This paper presents a case study of applying a Bayesian approach to forecast demand and subsequently determine the appropriate parameter S of an (S-1,S) inventory system for controlling spare parts of electronic equipment. First, the problem and the current policy are described. Then, the basic...

Strategic airline fleet planning is one of the major issues addressed through newly initiated decision support systems, designed to assist airlines and aircraft manufacturers in assessing the benefits of the emerging concept of dynamic capacity allocation. We present background research...

The literature on stochastic models for inventory control with product returns commonly makes the following simplifying assumptions: demand and returns are each a homogeneous (compound) Poisson process, and the processes are independent of each other. In this paper we explore the validity of...

We consider the Nelder and Mead Simplex Method for the optimization of stochastic simulation models. Existing and new adaptive extensions of the Nelder and Mead simplex method designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of the observed best point are studied. We compare the performance of...

A maintenance activity carried out on a technical system often involves a system-dependent set-up cost that is the same for all maintenance activities carried out on that system. Grouping activities thus saves costs since execution of a group of activities requires only one set-up. By now, there...

In this paper we define and compare Reverse Logistics definitions. We start by giving an understanding framework of Reverse Logistics: the why-what-how. By this means, we put in context the driving forces for Reverse Logistics, a typology of return reasons, a classification of products,...

We develop a framework for automated optimization of stochastic simulation models using Response Surface Methodology. The framework is especially intended for simulation models where the calculation of the corresponding stochastic response function is very expensive or time-consuming. Response...

In this paper we verify the conditions under which the marginal cost approach of Berg (1980, 1995) holds. As observed by Aven and Dekker (1996) the validity of the marginal cost approach gives rise to a useful framework of single component maintenance optimization models which covers almost all...

Ports provide jetty facilities for ships to load and unload their cargo. Jetty capacity is costly and therefore limited, causing delays for arriving ships. However, ship delays are also costly, so terminal operators attempt to minimize their number and duration. Here, simulation has proved to be...

In this article we give an overview of the literature on multi-component maintenance optimization. We focus on work appearing since the 1991 survey "A survey of maintenance models for multi-unit systems" by Cho and Parlar. This paper builds forth on the review article by Dekker et al. (1996),...