There is nothing wrong with a batch process, if the QA/QC on the recipe and process steps are maintained to specification tolerances. Actually many large processes that appear to be continuous are either parallel strings of batch processes occasionally operating in a sequential mode, or there are batch processes within the continuous process that are simply not readily apparent to the casual observer.
Nestle' Coffee and Planter's Nuts are example of combination batch and continuous processes. Coffee beans and multiple varieities of nuts are arrinving at the plants continuously, and cases of finished coffes and nuts are continuously being loaded into trucks and being shipped. The beans are batched into different holding bins and silos depending on the coffee blend that is desired for various plant brands. The roasters operate almost continuously although the different bean blends are directed to different canning and packaging lines. The same is true for nuts at Planter's. As I recall there were 8 gas-fired, oil-filled roasters that operated for two shifts and were then cleaned daily on the night shift. Any variety of nut could be directed to any roaster, and then conveyed outbound to any bagging, canning, or bottling line. Sometimes the nuts were temporarily conveyed to and stored in 10x10x12 roll-around bottom-dump bins to help in custom blending of mixed nut packages. At Hoescht-Celanese, polyester is created in a continuous process and then piped to various spinning machines to be converted into chip to sell to bottle blowers, fiber for clothing or tire cord, etc., or fluffy-crinkly 'tow' for the stuffing of pillows, stuffed animals, etc.
As long as what comes out of the "..GozeOutta.." pipe meets the customers requirement, batch vs. continuous is irrelevant unless operating costs render one or the other economically inefficient.
John :-)
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