Abstract

Returnable transport packaging plays an important role in facilitating the transfer of a large volume of products in a close-loop distribution network. To make effective use of returnable transport packaging, vehicle dispatching strategies are crucial. With an appropriate vehicle dispatching strategy, for example, a fast turnover time and a short waiting time for packaging dispatch can be achieved. However, there are some factors that directly influence vehicle dispatching strategies. These factors include the arrival demand fluctuations, the availability of serving vehicles, and the geographic proximity of the facility to the customer's locations. In this study, authors investigate the effect of these factors on vehicle dispatching strategies for transport packaging by using a simulation modeling approach. This paper reports different performance outcomes obtained through various test cases.

Keywords

Returnable transport packaging, dispatching rules, vehicle allocation schemes, simulation, modeling

Subject Categories

Production engineering

Disciplines

Engineering

Publication Date

2003


View Full Text

Click button above to open, or right-click to save.

Included in

Engineering Commons

Share

COinS