A decomposition approximation for assembly–disassembly queueing networks with finite buffer and blocking

The throughputs of assembly and disassembly queueing networks with finite buffer and blocking are difficult to evaluate due to their large state space. In this paper, we present an approximation technique to analyze such a system with Poisson arrivals and exponential service times. It decomposes the system into multiple two-server queues with unlimited input and an assembly or disassembly station with one buffer. The decomposed individual stations are then aggregated and coupled with their input parameters determined by the solution of a set of nonlinear equations which could be effectively calculated through an iterative algorithm. The results are compared with simulations, and the errors are found to be within 10% in all tested cases.