(joint work with C. Ringhofer and D. Armbruster 
(Arizona State University))

We consider a supply chain consisting of a
sequence of buffer queues and processors with certain
throughput times and capacities. Based on a simple rule for
releasing parts, i.e. batches of product or individual
product items, from the buffers into the
processors we derive a hyperbolic conservation law for the part
density and flux in the supply chain. The conservation law will be
asymptotically valid in regimes with a large number of parts in the
supply chain. Solutions of this conservation law will in general
develop concentrations corresponding to bottlenecks in the supply
chain.



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