A prototype knowledge-based system (KBS) for selection of inventory control policies

In a previous paper Parlar presents an expert system for advising on the selection of production/inventory models. A deficiency of this system is that the user must review the reference literature to locate the corresponding inventory control policy. This paper presents a prototype expert system where the knowledge base contains the control policy equations for reorder level (L), reorder quantity (Q), and total system cost (TC). Moreover, after identifying the inventory control policy equations, the expert system then shells to an external computer program to numerically solve the model that the rules select. It is believed that the output of more precise information to the user will lead to more accurate usage of inventory models.