Two-stage optimization model for renewing warranty considering warranty deadline

Abstract

Renewing warranty can provide customers with better service, and thus help manufacturers to gain market opportunities. In engineering practice, the cost for replacement is usually higher than the cost for maintenance, hence manufacturers often face huge challenge to reduce the warranty service cost. With consideration of the warranty deadline, we propose a two-stage optimization model for renewing warranty. In the first stage, a renewing warranty with deadline (RWD) policy is implemented, where the deadline represents the cumulative uptime threshold. When the cumulative uptime exceeds the deadline, the product will be minimally repaired and kept to the residual warranty period. When RWD is expired, the replacement warranty with limited repairs (RWLR) policy is applied. Under the free replacement and pro-rata warranty policy, the corresponding two-stage cost optimization model is established from the manufacturer’s perspective, the aim is to minimize the cost rate and obtain the optimal warranty period. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed model, and the sensitivity analysis is also carried out.

摘要

更新质保可以为顾客提供更优质的服务,帮助企业赢得市场机会。但是,在工程实际中替换成 本通常高于维修成本,制造商将面临如何降低质保服务成本的严峻挑战。本文提出一种考虑质保截止 期的两阶段更新质保优化模型。在第一阶段,制造商提供带有截止期的更新质保(RWD),其中截止期 表示累计运行时间阈值,当产品累积运行时间超出截止期时,在余下的质保期内制造商将会对产品采 取最小维修。当第一段质保期满结束,制造商将提供具有有限维修次数限制的替换质保(RWLR)。文 中以成本率最小为优化目标,从制造商的视角分别建立基于免费替换、按比例分摊质保的两阶段成本 优化模型,通过求解模型得到最优质保期。文中通过案例验证所提出模型的有效性,并完成参数灵敏 度分析。