Continuous Modeling of Re-Entrant Manufacturing Systems

This paper presents a continuous modeling approach for multi-product re-entrant manufacturing systems. First, a generic continuous model for single-product re-entrant manufacturing systems is elaborated. Second, the concept of re-entrant factor is introduced to the model, which considers the influences of the re-entrant degree. Then, the continuous model is extended from single-product re-entrant manufacturing systems to multi-product re-entrant manufacturing systems in which the product priority is also taken into consideration. Finally, the proposed continuous model is validated through the Mini-Fab case study.