BMGT3007S: An assembly line with 17 tasks is to be balanced. The longest task is 2.4 minutes, and the total time for all tasks is 18 minutes: Supply Chain Planning & Control Assignment, UCD, Singapore

Question 1

An assembly line with 17 tasks is to be balanced. The longest task is 2.4 minutes, and the total time for all tasks is 18 minutes. The line will operate for 450 minutes per day.

• What are the minimum and maximum cycle times?
• What range of output is theoretically possible for the line?
• What is the minimum number of workstations needed if the maximum output rate is to be sought?
• What cycle time will provide an output rate of 125 units per day?
• What output potential will result if the cycle time is (1) 9 minutes? (2) 15 minutes?

Question 2

The tasks shown in the following precedence diagram are to be assigned to workstations with the intent of minimizing idle time. Management has designed an output rate of 275 units per day. Assume 440 minutes are available per day.

• Determine the appropriate takt time/cycle time.
• What is the minimum number of stations possible?
• Assign tasks using the “positional weight” rule. Break ties using the greatest number of following tasks.
• Compute efficiency.

Question 3

A manager wants to assign tasks to workstations as efficiently as possible and achieves an hourly output of 33 1/3 units. Assume the shop works a 60-minute hour. Assign the tasks shown in the accompanying diagram (times are in minutes) to workstations using the following rules.

• In order of most following tasks. Tiebreaker: greatest positional weight.
• In order of greatest positional weight.
• What is efficiency?