Optimal buffer allocation in a multicell system

✍ Scribed by Shanthikumar, J.George ;Yao, DavidD.

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 488 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0920-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00183875

✦ Synopsis

Motivated by a layout design problem in the electronics industry, we study in this article the allocation of buffer space among a set of cells. Each cell processes a given part family and has it~ own revenue-cost strue-ture~ The objective of the optimal a]iocntion is to maximize the net profit function (total production profits minus total buffer allocation costs). According to the flow pattern of jobs, the cells are categorized imo two type$. A type I cetI is modeled as a Jack.son net~,~rk; a type 2 cetI is m~eIe~ as ~ ~rdered-entry system with heterogeneous servers. Both models have finite waiting room, dt~e to the buffer capacity allocated to the cells. We show that under quite general eondittons, the production rate of each cell of either type is an incresing and concave function of its buffer allocation. Exploiting thi~ property, a marginal allocation scheme efficiently solves the optimal buffer allocation problem under increasing concave production profits and convex buffer space costs.