Production lot size problem with failure in repair and backlogging derived without derivatives

Conventional approaches for solving the production lot size problems are by using the differential calculus on the long-run average production-inventory cost function with the need to prove optimality first. This note presents a simple algebraic method to replace the use of calculus for determining the optimal lot size. This study refers to the approach used by Grubbstrom and Erdem. [Grubbstrom, R.W., Erdem, A., 1999. The EOQ with backlogging derived without derivatives, International Journal of Production Economics 59, 529-530] and extends it to the model examined by Chiu and Chiu [Chiu, S.W., Chiu, Y.-S.P., 2006. Mathematical modelling for production system with backlogging and failure in repair. Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research 65(6), 499-506]. This paper demonstrates that the lot size solution and the optimal production-inventory cost of an imperfect EMQ model can be derived without derivatives. As a result, the practitioners or students with little or no knowledge of calculus may be able to manage or understand with ease the realistic production systems. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.