (SPLS) is approximated with a modified M/G/1 HOL queuing model. Then, the costs structure of the SPLS is defined and approximated with a mathematical model that captures the interdependence of the inventory policy and the technician assignment. A heuristic 'assign locations' is implemented based on the modified M/G/1 HOL queuing, the costs model and a genetic algorithm to search for the near-minimum cost technician assignment given a fixed technician's vehicle inventory policy.

Keywords: service parts logistics; optimisation; genetic algorithms; M/G/1 queuing models; technician assignment; mathematical modelling; inventory policy; cost modelling. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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