Proposing an Approach to Determine the Appropriate Multi-product Preventive and Maintenance Policies Using Simulation and MCDM

Utilizing appropriate policies can reduce maintenance costs. In conventional methods for selecting appropriate maintenance policies in multi-product processes, only one policy is taken for the entire production line. The current research objective is to provide a multi-criteria decision-making method based on computer simulation results in order to select the best maintenance policy for each production line. The simulation model is made up according to the number of maintenance policies and according to the parameters of each production line. The results of the implementation of the simulation model determine the quantities of each production line maintenance criteria. Using the Network Analysis Process (ANP) and Vikor Decision-Making Technique, maintenance ranking policies and top policy are selected for each production line. The results of the research showed the effectiveness of the newly proposed method in comparison to conventional methods. Because in a multi-product manufacturing unit, the performance of the equipment varies from one production line to another, and requires separate maintenance methods; So that a given policy may be appropriate for a set of equipment at one time and not in a different period. The results are based on a case study in an Iranian food industry unit. Selection of different maintenance policies for various production lines will increase the efficiency of the lines and reduce production costs.