Optimal m-failure policies with random repair time (Q2276866)

The failure times of n machines are independent identically distributed exponential random variables, the repair time is a nonnegative random variable. The problem is to determine when to start repairing machines. Once a repair has commenced it will go on until all machines are working. The optimal policy as a function of the cost parameters is investigated. The cost function is shwown to be unimodal and an algorithm for finding optimal policies is developed. The results are extensions of those by \textit{D. Assaf} and \textit{J. G. Shanthikumar} [Manage. Sci. 33, 1440-1452 (1987; Zbl 0628.90027)].