Optimization and Simulation Studies of a Production System for Ventilators to Mitigate Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic

呼吸机生产系统的优化和模拟研究，以缓解 COVID-19 大流行的挑战

• 批准号: 555178-2020
• 负责人: Chen, Shaohua
• 金额: $ 1.46万
• 依托单位: Cape Breton University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=705156
• 关键词: Optimization; Simulation; Studies; Production; System

Protocase Incorporated is a manufacturing company in Sydney, NS Canada that produces custom-made and designed electronic enclosures and sheet metal components. After the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, Protocase decided to manufacture ventilators to play a role in mitigating the challenges caused by this pandemic including the shortage of vital medical equipment to save Canadians' lives. The goal of this study is to simulate Protocase's supply chain and conduct simulations for different production scenarios, given the uncertainties in the procurement and production systems, to estimate outputs for different production capacities. Some parts that are needed to produce a ventilator will be produced by Protocase, and some parts will be imported through their supply chain. To consider the uncertainty associated with delay in shipments, probability distributions will be explored to define the arrival pattern of the components to the production system as well as the production time. Given that the demand for ventilators is uncertain, methods of stochastic programming and queueing theory will be used to analyse the uncertain system and mixed integer linear programming will be applied to obtain optimal solutions. Triangle fuzzy numbers will be considered to present costs given the uncertainty in components' prices. Finally, we use various methods to solve the integer linear programming problems, such as cutting plane, Branch-and-Bound, relaxation and decomposition methods. Upon the completion of this project, Protocase will be able to make informed decisions about optimal allocation of their resources to produce different number of ventilators in a time interval given the uncertainties in their procurement process and production system. The outcome of this project not only will help Protocase play a crucial role in mitigating the challenges of a global and national pandemic, but also will enable Canada to have a global impact by becoming a potential supplier for a vital equipment which can also bring economic benefits to Canada.

Protocase Incorporated 是一家位于加拿大新斯科舍省悉尼的制造公司，生产定制和设计的电子外壳和钣金组件。 COVID-19大流行到来后，Protocase决定生产呼吸机，以在缓解这一流行病带来的挑战（包括挽救加拿大人生命的重要医疗设备短缺）方面发挥作用。本研究的目的是模拟Protocase的供应链，在考虑到采购和生产系统的不确定性的情况下，对不同的生产场景进行模拟，以估计不同产能下的产出。生产呼吸机所需的一些零件将由 Protocase 生产，一些零件将通过其供应链进口。 为了考虑与发货延迟相关的不确定性，将探索概率分布来定义组件到达生产系统的模式以及生产时间。鉴于呼吸机的需求是不确定的，采用随机规划和排队论的方法对不确定系统进行分析，并应用混合整数线性规划来获得最优解。鉴于组件价格的不确定性，将考虑使用三角形模糊数来表示成本。最后，我们使用割平面法、分支定界法、松弛法和分解法等多种方法来解决整数线性规划问题。该项目完成后，考虑到采购流程和生产系统的不确定性，Protocase 将能够就其资源的最佳分配做出明智的决策，以在一段时间内生产不同数量的呼吸机。该项目的成果不仅将帮助 Protocase 在缓解全球和国家大流行的挑战方面发挥关键作用，而且还将使加拿大成为重要设备的潜在供应商，从而产生全球影响，同时也能带来经济效益到加拿大。