A novel model for the integrated planning of part quality inspection and preventive maintenance in a linear-deteriorating serial multi-stage manufacturing system

This paper presents a mixed-integer linear mathematical programming model for the integrated planning problem of the part quality inspection and preventive maintenance activities in serial multi-stage manufacturing system. The model concurrently determines the right time and place for performing the above-mentioned activities while the production stages are linearly deteriorating. These two decisions are made while the model is to minimize the total cost including the production, maintenance, inspection, scrap, replacement, and the penalty of shipped defective items to customer(s). A numerical example and a real case study are investigated to validate and verify the proposed model. The results show that the determination of inspection locations along a manufacturing line in different periods of time regarding the impact of preventive maintenance activities on defective production probability results in a more efficient manufacturing system.