An N-Component Series Repairable System with Repairman Doing Other Work and Priority in Repair

Abstract

In this paper, we discussed the reliability of an N-unit series repairable system with the repairman doing other work and priority in repair. In this system, it is assumed that the working time distributions of the n components and the arrival interval time distributions of the customers which are out of the system are both exponential and the components in system is given priority in repair. It is also assumed that the repair time distributions of the n components and the service time distributions of the customers are both general continuous distributions. After repair, components are “as good as new”. Under these assumptions, using a supplementary variable technique and Laplace transform technique, some important reliability indices such as the system availability, the idle probability of the repairman and the rate of service for customers are derived. Our problem is to determine whether or not given the priority to components in repairing such that the benefit of the system is maximized.