Title :
Reliability-based warehouse inventory sparing and downtime optimization
Author :
Chu, M.C. ; Chu, C.-H.K.
Author_Institution :
Lucent Technol. Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ, USA
Abstract :
The objective of this warehouse spare optimization (WSO) service is to assist customers to optimize their inventory and spare management strategy to save operating and capital expenses. This service addresses the following issues: What is the right operation strategy to minimize the number of spares in spare warehouse to maintain reliability of the networks and services? Where is the best location to locate the spare warehouse or warehouses? Should I have distributed or centralized spare warehouse? This service provides a means to streamline inventory and spares management. It therefore saves the customers money in both administration (resources) and redundant components. Optimizing the required quantities of spares also minimizes the operating and capital expenses. In the case of a centralized warehouse, it is also important to select the best location(s) for the central warehouse in order to minimize the downtimes of the network due to the need to deliver the spares from the central warehouse to the fault location. Minimizing the total downtime helps to protect revenue and builds customer confidence. The output of this service includes an in-depth technical and economic analysis to assist decision makers to make the best business decision possible. This service also addresses the effect of operating uncertainties, such as the uncertainty of delivery time, restock time, failure rates, etc.
Keywords :
decision making; fault location; inventory management; optimisation; reliability; warehousing; administration resource; business decision making; centralized warehouse spare service; customer money; distributed spare warehouse; downtime optimization; economic analysis; fault location; operating capital expense; reliability-based warehouse inventory; revenue protection; service address; spare management strategy; Algorithm design and analysis; Condition monitoring; Fault location; Inventory management; Kelvin; Maintenance; Predictive models; Process planning; Protection; Uncertainty;
Conference_Titel :
Telecommunications Network Strategy and Planning Symposium. NETWORKS 2004, 11th International
Print_ISBN :
3-8007-2840-0
DOI :
10.1109/NETWKS.2004.1341875