A fractional-flow model of serial manufacturing systems with rework and its reachability and controllability properties

A dynamic fractional-flow model of a serial manufacturing system incorporating rework is considered. Using some recent results on reachability and controllability of positive linear systems the ability of serial manufacturing systems with rework to "move in space", that is their reachability and controllability properties, are studied. These properties are important not only for optimising the performance of the manufacturing system, possibly off-line, but also to improve its functioning by using feedback control on-line.