Data-driven approach for diagnostic analysis of dynamic bottlenecks in serial manufacturing systems

A variety of established approaches exist for the detection of dynamic bottlenecks. Furthermore, the prediction of bottlenecks is experiencing a growing scientific interest, quantifiable by the increasing number of publications in recent years. Neglected, on the other hand, is the diagnosis of occurring bottlenecks. Detection methods may determine the current location of a bottleneck, while predictive approaches may indicate the location of an upcoming bottleneck. However, mere knowledge of current and future bottlenecks does not enable concrete actions to be taken to avoid the bottlenecks, nor does it open up any immediate advantage for manufacturing companies. Since small and medium-sized companies in particular have limited resources, they cannot implement improvement measures for every bottleneck that occurs. Due to the shifts of dynamic bottlenecks, the selection of the mostsuitable stations in the value stream becomes more difficult. This paper therefore contributes to the neglected field of bottleneck diagnosis. First, we propose two data-driven metrics, relative bottleneck frequency and relative bottleneck severity, which allow a quantitative assessment of the respective bottleneck situations. For validation purposes, we apply these metrics in nine selected scenarios generated using discrete event simulation in a value stream with a serial manufacturing line. Finally, we evaluate and discuss the results.