A dynamic programming approach for the two-product capacitated lot-sizing problem with concave costs

In this paper, we analyze a two-product multi-period dynamic lot-sizing problem with a fixed capacity constraint in each period. Each product has a known demand in each period that must be satisfied over a finite planning horizon. The aim of this problem is to minimize the overall cost of placing orders and car-rying inventory across all periods. The structure of an optimal solution is analyzed with respect to a type of period called regeneration period, which is a period where the inventory of one or both products reach zero. We show that there is an optimal arrangement of placing orders between consecutive regeneration periods. We propose a pseudo-polynomial algorithm to solve the two-product problem. First, we show how the optimal ordering pattern between two consecutive regeneration periods can be solved using a shortest path problem. Then, we explain how the optimal locations for regeneration periods can be found by solving a shortest path problem on a different network, where each arc corresponds to the shortest path in a subproblem network. We then show how this approach can be scaled up to a three-product problem and generalize this technique to any number of products, as long as it is small.(c) 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.