A study on production lines with discrete batch WIP inventory transfer

In this paper we consider asynchronous serial lines in which WIP inventory is stored and transported in containers between stations. Containers may be scarce resources; they may cause a reduction in the capacity utilization of the line. The WIP inventory transfer considered involves determining the number of containers to allocate to each buffer location, the interstation distances and the container size. Some conclusions are drawn that may be utilized as guidelines for the practitioners designing such lines.