Expert enhanced coloured fuzzy petri net models of traditional, flexible and reconfigurable kanban systems

Abstract

Kanban system designed and operated over the past few years, faces unpredictable changes driven by global competition. In order to keep pace with the fluctuating market demands at a low production cost, a different type of kanban system is desired, which is both demand-responsive and cost-effective. In order to provide genuineness to the problem, a fuzzy environment is generated. An Expert Enhanced Coloured Fuzzy Petri Net is used to represent the three types of kanban systems i.e. traditional, flexible and reconfigurable kanban systems and their functioning. The resulting models can represent both single and multiple types of kanban system with variable fixed order point. Simulation experiments have been carried out to prove the advantages of the reconfigurable kanban system over the other two.