Optimization of Machine Repair System with Controlling Arrival and Switching Failure

This study investigates the machine repair problem involving a controlling arrival policy and standbys switching failure. The operation of controlling arrival policy is that when the number of customers reaches the maintenance facility's capacity, no further arriving failed machines are allowed to enter the system until the system capacity decreases to a certain threshold value. We develop the steady-state solutions and some import system characteristics, such as the expected number of failed machines in the system, machine availability, the average switching failure rate, effective arrival rate, and expected waiting time in the system, etc. A cost model is developed to determine the optimal control policy at a minimum cost. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to investigate the effect of changes in the system parameters on the expected cost function. Finally, we present some managerial insights through an application example.