You are the Operations Manager of a large factory which comprises 6 x Department

Question

You are the Operations Manager of a large factory which comprises 6 x Departments. The current layout of these departments is as shown below.

The number of loads moved between departments each week is as follows.

Andrew has calulated that the cost of moving one load between departments next to each other (including diagonally) is $2. moving a load between departments that are not next to each other ocsts $4.
Required:
1find the total cost per week of loads with the current layout of the departments.
2Andrew believes that by switching the locations of the departments within the factory (keeping the departmrnts the same size ) he can reduce the weekly cost of movements. Develop a new layout for the departments within the factory that results in the total weekly cost of movements reducing to $940.
The number of loads moved between departments each week remains as follows.

3Explain in your own words using a single paragreph why it is important for logically related functions / roles/ work stations / inventory storage sites to be situated as closely as possible to one another.

Assembly department (1) Painting department (2) Machine shop depatm ent (3) Receiving departm ent (4) Shipping department (5) Testing departm ent (6)

Explanation / Answer

Given that the cost of moving one load between departments next to each other (including diagonally) is $2. moving a load between departments that are not next to each other costs $4.

So, based on the layout given, C12=C14=C15=C23=C24=C25=C26=C35=C36=C45=C56 = $2 ;

C13=C16=C34=C46 = $2

(1) Total cost = sum of all Xij.Cij = X12C12+X13C13+X14C14+X15C15+X16C16+X23C23+X24C24+X25C25+X26C26+X34C34+X35C35+X36C36+X45C45+X46C46+X56C56= 50*2+100*4+0*2+10*2+20*4+30*2+50*2+10*2+0*2+20*4+0*2+100
*2+50*2+0*4+0*2= $1160

(2)Let the configuration be made to the following format :

  

  

Then C15=C16=C25=C26=$4 and the rest will be $2.

Then the total, calculated similar to the steps above, becomes $960

(3) As indicate by the lay out assemply unit can be linked with the other functional units, and shipping and testing can be distant.

Assembly Deptt(1) Machine Deptt(3) Shipping Deptt.(5) Painting Deptt(2) Receiving Deptt.(4) Testing Deptt(6)

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse Y
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.