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The strong effect of flexible capacities on achievable WIP levels and throughput times: a simple model and its implications

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Setting WIP levels at the workstations of a production is an important task: WIP levels affect throughput times as well as utilisation rates. Consequently, they also impact the delivery times to customers and the productivity. Queueing theory provides profound knowledge regarding the factors for determining suitable WIP levels. However, the existing models have been neglecting the important influence of capacity flexibility. This paper suggests an extension of the well-known Kingman equation to model the impact of flexible capacities on the required WIP levels. Simulation experiments have shown that the model is able to accurately forecast the utilisation level of a workstation for different factor levels of capacity flexibility, WIP and load variance. Companies can use the model to set consistent target levels for these factors.

Source: International Journal of Production Research

DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2024.2399732

Authors: Hermann Lödding, Constantin Steffens, Michael Winter

Institution: Hamburg University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Queuing Theory Analysis

Subfield: Management Information Systems

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft