Topological network design of closed finite capacity supply chain networks

In this paper, we examine the layout, location, and general topological arrangement of queues in a closed finite queueing network environment for supply chains. Since our focus is on manufacturing environments, then maximizing throughput is a worthy performance measure objective. We are given a network topology G(V, E) with a finite set of nodes and edges and we wish to assign the queues to the nodes V ∈ G such a way that the maximum throughput is achieved. This is a nonlinear continuous optimization problem with implicit integer variables so the problem is at least NP-Hard. We also examine the impacts of Additive Manufacturing (AM) on the throughput of the supply chain. Decentralization of the supply chain topology as evidence by the increased dispersal of nodes within the topology tends to increase the throughput of the system, so the AM leaf nodes can have a measurable and significant impact on SCM throughput.