Optimization of a launcher integration process: a Markov decision process approach *

Christophe Nivot (1, 2) , Benoîte de Saporta (1, 3) , François Dufour (2, 1) , Damien Bérard-Bergery (4) , Charles Elegbede (4)

1 CQFD - Quality control and dynamic reliability
2 IMB - Institut de Mathématiques de Bordeaux
3 IMAG - Institut Montpelliérain Alexander Grothendieck
4 Airbus Defence and Space [Toulouse]

This paper is dedicated to the numerical study of the optimization of an industrial launcher integration process. It is an original case of inventory-production system where a calendar plays a crucial role. The process is modeled using the Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) framework. Classical optimization procedures for MDPs cannot be used because of specificities of the transition law and cost function. Two simulation-based algorithms are tuned to fit this special case. We obtain a non trivial optimal policy that can be applied in practice and significantly outperforms reference policies.

Domaines: Optimisation et contrôle [math.OC]

Christophe Nivot, Benoîte de Saporta, François Dufour, Damien Bérard-Bergery, Charles Elegbede. Optimization of a launcher integration process: a Markov decision process approach *. 2016. ⟨hal-01269541⟩