SOME MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF INSPECTION ALONG A PRODUCTION LINE.
Abstract
A production line is taken to be an ordered series of manufacturing operations separated by potential inspection stations. The study concerns two primary aspects of inspection along a production line through which item goods are processed. First, when the system characteristics which affect final quality are not known with certainty, the problem of allocating costly inspection throughout the line is considered. Two models are presented, analysed and combined. Dynamic programming formulations are closely analysed and much attention is given to securing bounds on their operation and on the optimal solution. A case is demonstrated where two such formulations may be combined to the advantage of each. Secondly, when the system characteristics are known with certainty, there is the problem of installing a combined inspection and disposition plan in order to 'control' the final quality. Two models are described and for each the properties of the optimal solutions are discussed. For a 'long-term-cost' model, an 'all or nothing' property is proved for the optimal inspection as well as for the optimal disposition plans, but the question is reopened for the 'long-run-quality' model. Various classes of quality control procedures and costs are considered. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0670753
Entities
People
- Earl Douglas Brown
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology