Problem
Consider a continuous flow process, similar to the one we have seen in the National Craneberry Cooperative case, in which pecans approach a plant in trucks containing 100 pecans at a continuous and flat rate 1000 pecans/hour for the first 10 hours, and then stop. First they enter a storage bin that can hold up to 500 pecans. Then they are processed in a cracking machine that can "crack" pecans at rate 900 pecans an hour and subsequently to a machine that can caramelize pecans at rate 1000 pecans/hour. There is no storage in between the two processes. After being cracked and caramelized, the pecans are shipped to the market. Suppose the system starts empty, transport time is negligible, and the inventory stored in the machines is negligible. If the bin is full, the truck waits in the plant. Assume that trucks start arriving at t = 0.
Draw the inventory buildup graph over time for pecans in the plant (on the truck or in the bins).