Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Dynamic routing in distinguishable parallel queues
T2 - an application of product returns for remanufacturing
AU - Ding, Li
AU - Glazebrook, Kevin
PY - 2013/7
Y1 - 2013/7
N2 - This paper deals with the dynamic routing of product returns in distinguishable parallel queues. Several vendors alongside an original equipment manufacturer are available in provision of remanufacturing service. Each has its own queue. The stream of the product returns follow a stochastic process. A central controller is employed to decide to which vendor an incoming product is sent to avoid excessive queues in front of some vendors and idle servers in the others. We develop models and index-based heuristics to support the dynamic routing decisions so as to minimize the overall recovering costs. The product concerned exemplifies a short-life cycle due to, for example, technology advance. Long delay during the remanufacturing process will render a substantial deterioration of reselling prices. Hence, in the paper we contend that the cost incurred for remanufacturing a product should take explicit account of the impact of long delays in the lead time. Both theoretical and simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the Restless Bandit approach deployed to the dynamic routing of product returns among multiple vendors.
AB - This paper deals with the dynamic routing of product returns in distinguishable parallel queues. Several vendors alongside an original equipment manufacturer are available in provision of remanufacturing service. Each has its own queue. The stream of the product returns follow a stochastic process. A central controller is employed to decide to which vendor an incoming product is sent to avoid excessive queues in front of some vendors and idle servers in the others. We develop models and index-based heuristics to support the dynamic routing decisions so as to minimize the overall recovering costs. The product concerned exemplifies a short-life cycle due to, for example, technology advance. Long delay during the remanufacturing process will render a substantial deterioration of reselling prices. Hence, in the paper we contend that the cost incurred for remanufacturing a product should take explicit account of the impact of long delays in the lead time. Both theoretical and simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the Restless Bandit approach deployed to the dynamic routing of product returns among multiple vendors.
KW - Routing
KW - Index policy
KW - Restless Bandit
KW - Remanufacturing
U2 - 10.1007/s00291-012-0293-4
DO - 10.1007/s00291-012-0293-4
M3 - Journal article
VL - 35
SP - 585
EP - 608
JO - OR Spectrum
JF - OR Spectrum
SN - 1436-6304
IS - 3
ER -