Performance analysis of re-entrant manufacturing networks under surplus-based production control

In this paper we present the results of our research on the performance analysis of multi re-entrant production networks. We study the influence of perturbations, desired buffer content and the number of manufacturing stages on the production tracking error of each machine in the network operated under a surplus-based production control policy. Starting by the analysis of a single machine with multiple production stages, we provide bounds on the production error at each stage, as well as upper bound on the content of each intermediate buffer. We extend our analysis to a line of multi re-entrant machines, where similarly, bounds on each production tracking error as well as buffer content are obtained. Furthermore, it is shown how our results can be extended to a non re-entrant line with multiple product demand. Performance issues of the closed-loop re-entrant flow line model are illustrated in numerical simulations.