A high-speed reallocation algorithm for controlling man-machine productionsystems

An on-line control model for a two-level man-machine production system is c onsidered. The system comprises a section with several production units and manufactures different products with planned target amounts by utilizing s everal types of non-consumable resources. Each unit may operate at several possible speeds which are subject to random disturbances. The unit's output can be measured only at pre-given control points. At the unit level, contr ol actions result in determining control points and production speeds. At t he section level, production control centres on reallocating resources and target amounts among the units. The performance of the two-level control al gorithm depends mainly on solving the reallocation problem, as the latter t akes more computational time than other control actions. Thus, speeding up the reallocation algorithm results in enhancing the control model's perform ance. We suggest a newly developed reallocation model, together with a corr esponding reallocation algorithm. Two objectives are embedded in the model: ii! to maximize the delivery performance of the slowest unit so that it ca n meet its target on time, on condition that only maximal speeds are used; and (ii) to maximize the delivery performance of the latest product so that it is manufactured on time under the same conditions. A subsidiary iterative switching algorithm is developed by following both o bjectives. A generalized reallocation algorithm, which is a combination of the iterative algorithm and the coordinate descent method, is suggested. Su ch a reallocation algorithm significantly enhances the control model's perf ormance and enables large-size man-machine production systems to be control led under random disturbances. Extensive experimentation has been carried o ut to verify the efficiency of the reallocation algorithm. The algorithm ha s been used successfully in a real industrial plant.