Consider the following serial process that produces shirts. All steps (A, B, C,
ID: 397517 • Letter: C
Question
Consider the following serial process that produces shirts. All steps (A, B, C, D, and E) are necessary to
create each finished shirt. Each step employs a single worker. Task times are shown on each step.
Note: A and B are done simultaneously. The front and back portion of the shirt arrive at A and B respectively. After preparation they are assembled in C before going on to D and E. Times shown at each station are per unit.
a.What is the throughput time of the very first unit?
b. What is the cycle time achieved by this process? What is the bottleneck operation?
c. Working eight hours a day what is the daily capacity of the process?
d. What is the capacity utilization of each operation in the above process?
e. What is the average capacity utilization of the above process?
Explanation / Answer
a) Throughput of time of the very first unit = Max(Time of A, Time of B) + Time of C + Time of D + Time of E = Max(4,3) + 8 + 6 + 5 = 4 + 8 + 6 + 5 = 23 minute
b) Cycle time of the process is Activity time of station with highest time = Activity time of station C = 8 min. Bottleneck process is C
c) Daily capacity of process assuming 8 hours a day = Total time/Cycle time = 8*60/8 = 60 units
d) Capacity utilization of each station is = station time/Cycle time*100
A = 4/8*100 = 50%
B = 3/8*100 = 37.5%
C = 8/8*100 = 100%
D = 6/8*100 = 75%
E = 5/8*100 = 62.5%
e) Average capacity utilization = Total station time/(Cycle time*Number of station)*100 = (4+3+8+6+5)/(8*5)*100 = 65%