OPTIMAL AGE REPLACEMENT POLICY OF A K-OUT-OF-N SYSTEM WITH AGE-DEPENDENT MINIMAL REPAIR

A k-out-of-n system is a system with n independent components such tha t the system operates if and only if at least k of these n components operate successfully. A general age replacement of a k-out-of-n system is introduced which incorporates minimal repair, planned and unplanne d replacements, and general random repair costs. The long-run expected cost rate is obtained. The aim of the paper is to find the optimal ag e replacement time T which minimizes the long-run expected cost per un it time of the policy. Various special cases are considered.