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Lazer Bicycles produces high-end racing bikes. One of the most innovative elemen

ID: 354349 • Letter: L

Question

Lazer Bicycles produces high-end racing bikes. One of the most innovative elements of their design is a sophisticated transmission. There are several steps that are required to produce this transmission. These activities, their precedence relationships, and the time to perform the activities are given in the table below Activity Predecessor Time (in Minutes) 3 D, E 6 If the demand was for 60 transmissions during an 8-hour day, what would be the required cycle time (in minutes) to produce the transmission? What is the theoretical minimum number of work stations? (round appropriately to whole number) What is the actual number of work stations? What is the idle time (in minutes)?

Explanation / Answer

The precedence diagram of activities of Lazer bicycle as follows :

                                                                                                                  A

                                                                                                                    B

C

            D

E

                                                                                                                   F

Required cycle time = 8 hours / 60 transmissions = 480 minutes/ 60 transmissions = 8 minute/ transmission unit

REQUIRED CYCLE TIME = 8 MINUTES

Total duration of all tasks = 2 + 3 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 6 = 19 minutes

Minimum number of workstations = Total duration of all tasks / Cycle time = 19 / 8 = 2.375 ( 3 rounded to next higher whole number )

THEORETICAL MINIMUM NUMBER OF WORKSTATIONS = 3

The allocation of tasks to workstations is done in such a way so that total duration of all tasks against any workstation shall not exceed cycle time of 8 minutes.

The allocation as follows :

WORKSTATION

TASKS

Total duration ( Minutes)

Idle time ( minutes ) = Cycle time – Total durations

I

A,B,D

2 + 3 +2 = 7

8 – 7 = 1 minute

II

C, E

5 + 1 = 6

8 – 6 = 2 minute

F

6

8 – 6 = 2 minutes

Actual number of workstations = 3

As calculated idle time per item produced in all stations together = 1 + 2 + 2 = 5 minutes

                                                                                                                  A

                                                                                                                    B

C

            D

E

                                                                                                                   F