Modelling and simulation for the joint optimisation of inspection maintenance and spare parts inventory in multi-line production settings

A simulation methodology is developed to model the joint optimisation of preventive maintenance and spare parts inventory in multi-line settings. The multi-line machines are subject to failure, based on the delay-time concept, and a selection of policies are used for the replenishment of the machines’ critical component. Production lines of varied configurations are modelled and described in three principal chapters. Firstly, the optimisation of preventive maintenance for a multi-line production system is developed in the context of a case study. The policy proposed indicates that consecutive inspection with priority for failure repair is cost-optimal, which suggests a substantial maintenance cost reduction of 61% compared to the run-to-failure policy. The contribution of this study is first and foremost in narrowing the gap between the theory and practice of managing multi-line systems, and in particular, that the scenarios and policies considered have important economic and engineering implications. In a second study, spare parts provisioning for a single-line system is considered, given that the demand for industrial plant spare parts should be driven, at least in part, by maintenance requirements. A paper-making plant provides a real context, for which simulation models are developed to jointly optimise the planned maintenance and the associated spare part inventory. This challenge is addressed in the context of the failure of parts in service and the replacement of defective parts at inspections of period T, using the delay-time concept, and a selection of replenishment policies. The results indicate that a periodic review policy with replenishment twice as frequent as inspection is cost-optimal. Further discussions and sensitivity analysis give insights into the characteristics and features of the policies considered. Finally, in the third study, the joint optimisation of preventive maintenance and the associated spare parts inventory for a multi-line system is developed using an idealised context. It is found that a review policy with inspection as frequent as replenishment using just-in-time (JIT) ordering is cost-optimal, and also the lowest risk policy; it is associated with the lowest simultaneous machine downtime and low stock-out cost-rates. This is a significant contribution to the literature. An implication of the proposed methodology is that, where mathematical modelling is intractable, or the use of certain assumptions make them less practical, simulation modelling is an appropriate solution tool. Throughout this thesis, the long-run average cost per unit time or cost-rate is used as the optimality criterion. In other contexts, one may wish to use availability or reliability instead. To do so would not change the methodology that is presented here