A production line is an important class of manufacturing system when large quantities of
identical or similar products are to be produced. The performance of a production line is
highly influenced by machine failures. When a machine fails, it is then be unavailable
during a certain amount of time required to repair it. Analysis of production lines divides
into three types: analytical, approximation and simulation models. The analytical and
approximation models have assumptions, which make these models unrealistic such as
reliable workstations, certain processing distribution, the first workstation cannot be
starved and the last workstation cannot be blocked. The main problems in production lines
treatment are the calculation of throughput and average levels of buffers because of the
great size of state space. An analytical model is reviewed to clarify the limitations to use
such treatment in real production lines. Simulation modeling of production lines is
considered very important for designers interested in: Workload Allocation Problem
(WAP), Server Allocation Problem (SAP), and Buffer Allocation Problem (BAP). This
paper studies and analyzes the performance keys, which effect on production lines. A
simulation model is developed by using ARENA software and used to analyze and test
several bottlenecks that are causing severe congestions in different areas on the production
line and could resolve all of these bottlenecks. In this paper, an actual cement production
line is used as a case study. After a simulation time of 13 days, a simulation results show
the line bottlenecks, workstations utilization, buffer capacities and the line production rate.
The outputs clarify redesign of allocation of buffers, which verify an optimum size could
be made; it might be taken into consideration when designers implement such lines.
Finally modified better workstations utilization, buffer capacities and the line production
rate with an increase about 15% of the production rate and economizing of 37 % from
buffer capacities.