The elementary flux modes of a manufacturing system: a novel approach to explore the relationship of network structure and function. Issue 14 (17th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meyer, Mirja; Hütt, Marc-Thorsten; Bendul, Julia
• Is Part Of: International journal of production research. Volume 54:Issue 14(2016)
• Page Start: 4145
• Page End: 4160
• Publication Date: 2016-07-17
• Subjects: design of production systems -- performance analysis -- robust manufacturing system design -- bio-inspired manufacturing systems design; Factory management -- Periodicals; 658.57
• DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2015.1106612
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7543

Abstract

Abstract : Elementary flux modes (EFMs) are a concept from Systems Biology, where they serve as an indicator of component relevance in metabolic networks. An elementary flux mode is a functionally relevant, non-decomposable path through a given network. In this paper, we apply elementary flux mode analysis to manufacturing systems, with the aim of using the number of EFMs as a predictor for resource significance in the manufacturing system. For this, we formulate a network representation of a manufacturing process, which allows us to define the manufacturing equivalent of a stoichiometric matrix to draw an analogy between metabolic and manufacturing systems. This, in turn, allows the computation of EFMs, which we conduct in a case-study for a real manufacturing system. We further show that the change of EFMs under resource breakdown is a good indicator of the average order lateness in the manufacturing system. In this way, EFMs provide insight into the relationship of network structure and function in manufacturing.