Hybrid algorithm based on reinforcement learning for smart inventory management

Carlos Cuartas () and Jose Aguilar ()
Additional contact information
Carlos Cuartas: Universidad EAFIT
Jose Aguilar: Universidad EAFIT

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 2023, vol. 34, issue 1, No 6, 123-149

Abstract: Abstract This article proposes a hybrid algorithm based on reinforcement learning and the inventory management methodology called DDMRP (Demand Driven Material Requirement Planning) to determine the optimal time to buy a certain product, and how much quantity should be requested. For this, the inventory management problem is formulated as a Markov Decision Process where the environment with which the system interacts is designed from the concepts raised in the DDMRP methodology, and through the reinforcement learning algorithm—specifically, Q-Learning. The optimal policy is determined for making decisions about when and how much to buy. To determine the optimal policy, three approaches are proposed for the reward function: the first one is based on inventory levels; the second is an optimization function based on the distance of the inventory to its optimal level, and the third is a shaping function based on levels and distances to the optimal inventory. The results show that the proposed algorithm has promising results in scenarios with different characteristics, performing adequately in difficult case studies, with a diversity of situations such as scenarios with discontinuous or continuous demand, seasonal and non-seasonal behavior, and with high demand peaks, among others.

Keywords: Smart inventory; DDMRP model; Inventory management system; Reinforcement learning; Q-Learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10845-022-01982-5 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:joinma:v:34:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10845-022-01982-5

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/journal/10845

DOI: 10.1007/s10845-022-01982-5

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing is currently edited by Andrew Kusiak

More articles in Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().