Desmet, BramAghezzaf, El-HoussaineVanmaele, Hendrik2017-12-022017-12-022010http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12127/3670This paper tackles the problem of optimising safety stocks in a two-echelon assembly system. It presents and discusses several approximation models for the assembly lead-time under the assumption of normality of the assembly demand and normality of components’ nominal lead times. These approximation models are subsequently used to optimise safety stocks throughout a two-echelon assembly system. They are then tested on a particular two-echelon N-identical component assembly system. The obtained results are compared with the results of a discrete event simulation. Finally, it is shown that lead-times and safety stock results already obtained for a two-echelon distribution system can also be derived without difficulty from those of two-echelon assembly systems.enSafety StocksTwo-echelon AssemblyDecision Support SystemsInternational Journal of Production Research14031264585406944194