Question

The following diagram shows a 4-step process that begins with Operation 1 and ends with Operation 4. The rates shown in each box represent the effective capacity of that operation.

a.  Determine the capacity of this process.

b.  Which action would yield the greatest increase in process capacity: (1) increase the capacity of Operations 1 by 15 percent; (2) increase the capacity of Operations 2 by 10 percent; or (3) increase the capacity of Operations 3 by 10 percent?

           12/hr.                        15/hr.                          11/hr.                             14/hr.

   ?Operation 1?    ?    Operation 2 ?        ?Operation 3?       ??     Operation 4?

Answer 1

Consider the following information: Capacity of the operation 1-12/hour Capacity of the operation 2-15/hour Capacity of the operation 3-11/hour Capacity of the operation 4-14/hour Bottle neck: The resource with the lowest capacity in a process is called bottle neck. The capacity of the bottle neck is the capacity of the process. In the diagram, the operation with minimum capacity is operation 3 with a capacity of 11 per hour. So, it is the bottle neck in the process. Therefore, the capacity of the process is 11 per hour If the capacity of the operation 1 was increased by 15 percent: 12 Increase in capacity-12+--X 12 100 -12 +1.44 - 13.44 If the capacity of the operation 2 was increased by 10 percent: 10 100 - 15+1.5 Increase in capacity-15+x15 116.5

If the capacity of the operation 3 was increased by 10 percent: 10 Increase in capacity-11tx11 Increase in Capacity-llT_XII 100 - 12.1 When the capacity of the operations was increased, the capacity of the bottle neck increases. So, the capacity of the process will be increased. Therefore, the capacity of operation 3 has to be increased by 10 percent

Answer 2

14/hr Operation 12/hr 11/hr Operation Operation Operation

1.

Capacity refers to the upper limit of the rate of output.in the given operation, operation 2 yields maximum output rate. Moreover, the system suffers from bottleneck at operation 3. Therefore, the maximum capacity of the process is 11/ hr.

2.

Effects of the action on the process are as shown below:

1. Increase the capacity of Operations 1 by 15 percent: The new capacity of operation 1 will be as shown below:

New capacity = 12+ 15% of 12

But the process will still suffer the bottleneck and its capacity will remain to 11/ hr.

1. Increase the capacity of Operations 2 by 10 percent: The new capacity of operation 1 will be as shown below:

New capacity = 15+ 10% of 15

But the process will still suffer the bottleneck and its capacity will remain to 11/ hr.

1. Increase the capacity of Operations 3 by 10 percent: The new capacity of operation 1 will be as shown below:

New capacity = 11+ 10% of 11

Therefore, action 3.increase the capacity of operation 3 by 10 percent should be adopted. This action will influence the capacity of the process and the maximum capacity of the process will increase to 12.10/hr. from 11/hr. Therefore, this action willlimit the bottleneck,will increase the utilization as well as efficiency ratio of the process.