The buffer allocation problem is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, and it is an important design problem in manufacturing systems. The research proposed in this paper concerns a product line consisting of n unreliable machines with n − 1 buffers and a preventive maintenance...

Today’s turbulent markets are facing unpredictable and sudden variations in demand. In this context, the Holonic Production System (HPS) seems to be able to overcome the operational and economic problems of traditional production systems. The HPS’ ability to adapt and react to business...