Online Instructor’s Manual to accompany
Introduction to Materials Management Ninth Edition Stephen N. Chapman Ann K. Gatewood J. R. Tony Arnold Lloyd M. Clive
Contents INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
1
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
1
CASE STUDY 1.1 TEACHING NOTES
2
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
4
CHAPTER 2: PRODUCTION PLANNING SYSTEM
11
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
11
CASE STUDY 2.1 TEACHING NOTES
15
CASE STUDY 2.2 TEACHING NOTES
17
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
19
CHAPTER 3: MASTER SCHEDULING
26
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
26
CASE STUDY 3.1 TEACHING NOTES
32
CASE STUDY 3.2 TEACHING NOTES
33
CASE STUDY 3.3 TEACHING NOTES
34
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
37
CHAPTER 4: MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS PLANNING
43
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
43
CASE STUDY 4.1 TEACHING NOTES
56
CASE STUDY 4.2 TEACHING NOTES
58
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
61
CHAPTER 5: CAPACITY MANAGEMENT
72
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
72
CASE STUDY 5.1 TEACHING NOTES
74
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
79
CHAPTER 6: PRODUCTION ACTIVITY CONTROL ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
84 84
iii
CASE STUDY 6.1 TEACHING NOTES
88
CASE STUDY 6.2 TEACHING NOTES
90
CASE STUDY 6.3 TEACHING NOTES
92
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
94
CHAPTER 7: FUNDAMENTALS OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
102
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
102
CASE STUDY 7.1 TEACHING NOTES
102
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
103
CHAPTER 8: PURCHASING
107
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
107
CASE STUDY 8.1 TEACHING NOTES
107
CASE STUDY 8.2 TEACHING NOTES
109
CASE STUDY 8.3 TEACHING NOTES
111
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
112
CHAPTER 9: FORECASTING
120
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
120
CASE STUDY 9.1 TEACHING NOTES
125
CASE STUDY 9.2 TEACHING NOTES
126
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
128
CHAPTER 10: INVENTORY FUNDAMENTALS
133
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
133
CASE STUDY 10.1 TEACHING NOTES
137
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
140
CHAPTER 11 : ORDER QUANTITIES
146
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
146
CASE STUDY 11.1 TEACHING NOTES
151
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
155
CHAPTER 12: INDEPENDENT DEMAND ORDERING SYSTEMS ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
161 161
iv
CASE STUDY 12.1 TEACHING NOTES
168
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
171
CHAPTER 13: PHYSICAL INVENTORY AND WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT
180
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
180
CASE STUDY 13.1 TEACHING NOTES
182
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
185
CHAPTER 14: PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION
192
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
192
CASE STUDY 14.1 TEACHING NOTES
193
CASE STUDY 14.2 TEACHING NOTES
195
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
197
CHAPTER 15: PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES
206
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
206
CASE STUDY 15.1 TEACHING NOTES
208
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
209
CHAPTER 16: LEAN PRODUCTION
215
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
215
CASE STUDY 16.1 TEACHING NOTES
216
CASE STUDY 16.2 TEACHING NOTES
218
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
219
CHAPTER 17: TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
225
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
225
CASE STUDY 17.1 TEACHING NOTES
226
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
229
v
INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 1.1
Sales
100%
Cost of manufacturing
60%
Other costs Profit (percent of Sales)
30%
100% 55% 30%
90% 10%
85% 15%
Therefore a 10% reduction in the cost of manufacturing would produce a 50% increase in profit. 1.2
Profit
=
0.15 = Sales
=
Sales – (direct costs + overhead) Sales – (0.60 × Sales + 0.30) 0.45 = 1.125 = 112.5% 0.4
To increase profits from 10% to 15% takes a 12.5% increase in sales but only a 5% decrease in costs. Good materials management can have a direct impact on profit. Note the cost of overhead has been left unchanged in this problem. 1.3
a.
b.
Weekly cost of goods sold
=
$16,000,000 50
=
$320,000
Value of 8 weeks’ WIP
=
8 × $320,000
=
$2,560,000
Value of 6 weeks’ WIP
=
5 × $320,000
=
$1,600,000
=
$960,000
Reduction in WIP 1.4
a.
b.
Weekly cost of goods sold
=
$30,000,000 50
=
$600,000
Value of 12 weeks’ WIP
=
10 × $600,000 =
$6,000,000
Value of 5 weeks’ WIP
=
5 × $600,000 =
$3,000,000
=
$3,000,000
20% × $3,000,000 =
$600,000
Reduction in WIP Annual saving
=
1 .
1.5
Using $1 million as the units: Sales
$20.0
As a % of sales 100%
Direct material
$6.4
32%
Direct labor
6.6
33%
Overhead
6
Profit
19
30%
$1
95% 5%
a. From the above we can say: (in millions or M$) Sales
= direct material + direct labor + overhead + profit (needs to be 2M$) = .32(sales) + .32(sales) + .33(sales) + 6 M$+ 2.0 M$
.35 (Sales) = 8 M$ Sales
= 22.86 M$ = 22.86 × $1,000,000 = $22,860,000
Therefore, there must be a $2.86 million increase in sales. b. To increase profit by $1,000,000 there must be a $1,000,000 reduction in cost. Therefore, direct material must be reduced by $1,000,000. It therefore takes 2.86 times the sales dollars to obtain the profit that would be realized in material reductions. c. As for b. Direct labor would have to be reduced by $1,000,000.
CASE STUDY 1.1 TEACHING NOTES Fran’s Flowers
Fran’s Flowers is a good case to use early in a course of study, because it illustrates two important areas (service design and operations strategy) in a case format that is completely qualitative, and therefore less threatening to some student as they make their first entrance into materials management. It can also be used to start students thinking about the quantitative aspects of materials management, both from a data gathering and data analysis aspect, as one of the direct case questions (#2) asks students to consider the data collection needs as well as how they would suggest using this data. This presents a good opportunity (usually at the conclusion of the primary analysis) to have an open, “brainstorming” discussion. This can be used not only to start student thinking about quantitative analysis, but can be used as an “icebreaker” to allow student to feel comfortable about open class discussions. The Problem
Fran clearly stated that she intended to focus on the specialty make-to-order flower arrangements. Clearly in such a business the major operational focus should be on artistic capability, flexibility, design, and close communication with the customer. The volume would be fairly small, but the margin on each order would be fairly large. The order-winning aspects of such a business would clearly be availability, design, and flexibility.
2 .
Once those characteristics have been developed, a discussion of the importance of location can be initiated. In the make-to-order business location could be expected to be insignificant, as the case indicates when it discusses how Fran and Miguel usually visit the clients to obtain the order, rather than the other way. In such a situation it really doesn’t matter where she locates as long as she has space to store the flowers and make the arrangements. Some student will immediately jump on the now-obvious mistake that Fran made. She selected a location in a highly visible strip mall. In such a location it should be expected that people will walk in a flower shop with the idea of making spot purchases of flowers. In other words, she selected a location without considering the strategic impacts. It might have worked out without a problem if she would have just turned away the customers wanting the spot purchases, but the financial benefits of such an apparently easy sale was too appealing. As soon as Fran started accommodating those walk-in customers, she had evolved into two separate businesses with two separate operational strategy models. The walk-in business was, of course, a make-to-stock business with all the typical characteristics of such a business. The contrasts are summarized on the following table. Such a table can be easily developed during the class discussion to enable all students to clearly see the contrast in the service businesses: Make-to-order
Make-to-stock
Price
Not sensitive
Sensitive—order winner
Location
Not sensitive
Critical
Design
Order winner
Standardized
Skill level
Very high
Fairly low
Volume
Very low
Higher
Variety of design
Each one different
More standard
Operational focus
Close customer contact
Standardized, low-cost
Inventory
Can order as needed
High—standard arrangements
Not only has she gotten herself into a dual business situation (of which she originally had no interest in and has minimal managerial skills to run), but now customers in the make-to-stock business are trying to force her to move even more away from her core. The consideration to have the shop open longer, open a second location, and become part of a national delivery service will pull her away from her central business focus even more. Approaches
There are really three basic approaches that appear to make sense, although some students will come up with logical variations on these three: Do nothing—This is always an alternative, and is frequently the least desirable one for a number of reasons. It would continue the problems outlined in the case and quite likely cause erosion of her business, as it appears she cannot give proper attention to either business under the current circumstances.
3 .
Expand the Make-to-Stock business—Given that she apparently has a good location, this business could be attractive if run effectively. Fran, however, does not consider that business as the one most attractive to her. She just prefers to use her design talents on the make-to-order. One method to allow for effective expansion is to hire a full-time, experienced person to completely take over the make-to-stock business. This person could be evaluated on a profit basis, but be given almost free reign to expand the business in any direction that will prove profitable. Fran could then concentrate her efforts on the make-to-stock, and it is highly likely that having both businesses be successful, allowing for at least some synergistic effects as customer for one business would, under the right circumstances, buy from Fran if they have a need for flowers for another purpose. Eliminate the Make-to-Stock business—One potential problem with the expansion of the maketo-stock business is the potential large amount of capital needed (this, in fact, should be one of the data items students should mention for case question #2). Eliminating this business would allow her to concentrate on her core business, with less need for capital. The largest problem with this is the potential loss of profitability with the make-to-stock business, and she still has the location issue. If she wants to maintain the present location, she should take steps to clearly identify the nature of the business to possible walk-in customers. Given that the strip mall is popular, however, the lease costs may be higher that she should have to pay given that location is not very important to the make-to-order business. She might be better off financially to seek a location with a lower cost. Location, again, is not critical in the make-to-order business. Conclusion
Another opportunity for discussion is presented as students debate these options, or may, in fact, create others. This discussion can be again used to bring in the data questions. You may wish to ask the students the criteria they should use to make the final decision. Much of these criteria will probably be dependent on gathering certain information. You may or may not wish to spend much time on the implementation question. Such a discussion tends to be less interesting to students and more “mechanical” in nature, but if you wish to use the case to have students think about the detailed design issues for a service business you may want to spend some time with it. This case was based on a real situation in a real flower shop. You may wish to inform the students that the real “Fran” decided to use her skills and desires to concentrate on the make-to-order business, but the potential for the walk-in business was too attractive to eliminate, especially given her location. She hired an experienced retail manager to manage the walk-in business as a profit center. The manager was given permission to manage that business in any fashion they wished, but part of their compensation was based on profit-sharing, giving the manager plenty of incentive to make the store profitable. Fran and Miguel worked in the back room, but could serve as advisors to the walk-in business as requested by the new manager. Fran and the new manager would meet on a regular basis to discuss the overall business and look at flower needs, constantly trying to evaluate the possibility of different approaches to combine needs for flowers and minimize the overall cost of purchasing stock. As of the writing of this case the approach appeared to be working.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Select the best answer to the following: a. traditionally the supply-production-distribution functions have reported to different departments b. the supply, production and distribution functions are part of a total system 4 .
c. materials flow into an organization, are processed in some way and distributed to the consumer d. all the above are correct e. none of the above is correct 2.
Manufacturing is important to the economy because: a. it generates wealth b. it supports service industries c. it adds value to products d. all of the above e. none of the above
3.
Which of the following is the best statement about the operating environment in which operations management functions? a. Most organizations do not need to worry about competition b. Customers are more demanding c. Government regulation is not important for companies d. Price is more important than quality e. None of the above is true
4.
Which of the following statements is best regarding order winners? a. They persuade a company’s customers to choose its product b. They are the same in every market c. They are the same as order qualifiers, only better d. They are present in every product e. All the above are true
5.
Which of the following strategies has the shortest delivery lead time and the least customer input? a. Engineer-to-order b. Make-to-order c. Assemble-to-order d. Make-to-stock
6.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The supply chain includes all activities and processes to provide a product or service to a customer. b. Material in the supply chain usually flows from producer to customer c. The supply chain contains only one supplier d. All of the above are true e. a and b only are true
7.
Companies A and B supply company C, which supplies customers D and E. Which of the following statements is best? a. The supply chain for company A includes B, C, D, and E b. The supply chain for company B includes A, C, D and E 5 .
c. The supply chain for company C includes A, B, D, and E d. All the above are true 8.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The basic elements of a supply chain are supply, production, and distribution b. The elements of a supply chain are interdependent c. Design information generally flows from customer to supplier d. All the above are true
9.
Which of the following is the best statement about the environment in which operations management functions? a. Most organizations do not need to worry about competition b. World-wide competition is not significant for most companies c. Government regulation is not important for companies d. Customers are more demanding e. None of the above is true
10.
If a firm wishes to maximize profit, which of the following objectives are in conflict? I.
Maximize customer service
II. Minimize production costs III. Minimize inventory costs IV. Minimize distribution costs a. all the above b. none of the above c. I and II only d. I and III only e. II and III only 11.
Which of the following statements is best? I.
The conflict between marketing, finance and production centers on customer service, disruption to production, and inventory levels
II. Marketing’s objectives can be met with higher inventories III. Finance’s objectives can be met with higher inventories IV. Production’s objectives can be met with higher inventories a. all of the above are true b. I and II only c. I, II, and III only d. I, II, and IV only e. II, III, and IV only 12.
Which of the following is normally a major activity of materials management? I.
Manufacturing planning and control
II. Physical supply/distribution 6 .
a. both I and II b. neither I nor II c. I only d. II only 13.
The objective of materials management is to: I.
Provide the required level of customer service
II. Maximize the use of the firm's resources a. I only b. II only c. I and II d. neither I nor II 14.
Which of the following is/are primary activities of manufacturing planning and control? I.
Production planning
II. Implementation and control III. Inventory management a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I and III only d. all the above are primary activities 15.
Which of the following is (are) input(s) to manufacturing planning and control? a. Product description b. Process description c. Available facilities d. Quantities to be produced e. All the above are inputs
16.
Which of the following is NOT an activity of physical supply/distribution? a. Transportation b. Factory inventory c. Warehousing d. Packaging e. Materials handling
17.
Materials management can be considered a balancing act because: I.
there are trade-offs between customer service and the cost of providing the service
II. priority and capacity must be balanced a. neither I nor II b. I only c. II only d. I and II 7 .
18.
If the cost of manufacturing (direct labor and materials) is 50% of sales and profit is 15% of sales, what would the profit percentage be if the direct costs of manufacturing was reduced from 50% to 47%? a. 3% b. 6% c. 12% d. 15% e. 18%
19.
Which of the following are generally considered overall objectives of an organization? I.
Providing good customer service
II. Maintaining low levels of inventory investment III. Optimizing use of resources IV. Providing sufficient return on investment a. I and II only b. I, II, and III only c. I, III, and IV only d. all the above 20.
The purpose of the materials management concept is: I.
to manage materials in a production operation
II. to have purchasing support the needs of production III. to have production support the needs of purchasing a. II and III only b. I and II only c. I, II, and III d. I and III only 21.
Making a pizza at a fast-food restaurant would be considered a form of: a. engineer-to-order b. assemble-to-order c. make-to-stock d. make-to-order e. none of the above
22.
Metrics in a supply chain are: a. governed by the International Metric Commission b. measurements of performance c. a charge passed on to customers d. not used on transportation e. do not apply to the supply chain
8 .
23.
Performance measures in a supply: a. should be objective b. are viewed mostly by finance c. must be measurements of one parameter only d. concentrate on cost only e. are not used once a process is automated
24.
Which statement is best? a. Performance standards are set by the supplier b. Performance standards set the goal c. Performance measurements show how well you did d. Both b and c are correct e. None of the above applies to the supply chain
25.
Savings in the supply chain mostly are the result of: a. members in the chain sharing information b. being able to ship in larger quantities c. members having clout with suppliers d. sticking with local competition e. cutting cost after the design phase
26.
Postponement is best described as: a. delaying payment to a supplier until the goods have been sold b. delaying the removal of inventory until the last possible moment c. reducing inventory from RM when the parent item is produced d. changing the BOM after the old components have been used up
27.
Postponement is best used with items that: a. have a long lead time and many product configurations b. are standardized and have short lead times c. experience a yield that you won’t know until the product is complete d. suppliers with poor delivery performance
28.
A channel master in a supply chain a. initiates integration of a supply chain b. is the final customer in a supply chain c. is the largest member of a supply chain d. controls the raw material supplies in a supply chain
29.
The term that describes eliminating waste throughout a company is: a. Kaizen b. lean Production c. theory of Constraints d. process Control 9 .
30.
If the manufacturing lead time of an item is reduced by 50% the work in process inventory: a. does not change b. is reduced by approximately 70% c. is reduced by approximately 50% d. more information is needed for this problem
Answers
1
d
2
d
3
b
4
a
5
d
6
e
7
c
8
d
9
e
10
a
11
d
12
a
13
c
14
d
15
e
16
b
17
d
18
e
19
d
20
b
21
b
22
b
23
a
24
d
25
a
26
c
27
b
28
a
29
b
30
c
10 .
CHAPTER 2: PRODUCTION PLANNING SYSTEM ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 2.1 2.2
=
opening inventory + production – demand
=
500 + 700 – 800 = 400 units
=
19 + 20 + 21 = 60
=
420 ÷ 60 = 7 units
=
22 + 21 + 20 = 63
=
25,200 ÷ 63 = 400 units
Month 1 production
=
19 × 7 = 133 units
Month 2 production
=
20 × 7 = 140 units
Month 3 production
=
21 × 7 = 147 units
Month 1 production
=
22 × 400 = 8800 units
Month 2 production
=
21 × 400 = 8400 units
Month 3 production
=
20 × 400 = 8000 units
Ending inventory Total working days Average daily production
2.3
Total working days Average daily production
2.4
2.5
2.6 Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
Forecast
780
820
1030
1400
1000
880
Planned production
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
720
900
870
470
470
590
Planned inventory
500
2.7 Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Forecast demand
100
120
125
130
115
110
700
Planned production
130
130
130
130
130
130
780
130
140
145
145
160
180
Planned inventory
100
Total production
=
700 + 180 – 100 =
780 units
Period production
=
780 ÷ 6
130 units
=
2.8 Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Forecast demand
1300
1200
800
600
800
900
5600
Planned production
875
875
875
875
875
875
5250
125
−200
−125
150
225
200
Planned inventory
550
11 .
Total production = 5600 + 200 –550 = 5250 units Period production = 5250 ÷ 6 = 875 units 2.9 Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast demand
17
10
16
17
60
Planned production
15
15
15
15
60
−2
3
2
0
Planned inventory
0
a. 15 units b. period 1, minus 2 c. 17 units, ending inventory = 8 units 2.10 a. There is a stockout of 1 unit in period one. The cost will be: Stockout cost: 2 × $500 = $1000 Carrying cost: 5 × $60
=
Total cost:
= $1300
c. Total period inventory
300
= 0 + 7 + 8 + 8 = 23 units = $60 × 23 = $1380
The cost will be
Since there are no stockouts this will be the total cost of the plan. 2.11 a. Total production
= 530 + 130 – 100 = 560
b. Daily production
= 560/70 = 8 units
c. The monthly production for May = 168 units d. The ending inventory for May Month
= 153 units
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Total
Working days
21
19
20
10
70
Forecast demand
115
125
140
150
530
Planned production
168
152
160
80
560
153
180
200
130
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Total
20
20
19
19
120
Planned inventory
100
2.12 Month Working days
20
22
12 .
Forecast demand
1200
1200
800
800
900
800
5600
Planned production
900
990
900
900
855
855
5400
200
−10
90
190
145
200
Planned inventory
500
Total production = 5600 + 200 – 500 = 5400 Daily production = 5400 ÷ 120 = 45 units per day There will be a stockout of 10 units in February. 2.13 Total production = 300 + 1080 – 200 = 1180 units Number of weeks available for production = 5.5 Average weekly level production =
1180 = 214.5 units 5.5
The nearest quantity that can be produced is 200 units on two shifts. In the second week there is a shutdown so production in that week that will be only 100 units. Total production so far = 5 × 200 + 100 = 1100 units The balance of 80 units can be made in week four when extra help is available. Opening inventory = 200 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Forecast demand
120
160
240
240
160
160
1080
Planned production
200
100
200
280
200
200
1180
280
220
180
220
260
300
Planned inventory
200
2.14 Ending backlog
= demand + opening backlog – production = 700 + 350 − 900 = 150 units
2.15 Total production
= demand + opening backlog – ending backlog = 3800 + 800 – 100 = 4500 units
Weekly production = 4500 ÷ 6 = 750 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Forecast demand
750
700
550
700
600
500
3800
Planned production
750
750
750
750
750
750
4500
800
750
550
500
350
100
Planned backlog
800
2.16 Desired ending backlog = 900 Note: All weekly production amounts determined using standard rounding rules. Total production
=
demand + opening backlog – ending backlog
=
6800 + 1300 – 900 = 7200 units
Weekly production =
7200 ÷ 6 = 1200 units 13 .
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Forecast demand
1200
1000
1200
1200
1100
1100
6800
Planned production
1200
1200
1200
1200
1200
1200
7200
1300
1100
1100
1100
1000
900
Planned backlog
1300
2.17 Total production
= 112,500 + 9000 – 11,250 = 110,250 units = 110,250 ÷ 75 = 1470 units
Daily production
Number of workers required = 1470/15 = 98 Actual daily production
= 98 × 15 = 1470 units
Month
1
Working days
2
3
4
Total
20
24
12
Forecast demand
28000
27500
28500
28500 112500
Planned production
29400
35280
17640
27930 110250
12650
20430
9750
9180
Planned inventory 2.18 Total production
11250
19
75
= 18100 + 500 – 1000 = 17600
Daily production
= 17600/117 = 150.42 units
Number of workers required = 150.42/8 = 18.8 → 19 workers Actual daily production
= 19 × 8 = 152 units
Month
1
Working days
20
Forecast demand
Planned production Planned inventory
1000
2
3
4
24
12
22
20
19
117
2800
3000
2800
3300
3000
3200
18100
3040
3648
1824
3344
3040
2888
17784
1340
1988
1012
1056
1096
784
14 .
5
6
Total
It is not possible to meet the ending inventory target because of the extra fraction of a worker needed. The only way to do it would be to reduce the number of workers to 18 at some point.
CASE STUDY 2.1 TEACHING NOTES Medina Water Pumps
This case is a fairly simple case to work on analytically, yet can provide the basis for a good discussion about the tradeoffs involved with making a good production plan or Sales and Operations plan. While there are clearly differences in the financial results of the possible plans, there are clearly non-financial issues that can and should be discussed in order to give students a better overall perspective involved with this important planning process. Here are sample solutions to the assignment questions: 1. Developing a level production plan is fairly easy. The total demand for the six months is 4650 units. Since the current inventory is 50 and the target inventory for the end of the six month is 25, we reduce the required production for the six months to 4625 (4650-25). Dividing the 4625 by the six months, we would be required to make 771 pumps per month. Dividing the 771 by 25 (the number of pumps one worker can make in one month), we would need 30.8 workers. Rounding that to 31 workers, we have the following result: -
We need to hire 11 workers (there are currently 20, and we need 31) There is an upfront cost of $1100 ($100 hiring cost for each worker) The monthly production will be 775 (31 workers × 25 pumps per worker) The inventory at the end of month 1 will be 225 (production of 775 plus existing inventory of 50 = 825, then subtract the production of 600) Month
1
2
3
4
5
6
Demand
600
750
1000
850
750
700
Production
775
775
775
775
775
775
Inventory
225
250
25
–50
–25
50
$1125 $1250
$125
$0
$0
$250
Inventory cost
The total inventory cost is $2750 The total hiring cost is $1100 The total extra cost of the level plan is $2750 + $1100 = $3850 There are several qualitative issues that can and should be discussed here. Three of the more important ones may be: -
There are two months when shortages appear. There is no indication how customers will react. For example, if the customers are willing to wait for one to two months, then certainly there will at least be some loss of good will. There is a high probability that customers would not be willing to wait if they could obtain the product from a competitor (given that water pumps are a common product, this is highly likely). In that case a real financial cost is the loss of profit from those lost sales, and potentially some permanent loss of those disappointed customers. At a minimum, there is likely to be some cost in filling the backorders. 15 .
-
As indicated in the case, such shortages also require sales people to make additional visits to customers to calm their anger. Such visits might cost some real dollars and also create some anger and discouragement within the sales staff. There is an assumption that the newly hired 11 people will be able to produce a full production (25 pumps per month) immediately. Most production jobs entail a learning curve, implying the production of 775 total pumps in month 1 may be overly optimistic.
2. The chase plan is also fairly easy to develop. To create it, the assumption is made that the target inventory of 25 can be accomplished in the first month. To obtain the number of people needed each month, the demand for that month is divided by 25 (the number of pumps one worker can make in one month). The only exception is the first month, when we assume that 25 units of demand can be taken from inventory to get to the target level immediately. Month
1
2
3
4
5
6
Demand
600
750
1000
850
750
700
People needed
23
30
40
34
30
28
People +/–
3
7
10
–6
–4
–2
Inventory
25
25
25
25
25
25
$300
$700
$1000
$600 $400
$200
Hire/layoff cost
The total hire/layoff cost for the six months is $3200. The inventory cost for each month is 25($5) = $125. For the full six month the cost for inventory is $750. The total cost for the chase strategy, then, is $3950. That is only slightly higher than the level strategy ($100). As with the level strategy, however, there are qualitative issues that should be discussed. Included should be the following: -
-
From a customer perspective, this approach is clearly better than the level plan that represents at least two month of inventory shortages. One might argue (and in a real situation even calculate) that this approach is financially better, in that the potential cost of lost profitability was not included in the level schedule analysis. The largest qualitative cost in this chase plan is the constant movement of people in and out of production. This ignores several potential “hidden” costs, including: o o
o
The learning curve impact of the new people. The analysis assumes a new person can produce at the same rate as an experienced one. This is seldom the case The issue of employee loyalty. The production people will likely get the impression (rightly so) that the company has little or no loyalty to the feelings and needs of the workers. In that case, it would likely that the employees will also have little feeling of loyalty. That can not only impact morale, but also productivity improvement efforts. A little recognized issue is the impact of employee “guilt”. In some cases, employees who escape a layoff will feel guilty. While often relieved that they kept their job, they will sometimes express the feeling of “why did I survive—I feel guilty that I have my job while some of my friends on the production line lost their jobs.” 16 .
3. The following represents a hybrid plan. It has a level schedule for the first three months (until the demand grows to the point where shortages would occur), then has a level schedule for the next two months, then starts to reduce employees as the lower demand part of the cycle again starts. Month
1
2
3
4
5
6
Demand
600
750
1000
850
750
700
People needed
23
30
40
34
30
28
People +/–
12
0
0
–2
0
–1
Production
800
800
800
750
750
725
Inventory
250
300
100
0
0
25
Hire/layoff cost
$1200
$0
$0
$200
$0
$100
Inventory cost
$1250
$1500
$500
$0
$0
$125
The total cost of this plan (inventory plus hire/layoff costs) is $4875. From this purely financial analysis of these two extra costs this plan would not be preferable. If, however, all the qualitative costs discussed above (and their potential associated financial implications) are to be considered, this approach may be preferable and selected. Specifically, it has a reasonably small impact on layoffs and also prevents shortages that could impact customers. 4. There is only one hybrid approach presented. This question presents a great opportunity for students to present their own plans and discuss the pros and cons of each. A good discussion here can leave students with a much stronger perspective of the issues and advantages of developing good production plans.
CASE STUDY 2.2 TEACHING NOTES Williams 3D Printers
This case has an advantage in that it can be used for discussing the strategic issues often surrounding the development of longer-term S&OP planning where additional capacity is possibly needed, but if students are not at a level where that is appropriate then the case can be more simply used as a discussion of some of the options available for a company in this situation to use, and some of the pros and cons of each. You may find that even for students not familiar with strategic thinking that some may move in that direction based on their experience and basic logic. The environment described and the issues facing the company are fairly common for a startup organization in a rapidly growing market typical in the introduction phase of a product life cycle. You may wish to point out that often in such a market many small companies trying to enter the market is typical, but over time most will fail, either because of an inferior design, a lack of flexibility to understand the market, or the inability to find ways to grow in the market. As successful companies in the market grow, they are able to gain from the advantages of growth, including economies of scale. You may wish to point out that since the entire market is growing at this point that individual companies may experience growth without experiencing a lot of 17 .
competitive pressure. This is because growth can occur without actually growing market share (assuming the company grows at the same rate the market grows). Later in the life cycle when the market growth slows considerably the competition between survivors will tend to increase as the only way they can obtain growth is through taking market share from another company. How much of a discussion of this you feel appropriate should be based on the background of the students. You can also refer them to the first few pages of chapter 15 where the product life cycle is briefly discussed. The case can be discussed without this life cycle discussion, focusing primarily on the key issue of dealing with longer range sales and operations planning (S&OP) in this kind of environment. It certainly can bring out many of the tradeoffs inherent with the development of any S&OP process that almost any company has to go through, although in this case inventory does not seem to be a major problem (again somewhat typical in what appears to be a make-to-order environment). The key tradeoffs here appear to lie within the concepts of how to best manage rapidly growing sales forecasts. Specifically, they need to plan for longer-range resources and how to pay for them. Certainly, one alternative is for them to maintain their current size and only take orders that they can produce within their existing facility and staffing. Some students may wish to take that option, and could justify it by stating that it would allow the facility to only take orders with the highest possible profit margin. Given that the design for each order is apparently not standard, then the price is likely not standard either. If they do negotiate price, it gives them the option of taking or not taking a particular order. Some companies in this type of market will elect to take this approach, and it can work as the market matures if the company can successfully identify and defend a specific niche where they can provide good products and service. It is not clear that this would be the preferred approach here, and certainly it would appear that the Sales and Marketing manager, at least, would need to be convinced. Also, if they stay small as the market matures, they may face other problems—the design of a product tends to become more standard as the market matures, and also price becomes more sensitive. This type of discussion may be too advanced for your students, but asking them to consider what has happened in recent years to product with which they may be familiar may help—consider “smart” televisions, cell phones, and almost any other electronic device. If the growth option is taken, then Paula’s concerns need to be addressed. The decision to grow the business needs to include a good plan as to how. As Paula points out, growth in the production area may need to appear something like a “step function”, where large “chunks” of production capacity are added. Smoothing out added production capacity would seem to be difficult here, although it should be pointed out (and some students may suggest) that sometimes a smoothed addition of capacity can be obtained by subcontracting the work. If the discussion goes in this direction, student should be aware that in those cases it is more difficult for the company to control the work, especially in terms of quality, but also cost and delivery. Still, this may be a very attractive alternative for some student. If they decide to grow internally with the “chunks” of capacity, they need to address that likely at first, they would have an excess of capacity since the sales are less likely to grow in matching “chunks” of orders. Options possibly exist, however. One would be to offer other companies some of the added capacity for short term subcontracting work. Another would be to build some inventory of more standard parts of the printers. The inventory option would mean even more added cost up front, but could allow them to postpone the next needed “chunk” of capacity assuming the market continues to grow. If the students are at a level where discussion of this option evolves into some strategic points, you may wish to point out that addition of capacity in this early life cycle market often should lead the growth of demand. While that option tends to cost more in the short term, products in this type of market tend to be much more sensitive to delivery than they are to price, and the excess capacity (especially in a product with lots of design 18 .
options) can help make delivery reliability, and they also tend to provide good margins (not being particularly price sensitive). On the other hand, facilities producing products in a more mature market tend to allow the addition of capacity to lag demand growth, preferring to use techniques such as working overtime and subcontracting as much as possible before turning to acquiring more capacity. The main point against adding a “chunk” of capacity is cost and the impact on profitability. Certainly, the concerns of the financial manager need to be considered, and it would be an important decision if the company wishes to forgo a profitability position for some time in the future to pay for the added capacity. Some students may point out that this may make them much more profitable in the future as they can serve more of the market. While that can be true, you need to point out that if growth continues the company is likely to face a similar issue about adding even more capacity sometime in the future. Students should be made aware that these kinds of decisions must be made considering the overall strategy of the firm. They should be able to understand that even if you elect to forgo any detailed discussion around the life cycle and its characteristics.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
The ability of manufacturing to produce goods and services is called: a. scheduling b. production planning c. capacity d. routing e. none of the above
2.
Priority in production planning relates to: a. what should come first b. how much of what is needed and when c. capacity d. an objective of the firm e. none of the above
3.
Which of the following is an input to the production plan? a. strategic business plan b. financial plan c. market plan d. engineering plan e. all of the above are inputs
4.
Which of the following plans has the longest planning horizon and the least level of detail? a. Strategic business plan b. Production plan c. Master production schedule d. All of the above have the same level of detail e. None of the above
19 .
5.
In terms of INCREASING level of detail, which is the best sequence of activities? I.
Material requirements planning
II. Master production scheduling III. Production planning a. I, II, and III b. I, III, and II c. II, III, and I d. II, I, and III e. III, II, and I 6.
Over the time span of the production plan, which of the following can usually be varied to change capacity? a. Work force b. Inventories c. Plant and equipment d. All of the above e. a and b above
7.
Which of the following is a characteristic of a production plan? a. Time horizons are five years b. The production plan is for individual items c. The only objective is to have an efficient plant d. All of the above are characteristics of a production plan e. None of the above is characteristic of a production plan
8.
Determining the need for labor, machines, physical resources to meet the production objectives of the firm is called: a. production control b. production planning c. capacity planning d. all of the above e. none of the above
9.
The function of setting the limits or levels of manufacturing operations based on the market plan and resource availability is called: a. production planning b. production activity level c. capacity planning d. all of the above e. none of the above
10.
A statement of a schedule of requirements for individual end items is called: a. a master production schedule b. a material requirements plan 20 .
c. a production plan d. a capacity plan e. none of the above 11.
Which of the following statements is most appropriate regarding production planning? a. A high level of detail is not needed b. A translation must be made from product demand to capacity demand c. Product groups based on similarity of manufacturing process should be used in planning d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
12.
Which of the following statements is best about sales and operations planning? a. It provides a means of updating the material requirements plan b. It includes only the marketing and production plans c. It is usually updated on a monthly basis d. It has no effect on inventory levels
13.
Which of the following are characteristics of an ERP system? I.
It incorporates the plans of marketing, production and finance
II. It is a fully integrated planning and control system III. It has feedback from the bottom up a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I, II, and III 14.
For the purposes of production planning, product groups should be established on the basis of: a. market segments b. similarity of manufacturing process c. the availability of materials d. the availability of machinery e. all of the above
15.
Which of the following is a basic strategy in developing a production plan? a. Hybrid strategy b. Production leveling c. Chase strategy d. a and b above e. b and c above
21 .
16.
A production planning strategy which turns away extra demand is called: a. production leveling b. demand matching c. hybrid strategy d. all of the above e. none of the above
17.
Which basic production planning strategy will build inventory and avoid the costs of excess capacity? a. Demand matching (chase) b. Production leveling c. Subcontracting d. all the above e. none of the above
18.
Which basic production planning strategy avoids hiring and layoff costs and the costs of excess capacity? a. Demand matching b. Operation smoothing c. Subcontracting d. all the above e. none of the above
19.
If the opening inventory is 100 units, the sales are 500 units and the ending inventory is 200 units, then manufacturing must produce: a. 300 units b. 400 units c. 500 units d. 600 units e. none of the above
20.
Over a 10-week period the cumulative sales are forecast at 10,000 units, the opening inventory is 200 units and the closing inventory is to be 100 units. What should be the weekly planned production for level production? a. 990 b. 1000 c. 1010 d. 1030 e. none of the above
21.
Firms will generally make-to-stock when: a. demand is unpredictable b. there are many product options c. delivery lead times are long 22 .
d. all of the above e. none of the above 22.
Firms will generally make-to-order when: a. products are produced to customer specifications b. there are many product options c. product is expensive to make and store d. all of the above e. none of the above
23.
Which of the following information is needed to develop a make-to-stock production plan? I.
Forecast by time period for the production plan
II. Opening inventory III. Opening backlog of customer orders IV. Desired ending inventory a. I, II, and III b. I, II, and IV c. 1, III, and IV d. II, III, and IV e. none of the above 24.
If the old backlog was 200 units, the forecast for the next period is 500 units, and production for the next period is 600 units, what will be the backlog at the end of the next period? a. 100 units b. 200 units c. 300 units d. 700 units e. 800 units
25.
____________ is concerned with long-term planning of manufacturing activity: a. Sales and operations planning b. Master production scheduling c. MRP d. Production activity control e. Master planning
26.
Which of the following is NOT a rule of Sales and Operations Planning? a. Product Groups need not be decided b. Planning units of measure need to be decided c. A planning horizon must include new product development time d. Performance review periods to be compared should be decided
23 .
27.
Which of the following is a complete closed loop planning system that develops plans for all materials and operations? a. Capacity requirements planning b. Enterprise resource planning c. Supply chain management d. Material requirements planning
28.
When developing a production plan during the Sales and Operations Planning process sometimes the actual planned production is less than the expected market demand. Which of the following reasons is the most logical explanation for that condition? a.
Increased competitive pressure
b. Transportation problems c. Restricted warehouse space d. Availability of resources e. Governmental pressure 29.
Which level of personnel are generally responsible for developing the Sales and Operation Plan? a. First line supervisors b. Departmental managers c. Engineering staff d. Marketing and sales personnel e. Executive level staff
30.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is often difficult to implement for all the following reasons EXCEPT: a. Inaccurate data b. Poor training programs c. Poor software availability d. Integration across functions e. Top manager commitments
31.
Which of the following production planning strategies typically produces the smallest amount of inventory holding cost? a. Chase b. Level c. Hybrid d. Level with subcontracting e. Chase with subcontracting
32.
Which of the following represents the primary purpose of developing a Sales and Operations Plan? a. To evaluate and improve the forecasting method b. To plan production orders and timing c. To establish meaningful sales tactics 24 .
d. To plan resource needs and timing e. To develop and refine financial statements Answers
1
c
2
b
3
e
4
a
5
e
6
e
7
e
8
c
9
a
10 a
11 d
12 c
13 d
14 b
15 e
16 e
17 b
18 c
19 d
20 a
21 e
22 d
23 b
24 a
25 a
26 a
27 b
28 d
29 e
30 c
31 a
32 d
25 .
CHAPTER 3: MASTER SCHEDULING ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 3.1 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Forecast sales
10
50
25
50
10
15
20
70
45
95
85
70
Projected available
30
MPS
100
100
3.2 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Forecast sales
200
300
300
200
150
150
50
150
50
50
50
100
400
200
200
Projected available
250
MPS
200
3.3 Production Plan Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast sales
220
300
200
200
920
250
150
150
150
200
200
200
200
Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast sales
120
180
100
120
520
0
20
120
0
200
200
Projected available
270
Production plan Mailbox A. Lot size: 200
Projected available MPS scheduled
120
26 .
Mailbox B. Lot size: 200 Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast sales
100
120
100
80
400
250
130
30
150
Projected available
150
MPS scheduled
200
200
400
3.4 Production plan Week
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast
3000
3500
3500
4000
14000
3000
3500
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
Week
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast
2000
2500
2000
2000
8500
1500
3000
1000
3000
2000
4000
Week
1
2
3
4
Total
Forecast
1000
1000
1500
2000
5500
1500
500
3000
1000
Projected available
2000
Production plan Model A.
Projected available
1500
MPS
4000
Model B.
Projected available MPS
500
2000
4000
27 .
3.5 Master production schedule Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Product A
205
Product B
205
205
205
Product C
205
205
Total production
205
205
205
205
205
205
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Product A
280
210
140
70
0
125
Product B
60
20
185
350
460
340
Product C
205
360
310
260
210
160
Total inventory
545
590
635
680
670
625
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Model A
162
135
108
189
24.3
618.3
Model B
57.6
112
166.4
95
160
592.00
Total hours
219
247
274.4
285
184.3
1210.30
Inventory
3.6
a.
b. The total hours required (1210.3) is within the total hours available (5 × 250 = 1250) but the demand for week 3 exceeds available hours for that week. If possible, schedule some of the work from Week 3 into Week 1 and 2 or possibly schedule some overtime. 3.7 Week
1
2
3
4
5
Customer orders
70
70
20
40
10
MPS ATP
20
6
100
100
100
10
50
100
28 .
3.8 Week
1
2
3
4
5
Customer orders
15
3
17
11
MPS
30
30
30
ATP
17
13
16
6 3
3.9 Week
1
2
3
4
Customer orders
10
MPS
50
50
50
ATP
6
0
35
10
5
6
60
14
7
8
9
10
15
3.10 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Forecast sales
45
50
30
40
25
40
40
18
MPS ATP
0
100
100
100
100
20
35
20
82
3.11 On hand: 60 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Customer orders
20
50
35
30
50
30
MPS
100
100
5
0
20
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Customer orders
50
50
30
40
50
40
30
15
ATP 3.12 On hand: 50 units
MPS ATP
0
100
100
100
100
20
10
30
85
29 .
3.13 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Customer orders
70
20
40
50
10
15
20
20
MPS
100
100
100
ATP
10
0
45
Possible action is to promise delivery of 10 in week 5 and the balance in week 6. The ATP for week 1 would become 0, for week 3, 0 and for week 6, 15. You should not change or add any MPS order unless you first establish if you are inside or outside the planning time fence. 3.14 Week
1
2
3
4
Forecast
80
80
80
75
Customer orders
100
85
50
45
40
155
75
0
Projected available balance
140
MPS
200
3.15 Week
1
2
3
4
Forecast
50
50
50
50
Customer orders
60
35
70
15
0
75
5
55
Projected available balance MPS
60
100
30 .
100
3.16 Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
Forecast
20
21
22
20
28
25
Customer orders
17
16
23
19
31
22
3
47
24
4
33
8
PAB
20
MPS ATP
3
60
60
20
7
3.17 a.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
80
80
80
70
70
70 70
70
70
70
70
70
Demand
83
78
65
61
49
51 34
17
11
7
0
0
Projected 110 Available
27
99
19
99
29
109 39
119
49
129
59
139
Available to Promise
27
7
65
122
MPS
0
150
40
0
150
0
150
0
143
150
0
150
150
0
150
b. 21 units in week three - Can provide from current inventory on hand 37 units in week five - Can provide from week 4 120 units in week seven - Can provide from weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6 3.18 a. Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
30
40
40
50
40
40
50
40
40
30
40
40
Customer Orders
33
34
29
20
17
14
31
10
5
3
2
2
31 .
Projected Avail.
2
168 128
Avail. To Promise
2
100
120
196
200
200
200
MPS
78
38
198 148 108
68
38
198
158
b. We only have an ATP of 100 in period 2, so we can fill the order c. We still only have 102 available, but can fill the request in Period 6. d. The planning time fence is 10 weeks so we don't have enough time to complete all components in 9 weeks only additional costs are involved to expedite. e. An order for 200 units should be added to the MPS to meet demand. Week 10 is outside the planning time fence so adding an MPS should not present a problem
CASE STUDY 3.1 TEACHING NOTES Acme Water Pumps
The following is a master schedule using the case data. It is important to note that the projected balance ignores the forecast data for the first three weeks (because the demand time fence is 3 weeks), and from that point on the balance is computed from the larger of customer orders or forecast. Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
90
120
110
80
85
95
100
110
90
90
100
110
Cust. orders
105
97
93
72
98
72
53
21
17
6
2
5
Proj. Balance (25)
220
123
30
250
152
57
257
147
57
267
167
57
MPS
300
300
300
300
ATP
30
58
209
287
The order request for week 5 of 45 units should be no problem, as the ATP for week 58 covers it nicely. At this point it might be helpful to teach students about ATP by challenging them with additional questions about future orders. For example, What if the new customer order is for 70 in week 5? Still no problem. You could promise the 58 produced in week 4 and the additional 12 from the 30 ATP in week 1. Key point here—it is not important for the customer to know when the item is produced, only when they get it (an exception is an item with a short shelf life). What if the new customer order is for 100 in week 5? Now the issue is more complex. You could promise 88 (58 in week 4, 30 from week 1). For the rest of the request, there are three options:
32 .
1. You could ask the customer if you could give them 88 in week 5 and the rest in week 7. 2. If that option does not work for them, you could work with sales to ask if the other customer orders could accept some of their pumps at a later time, so you could split the shipment of their orders. 3. If that does not work, you need to check if you have the material and capacity to increase production by 12 units sometime during the next 5 weeks. If none of those options work, the only alternative is to tell the customer that you can only deliver 88 for them in week 5.
CASE STUDY 3.2 TEACHING NOTES The MasterChip Electronics Company
Sally is confronted with a relatively common environment. Her product line is competitive, somewhat delivery time sensitive, variable in demand patterns (volume and timing), optionoriented, and made with components that have fairly short life cycles. The union contract is certainly a constraint, but she should be able to manage around it more effectively. The measurement system focused on efficiency and utilization is also clearly a problem. This customer environment is one with variable orders in terms of size and options, and clearly the customers are sensitive to delivery reliability, especially when planned for something like a planned promotion. One could make the argument that at least part of the solution would be to “educate” the customers to provide more of their own planning information to MasterChip. That could very well help Sally’s own planning, but that should be viewed as a long-term approach at best. Essentially this environment sounds like at least an assemble-to-order (ATO) environment, a quite possibly a make-to-order environment for at least some of the products, and should be managed accordingly. First, it appears that Sally is relying on mostly short-term capacity planning (really reaction rather than planning) by using weekly layoffs and callbacks. The problems that causes in this environment are clear—excess capacity in parts of the facility and capacity shortages with lots of late orders in another part of the facility. Given that the demand patterns are somewhat erratic, you could assume that these capacity shortages and excesses have a tendency to move from area to area over time. She could avoid a lot of this if she had more flexible worker (where she could move them from one area to another), but this would require a change in the union contract and also a comprehensive training program to give workers more transferable skills. She also would be helped if she could change worker hours with more flexibility than weekly. That, too, could be an issue for their next union contract negotiation. That implies it may be very difficult to do and certainly will not help in the short term. Additionally, one could argue that the issues she faces with short-term capacity is really symptomatic of other parts of the planning system. The major problem here is the company does not appear to do any effective longer-range planning, as would be accomplished with a well-run Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process and a well-managed master scheduling program. As it appears now, the sales force seems to take any order they can get with little regard for how well that order fits into a managerial agreed to long-range S&OP. Students should be made to realize that with an effective S&OP, where the timing, cost, and quantity of resources are taken into account, the “target” sales for a period may not represent the unconstrained forecast demand for sales, but instead be representative of the sales the company should obtain to best maximize profits. Taking any order that comes along and blindly quoting a standard lead time clearly should not be done, especially in this type of volatile assemble-to-order environment. 33 .
Because of the ATO environment, the master schedules should likely be developed at the option level. This will allow two very important activities to be done for the company. First, the overall capacity can be managed at the rough-cut level to fit within the constraints established in the S&OP. Secondly, the master schedule can be established with available-to-promise (ATP) logic. This can be very powerful in this environment, especially if the sales force is trained what to look for in the ATP logic. A quick look, for example, in the situation described in the case, should have told the sales manager that he could promise at most 200 of the A77 units in the standard lead time, but also could tell him when the rest of the order could be shipped—and this could be done without having to check with anyone from production. The final assembly schedule would be developed from the actual customer order based on the options selected, but if the S&OP is managed effectively and a rough-cut capacity plan developed from the master scheduling activity the chance of any major mismatch in capacity should be minimized. This case can be used for three different types of student groups. If the students are still at a fairly basic level in their understanding of planning systems, it can easily be used just to emphasize the value of S&OP and ATP logic, as well as the need for longer-range capacity planning and how this is done in S&OP and master scheduling. If the case is to be used with more advanced students, it could serve as an effective “launch” into discussion of two-level master planning, and “super planning” bills of material. Finally, the case can be used to initiate discussions about operations strategy (if appropriate for the level of students), using the understanding of the environment to influence almost every aspect of the organization, including measurement systems (clearly a problem here) to planning systems, to priorities the organization should be putting on various aspects of union agreements if they exist, as they do in this case.
CASE STUDY 3.3 TEACHING NOTES Macarry’s Bicycle Company
This case works well to allow students an opportunity to practice their skills on developing master schedules and also to practice using them to effectively promise orders. You may notice that without specifically stating so, this case is a typical approach using two-level master schedules with essentially a “super bill” approach that is often used in such an assemble-to-order environment. In this case that approach was not specifically mentioned, but at the conclusion of the discussion in the case you may wish to take the opportunity to introduce the generic concepts of super bills, two level master planning, and even option overplanning to your students. You will likely note that while the planning time fence is defined as 20 weeks, but there is no defined demand time fence and the master schedules are developed assuming no demand time fence exists. Once the initial discussion of the questions in the case has been completed, you may wish to ask your student how, if at all would their solutions change if you set a demand time fence. They will likely gain good insight on the use of the time fence if you set a couple of different time fences for discussion—say one time at 2 weeks and then at 5 weeks. If this option is taken it may be instructive to have the students summarize the pros and cons of using demand time fences. The completed master schedules: Common parts (Frame, etc.) Existing inventory 40 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
50
55
60
62
65
65
68
70
75
75
80
85
34 .
Cust. Orders
56
52
45
33
70
50
35
60
20
20
0
0
Projected Inven.
184
129
69
7
137
72
4
134
59
184
104
19
Master Prod. Sch.
200
200
200
200
ATP
54
45
120
180
18 speed gear option Existing inventory 25 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
35
39
42
44
46
46
48
49
53
53
56
60
Cust. Orders
37
38
40
33
50
20
25
40
5
5
0
0
Projected Inven.
138
99
57
13
113
67
19
120
67
14
108
48
Master Prod. Sch.
150
150
150
150
ATP
27
55
100
150
Straight handle bars Existing inventory 20 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
15
17
18
19
20
20
21
21
23
23
24
26
Cust. Orders
16
18
20
5
15
22
15
20
5
8
0
0
Projected Inven.
4
46
26
7
47
25
4
43
20
57
33
7
Master Prod. Sch. ATP
4
60
60
60
60
17
8
35
52
Head and tail light set Existing inventory 5 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Forecast
10
11
12
13
13
13
14
14
15
15
16
17
Cust. Orders
2
12
10
8
15
9
7
11
2
1
0
0
Projected Inven.
25
13
1
18
5
22
8
24
9
24
8
21
35 .
Master Prod. Sch.
30
30
30
30
30
30
ATP
11
7
14
17
29
30
The solutions to the order inquiries: a) A customer is asking about an order of 32 of the bicycles for week 3. All 32 are to be 18 speed, 12 are to have straight handle bars, and 14 are to have the light set. While the order has no problem from the standpoint of the frame and common parts, only 27 of the 18 speed are available for week three and only 11 of the light set are available. There are enough handle bars for the order. The customer should be told that they can have 27 of their complete order for week 3 (the major constraint is the 18 speed, where they are 5 short—they are only 3 short of the light set). The remaining 5 bicycles can be delivered for week 5, when the next MPS is scheduled for the 18 speed. The light sets will be available in week 4, but the last 5 of the order needs to wait for the 18 speed option. Of course, in this and in any similar situation the sales people always have the opportunity here to attempt to convince the customer to accept a different option in order to get their order complete in week 3 b) A customer is asking about an order of 60 of the bicycles for week 6. 50 of them are to be 18 speed, 12 are to have straight handle bars, and 5 to have the light set. While there are plenty of frames and common parts (while only 45 are in ATP for week 5 and all can be used, the remaining 15 can be taken from the ATP in week 1). This situation is a good opportunity to emphasize to students that in the type of environment where items have long “shelf life” the customer often doesn’t tend to care when the item is made—only when they can have it. The 18 speed option is also no problem, for the same reasoning. The same is true for the handle bars and light set. The customer should be told “sure, no problem”. c) A customer is asking about an order of 20 of the bicycles for week 2. All are to be 18 speed, all are to have straight handle bars, and all are to have the light set. Again, there is no problem with the frames and common parts, the handle bars, and the 18 speed. The problem is the light set. Only 11 can be delivered with the light set in week 2, with 7 more delivered in week 4 and the last 2 in week 6. d) A customer is asking about an order of 110 of the bicycles in week 7. 60 are to be 18 speed, 22 are to be straight handle bars, and 15 are to have the light set. There are only 99 frames and common parts available by week 7. The remaining will need to be promised in week 8. The 18 speed option is not a problem, the straight handle bars are not a problem, and the light sets are not a problem. The customer should be promised 99 in week 7 and the remaining 11 in week 8. At this point in the discussion you may find some students still confused. If that is the case you may wish to create a few hypothetical orders of your own and have them come up with solutions. 3. Suppose Macarry Bicycle managers discover that a major competitor has had to shut down their production for the next three months due to a major fire. The Macarry managers fully expect that many of the competitor’s customers will turn to Macarry Bicycles to fill their orders during this critical time for them. In fact, one of the competitor’s customers has already asked about an order of 250 of the models for delivery in week 5. What actions should Macarry take in this case—be specific as possible. 36 .
Students need to realize that there are important reasons why planning time fences exist. They may be quick to realize that this represents an opportunity to get lots of unexpected orders, but to take those orders without the ability to deliver them threatens to alienate lot of potential new customers as well as existing ones. They will be tempted to add lots of MPS orders within the time fence. This presents the opportunity to discuss why adherence to the planning time fences is so important. Point out that they might be able to evaluate component inventories and existing capacity and possibly squeeze a few more added to production, but by no means should they assume that because they can put a number in the master schedule that it will really happen. Certainly, they have more freedom outside the planning time fence, but still the impact on component suppliers and internal production capacity still needs to be evaluated before adding lots of new production requirements immediately outside the planning time fence. You may also wish to initiate a strategic discussion—for example, with their existing ATP orders should they take orders from one of these potential new customers before they consider the needs of their regular customers? The danger is, of course, that as soon as the competitor recovers from the fire their old customers may return to the competitor as a supplier. In the meantime, if Macarry Bicycles has alienated their regular customers by failing to be able to cover their regular orders they may find that some of those regular customers may also leave them.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
The information needed to develop a master production schedule will be got from: a. the production plan b. the forecast of individual end items c. inventory levels for individual end items d. all of the above e. none of the above
2.
The MPS is a vital link the production planning system because it: I.
keeps priorities valid
II. forms the basis for determining the capacity needed III. is input to the material requirements plan IV. is input to the production plan a. I, II, III, and IV b. I, II, and III c. I, II, and IV d. II, III, and IV e. I, III, and IV 3.
The MPS: a. facilitates order promising b. works with individual end products c. is an agreed-upon plan between production and marketing d. all of the above e. none of the above 37 .
4.
The functions of a master production schedule are to: I.
plan material components
II. plan capacity requirements III. keep priorities valid a. I, II, and III b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. none of the above is a function of the MPS 5.
Which of the following are objectives of an MPS? I.
Maintain the desired level of customer service
II. Keep the sales department happy III. Make the best use of material, labor and equipment IV. Maintain inventory investment as required a. I only b. I and II only c. I, II, and III only d. I, III, and IV only e. II, III, and IV only 6.
The process of checking the MPS against available capacity is called: a. capacity planning b. shop-floor control c. rough-cut capacity planning d. capacity control e. process checking
7.
In an assemble-to-order company, at which level should master scheduling take place? a. the component/subassembly level b. the end item level c. the raw material/component level d. it does not matter, any level will do e. none of the above levels
8.
The final assembly schedule (FAS): a. schedules customer orders as they are received based on components planned in the MPS b. is used with make-to-order products c. is used with make-to-stock products d. a and b above e. none of the above 38 .
9.
Which of the following statements is best regarding the master production schedule? a. It is an agreed-upon plan between marketing and manufacturing b. If it is poorly done, we can expect past-due schedules and unreliable delivery promises c. It is a plan for specific end items that manufacturing expects to make over some period in the future d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
10.
The portion of inventory or production not committed to customer orders is called: a. free stock b. available to promise c. excess production d. waste e. excess capacity
11.
If there are customer orders the projected available is based on: a. forecast demand b. customer orders c. the greater of forecast demand and customer orders d. the opinion of the planner
12.
Which of the following is (are) true about time fences in a master production schedule system? I.
Changes far out in the planning horizon can be made with little or no cost to manufacturing
II. In the "frozen zone," capacity and materials are committed to specific order III. Changes in the near future on the planning horizon are less costly to make than changes far out a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I and III only d. I, II, and III e. none of the above 13.
Which of the following is NOT an input to the master production schedule? a. Sales forecast for items b. Current inventory status c. Final assembly schedule d. Customer orders e. Production plan
39 .
14.
The MPS is constrained by: I.
the availability of material.
II. available capacity. III. inventory policies. IV. production plan. a. all of the above b. I, II, III only c. I and II only d. II and III only e. none of the above 15.
Given the following data, complete the table. There are 30 on hand. Order quantity is 60 units. Week
1
2
3
4
Forecast
20
30
50
20
Projected available Scheduled receipts a. the projected available in week 3 is 40 b. the projected available in week 4 is 30 c. there is a scheduled receipt in week 4 d. a and b are true e. b and c are true 16.
Given the following table, calculate the ATP. There are 50 units on hand. Week
1
2
3
4
5
Customer orders
20
20
15
30
10
Scheduled receipts
50
ATP a. the ATP in week one is 10 b. the ATP in week one is 30 c. the ATP in week one is 5 d. the ATP in week two is 10 e. the ATP in week three is 35
40 .
17.
The time span for which plans are made is called the: a. time fence b. planning horizon c. time bucket d. forecast period e. none of the above
18.
The final assembly schedule is used: a. in a make-to-stock environment b. in a make-to-order environment c. in a assemble-to-order environment d. in any of the above e. in none of the above
19.
The PAB is calculated in which way for periods after the demand time fence? a. PAB = prior period PAM or on-hand balance + MPS – customer orders b. PAB = prior period PAB or on-hand balance + MPS + customer orders c. PAB = prior period PAB or on-hand balance + MPS – customer orders d. PAB = prior period PAB + MPS – greater of customer orders or forecast e. PAB = prior period PAB + MPS + greater of customer orders or forecast
20.
Which of the following is the term applied to a master schedule for a purchased item? a. Supplier scheduling b. Master scheduling c. Material scheduling d. Purchase order
21.
Which of the following is a contract between manufacturing and marketing? a. Production plan b. Master schedule c. Forecast d. Customer order
22.
Master scheduling is a balancing act between which of the following? a. Forecasts and orders b. Inventory and customer service c. Supply and demand d. Forecast and inventory
23.
Which of the following modules follows the Sales and Operations Plan? a. Business planning b. Production planning c. Master scheduling d. Material requirements planning 41 .
24.
Sales forecasting and resource capacity planning are two components of which of the following? a. Master scheduling b. Sales and operations planning c. Production Plan d. Master production schedule
25.
On a master schedule developed for a make-to-order product, what is typically being scheduled on the master production schedule (MPS) line? a. Raw material b. Resources c. Subassemblies d. Finished products e. Critical workforce needs
26.
26. Which of the following represents the minimal time horizon for a planning time fence in a master schedule? a. The timing of the furthest out actual customer order b. The cumulative lead time of the product c. The final assembly lead time of the product d. The longest lead time of all the raw material e. The cumulative setup time for all equipment used to make the product
Answers
1
d
2
b
3
d
4
d
5
d
6
c
7
a
8
a
9
d
10
b
11
c
12
a
13
c
14
a
15
b
16
c
17
b
18
c
19
c
20
d
21
b
22
c
23
c
24
c
25
a
26
b
42 .
CHAPTER 4: MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS PLANNING ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 4.1 Each X requires 2 As. Each A requires 2 Cs. Therefore, each X requires 4 Cs.
50 Xs require
Each Y requires 2 C
100 Ys require 200 Cs.
Total Cs. required
200 Cs. 400
4.2
Number of Gs required. Each A requires 2 Bs Each B requires 2 Es
=
4 Es for each A
Each E requires 4 Gs
=
16 Gs for each A
Each C requires 3 Gs
=
12 Gs for each A
Total Gs required
=
28 Gs for each A
Each A requires 4 Cs.
4.3 Week
1
2
3
4
Part A
Planned order receipt
Lead time: 1 week
Planned order release
160
Part B
Planned order receipt
160
Lead time: 1 week
Planned order release
Part C
Planned order receipt
Lead time: 1 week
Planned order release
5 160
160 160 160
43 .
Part D
Planned order receipt
Lead time: 2 week
Planned order release
Part E
Planned order receipt
Lead time: 1 weeks
Planned order release
160 160 160 160
4.4 Week
1
2
3
4
Gross requirements
20
15
25
25
20
5
30
5
Projected available
40
Net requirements
50
5
Planned order receipt
50
Planned order release 4.5 Week Part A
Part B
1
2
4
100
Projected available
0
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt
100
Planned order release
100
Gross requirements
300 50
0
Net requirements
250
Planned order receipt
250
Planned order release
250
Gross requirements
100
Projected available
100
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt Part D
5
Gross requirements
Projected available
Part C
3
Planned order release
100
Gross requirements
950
Projected available
0
Net requirements
950
Planned order receipt
950
Planned order release
950
44 .
Part E
Gross requirements
250
Projected available
0
Net requirements
250
Planned order receipt
250
Planned order release Part F
Gross requirements
100
Projected available
100
0
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt
100
Planned order release 4.6 Week
1
2
3
4
Gross requirements
20
75
30
30
10
100
5
55
Projected available
0
35
0
25
Net requirements
0
0
0
80
Scheduled receipts
30
Planned order receipt
80
0
Planned order release 4.7 Week
1
2
3
4
Gross requirements
30
25
10
10
50
5
45
35
Scheduled receipts
10
Projected available
30
5
Net requirements
50
50
Planned order receipt Planned order release 4.8 Week Part H
1
2
Gross requirements
3
4
50
Scheduled receipts
50
0
0
90
90
Projected available
50
1 week
Net requirements
50
Planned order release
45 .
90
0
Lead time
Planned order receipt
5
90
Part I
Gross requirements
100
180
Scheduled receipts
120
Lead time
Projected available
20
160
2 weeks
Net requirements
160
160
20
0
Planned order receipt Planned order release Part J
Gross requirements
320
Scheduled receipts Lead time
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
400
400
80
80
80
Planned order receipt Planned order release Part K
Gross requirements
480
Scheduled receipts Lead time
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
300
300
0
180
180 180
Planned order receipt Planned order release 4.9 Part Y
Week
Lead time 2 weeks
1
2
3
4
Lot Size: 60 Gross requirements
40
Scheduled receipts
45
Projected available 45
40
5
5
60
25 35
Net requirements
60
Planned order receipt Planned order release
Part Z
Week
Lead time 1 week
1
2
3
4
30
30
Lot Size: 130 Gross requirements
20
120
Scheduled receipts
20 46 .
30
80
Projected available
130
Net requirements
100 130
Planned order receipt Planned order release 4.10 Week Part A
1
2
3
4
5
Gross requirements
100
Scheduled receipts Lead time:
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
0 100
Planned order receipt
100 100
Planned order release Part B
Gross requirements
200
Scheduled receipts Lead time:
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
100
0 100
Planned order receipt
100
100
100
100
0
Planned order release Part C
Gross requirements
Lead time:
Scheduled receipts
1 week
Projected available
100 0
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt
100
0
100
Planned order release Part D
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
300
Lead time:
Projected available
0
1 week
Net requirements
300
Planned order receipt
300
0
0
0
0
300
Planned order release Part E
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
100
Lead time:
Projected available
0
1 week
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt
100 100
Planned order release
47 .
Part F
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
Lead time:
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
100 200
0
100
100
Planned order receipt Planned order release 4.11 Week Part X
1
2
3
4
15
12
20
13
5
7
20
20
5
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
10
Lead time:
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
Lot size:20
Planned order receipt
10
0
10 3 20
15 8 12 20
Planned order release Part Y
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
60
Lead time:
Projected available
50
2 weeks
Net requirements
Lot size: 50
Planned order receipt
25
25
15
60 5 15
45
5
50
50
Planned order release Part Z
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
90
Lead time:
Projected available
90
2 weeks
Net requirements
Lot size:
Planned order receipt
lot-for-lot
Planned order release
Part W
Gross requirements
0
0
0 40
0 0
40 40
50
Scheduled receipts Lead time:
Projected available
1 week
Net requirements
Lot size: 400
Planned order receipt
0
400
350 350 50 400
Planned order release 4.12
40
Item
A
B
C
D
E
F
Low-level code
0
2
1
2
1
0
48 .
350
350
4.13
Item
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
Low-level code
0
0
3
1
2
2
2
3
3
1
2
4.14 Low-
Week
Level
3
4
5
code Part A
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
0
50
80
Lead time:
Projected available Net requirements
0
0
1 week
Planned order receipt
50
80
50
80
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
Part F
Gross requirements
50
80
Scheduled receipts 0
Projected available Net requirements
1 week
0
Planned order receipt
120
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
Part B Lead time: 1
2 weeks Lot size: 300
Part C 1
120
Lead time:
120
120
Gross requirements 50
Scheduled receipts
80
Projected available 200
150
150
70
Gross requirements
100
120
160
Scheduled receipts
120 20
0
100
160
100
160
Net requirements
200
Planned order receipt Planned order release
Lead time:
Projected available
2 weeks
Planned order receipt
20
Net requirements 100 49 .
70
2
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
160
Part D
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
100
Lead time:
Projected available
300
Net requirements
200
2 weeks
Planned order receipt
240
40
100
100
100
140
140
200 300
Lot size: 300
Planned order release
300
Part E
Gross requirements
100
Scheduled receipts 2
160
Lead time:
Projected available
3 weeks
Planned order receipt
Lot size: 500
Planned order release
400
Net requirements
160
300
140
140
The low-level code for part D is 2. There is a planned order release of 300 for part D in week 1. There are no planned order releases for part E. There is a planned order release of 100 for Part C in week 1 and 140 in week 2. 4.15 Low-
Week
Level
1
2
3
4
5
90
80
20 20
0
0
70
70
80 80
code Part A
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
0
20
20
Lead time:
Projected available Net requirements
70
1 week
Planned order receipt
80
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
50 .
Part B
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
2
300
Lead time:
Net requirements
1 week
Planned order receipt
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
Part C
Gross requirements
2
80
230
20
0
60
60
0
60
70
70
80
0
0
Lead time:
Projected available
70
80
Net requirements
70
80
2 weeks
Planned order receipt
80
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
Part D
Gross requirements
140
220
Scheduled receipts
0
0
200
Lead time:
Projected available
140
140
0
Net requirements
140
20
1 week
Planned order receipt
20
20
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
Part E
Gross requirements
0
0
4
5
60
Scheduled receipts 2
210
Projected available
Scheduled receipts 1
70
60
0
Lead time:
Projected available
60
Net requirements
60
1 week
Planned order receipt
Lot-forlot
Planned order release
4.16 Low-
Week
level
1
2
3
code Part A 0
Lead time: 1 week Lot-for-lot
Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
100 100
0
Projected available
100
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt 51 .
Planned order release
Gross requirements Part B 0
Net requirements
50
1 week
Planned order receipt
Lead time: Lot-for-lot Part D Lead time: 1 week Lot-for-lot Part E Lead time: 1 week Lot size: 500 Part F
3
0
Lead time:
1 week
3
50
50
Part C
1
Scheduled receipts Projected available
Lot-for-lot
2
50
Lead time: 1 week Lot-for-lot
Planned order release Gross requirements
100
200
50
Scheduled receipts
100
0
0
Projected available
0
200
50
Net requirements
200
200
50
Planned order receipt
50
Planned order release Gross requirements
100
Scheduled receipts
100
0
Projected available
100
Net requirements
100
Planned order receipt Planned order release Gross requirements Scheduled receipts
400 500
50
40
Projected available
500
Net requirements
400
Planned order receipt
500
Planned order release Gross requirements
200
50
0
0
Projected available
200
50
Net requirements
200
50
Planned order receipt
50
Scheduled receipts
Planned order release
52 .
200
50
4.17 Initial MRP Week
1
2
3
Gross requirements
50
125
100
Scheduled receipts PAB
4
200 100
5 60
40
200
50
125
Week
1
2
3
Gross requirements
50
125
150
25
165
125
4
5
Net requirements Planned order receipt Planned order release Revised MRP
Scheduled receipts PAB
50
125
40
200
200 100
60
−25
Net requirements
115
75
25
Planned order receipt Planned order release Possible actions include expediting the scheduled receipt in week 4 to week 3. 4.18 Initial MRP Week
1
Gross requirements
70
Scheduled receipts
100
Projected available
50
2
80
3
4
5
40
70
50
40
40
70
20
80
Net requirements
30
20
Planned order receipt
100
100
Planned order release
100
100
MRP record at the end of week one Week
2
3
Gross requirements
40
110
Scheduled receipts Projected available
4
5
6
50
40
60
50
10
60
100 50
10
0
Net requirements
50
40
Planned order receipt
100
100
Planned order release
100
53 .
100
4.19 System unit
Lead time = 1 week Minimum order quantity = 500 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Gross Requirements
0
2500
3000
3000
3000
2000
Scheduled Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
Proj. ending inv. 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Net Requirements
0
2500
3000
3000
3000
2000
Planned Receipts
0
2500
3000
3000
3000
2000
2500
3000
3000
3000
2000
0
2
3
4
5
6
Planned Order Releases Speakers
Lead time = 1 week Minimum order quantity = 5000 Week
1
Gross Requirements
0
5000
6000
6000
6000
4000
Scheduled Receipts
5000
0
0
0
0
0
Proj. ending inv. 0
5000
0
0
0
0
0
Net Requirements
0
0
6000
6000
6000
4000
Planned Receipts
0
0
6000
6000
6000
4000
Planned Order Releases
0
6000
6000
6000
4000
1
2
3
4
5
Gross Requirements
2500
3000
3000
3000
2000
0
Scheduled Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
9000
6000
3000
0
3000
0
CD-ROM Drives
Lead time = 4 weeks Minimum order quantity = 5000 Week
Proj. ending inv.
54 .
6
11,500 Net Requirements
0
0
0
0
0
0
Planned Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
Planned Order Releases
0
5000
0
0
0
0
4.20 Gear and rotor plate assembly
Lead time = 1 week Minimum order quantity = 2500 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Gross Requirements
0
2000
0
2000
0
2000
Scheduled Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
Proj. Available 1000
1000
1500
1500
2000
2000
0
Net Requirements
0
1000
0
500
0
0
Planned Receipts
0
2500
0
2500
0
0
2500
0
2500
0
0
0
Planned Order Releases Wheels
Lead time = 1 week Minimum order quantity = 1 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Gross Requirements
0
4000
0
4000
0
4000
Scheduled Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
Proj. Available 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Net Requirements
0
4000
0
4000
0
4000
Planned Receipts
0
4000
0
4000
0
4000
Planned Order Releases
4000
0
4000
0
4000
0
Cotter Pins
Lead time = 3 weeks Minimum order quantity = 15,000
55 .
Week
1
2
3
4
Gross Requirements
2500
2000
2500
2000
0
2000
Scheduled Receipts
0
0
0
0
0
0
6500
4500
1500
2000
13500
11350
Net Requirements
0
0
0
500
0
0
Planned Receipts
0
0
0
15000
0
0
15000
0
0
0
0
0
Proj. Available 9,000
Planned Order Releases
5
6
CASE STUDY 4.1 TEACHING NOTES Apix Polybob Introduction
This is a relatively basic case used to discuss the issues of managing dependent demand inventory, specifically using the concepts of MRP. The case starts with a discussion surrounding the problems using EOQ with reorder points. Not only is the reorder point inappropriate for dependent demand inventory in most cases, but they actually seem proud that the inventory accuracy levels are “at least 80%”. Most people familiar with materials management will recognize that an 80% level is hardly acceptable for effective planning. Most of the rest of the first part of the case deals with a description of some of the typical symptoms that one would expect when dealing with the kind of conditions developed in the case. While these symptoms should not be the major focal point of the case, they should be discussed. Many students will gain insight by being challenged to explain why the symptoms described are likely to occur in such an environment. At this point the MRP calculations can be brought out. The MRP solution is presented at the end of this note. One of the first issues that should be mentioned is how the relatively “regular” production levels end up in quite “lumpy” demand for lower level components, brought on by lot sizing as the demand cascades down the bill of materials. In other cases, the ability of MRP to look ahead can show many other points that student can (or should) notice. For example, the scheduled receipt for item F is not needed in week one, and can be de-expedited. Case Discussion Questions
The first two questions have been mentioned. Others include: 3. MRP assumes an accurate database and also is (by itself) capacity insensitive. These issues should be pointed out to students (in case they fail to bring them out) as critical points that must be considered. In other words, the MRP solution will likely provide little benefit with only an 80% inventory accuracy, and will do little to prevent sales from over-promising orders unless the system is coupled with a good master schedule and capacity planning approach. 4. If there were only 250 of item E on hand instead of the 400 listed, the gross requirement could not be met for week 2. This would cascade up to the final product (a good opportunity to discuss the concept of pegging). Where MRP could help is in at least two ways. First, it could point out the potential problem with enough time to potentially expedite the delivery of parts, thereby possibly preventing a problem condition. If, on the other hand, expediting is impossible, the nature of the shortage 56 .
can be calculated and customers notified with hopefully enough time to plan around the expected shortage. 5. One of the great values of MRP is the “look-ahead” capability, and this question addresses that capability. Often the phase-in of a new design will occur when the impact on existing inventory is at a minimum. A look at the MRP shows that perhaps the best time for the new design phase-in would be after week 10, when the inventory of the old part is very low. Some students may argue that the best time would be the order for week 2. That is not an incorrect conclusion, and gives the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of phasing out small versus large amounts of old inventory designs. 6. This is a rather “open-ended” question that will allow students to be creative in their analysis. Some items they may come up with are changes in the labor force, vacation planning, promotions, and planning for equipment maintenance. 7. While students may come up with actual numbers for this question (based on several assumptions), the primary purpose for the question is to generate thinking about the financial implications of the differences between the two approaches. What can clearly be shown is that for many of the items there would be serious shortages using the reorder point. In some cases (item E, for example), the reorder point would generate order before they are actually needed, increasing inventory holding costs. The part shortages will clearly produce expediting activity, and generate some of the symptoms discussed in the case as well. Item ____B___ Lead time ____1___ Lot size ___80____ On Hand __10_____ Period
1
2
Gross Requirements
3
4
50
5
6
50
7
8
60
9
10
60
11 50
Scheduled Receipts Projected Available 10
10
Planned Order Releases
10
40
80
40
70
70
10
80
10
30
30
60
9
10
11
80
Item ___C____ Lead time ____1___ Lot size ___150___ On Hand ___40____ Period
1
2
Gross Requirements
3
4
100
5
6
100
7
8
120
120
100
Scheduled Receipts Projected Available 40 Planned Order Releases
40
40
90
150
90 150
57 .
140
140
20
20 150
50
50 150
100
Item ____D___ Lead time ____2___ Lot size ___200___ On Hand ___180___ Period
1
Gross Requirements
2
3
4
150
5
6
7
150
8
9
150
10
11
150
Scheduled Receipts Projected Available 180
180
Planned Order Releases
30
30
80
80
200
80
80
200
130
130
180
180
9
10
11
200
Item ____E___ Lead time ___2____ Lot size ___400___ On Hand ___400___ Period
1
Gross Requirements
2
3
4
390
5
6
7
390
8 390
390
Scheduled Receipts Projected Available 400
400
Planned Order Releases
10
10
20
20
400
20
20
400
30
30
40
40
9
10
11
400
Item ___F____ Lead time ___2____ Lot size ___500___ On Hand ___50____ Period
1
Gross Requirements
3
4
380
Scheduled Receipts
500
Projected Available 50
550
Planned Order Releases
2
170
5
6
7
380
170
500
290
8 380
290
290
290
410
380
410
30
30
500
CASE STUDY 4.2 TEACHING NOTES Benzie Products Company
This case is a fairly comprehensive case surrounding many of the major issues in developing and managing MRP for a company. Certainly, the student first has to create a master schedule and an MRP explosion from that master schedule. The questions dealing with an additional order and then the scrapping of 20 of one of the components forces them to use pegging to be able to manage the information and customer communication from the MRP data. Finally, the case provides an opportunity to think about and discuss the issues of safety stock. You may also wish to discuss the impacts of lot sizing, especially since both components C and D have rather large and potentially expensive inventories left in week 10, just when the demand for the Product X is entering a very low demand season. 58 .
First, here are the completed master schedule and MRP grids as requested in the first two assignment questions. First, product X: Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
25
20
16
16
15
15
13
11
10
9
Customer orders
27
21
16
13
11
9
7
4
3
2
Projected Avail. 27
0
29
13
0
35
20
7
46
36
27
9
10
30
30
Master Production Schedule Avail. To Promise
50
50
50
0
0
23
41
1
2
The MRP grids: A
Week Gross Requirements
50
Scheduled Receipts
60
Projected Avail. 0
0
10
Planned Order Release
3
4
5
6
7
8
50
10
10
50
20
20
60
20
30
60
B
Week
1
Gross Requirements
2
3
4
5
100
6
7
8
100
9
10
2
2
2
8
9
10
100
Scheduled Receipts Projected Avail. 2
2
Planned Order Release
100
Week
1
Gross Requirements
200
2
2
2
2
2
100
2 100
C
2
3
4 60 200
Scheduled Receipts
59 .
5
6
7 60 200
Projected Avail. 212
12
Planned Order Release
250
Week
1
12
202
2
2 192 242 242 242 242
250 250
D
2
Gross Requirements
3
4
5
60
6
7
8
9
10
43
43
43
43
60
Scheduled Receipts Projected Avail. 63 Planned Order Release
63
63
3
3
3
43
100
The rest of the questions:
Question 3. The customer wants three more units in week 4. There are no available to promise until week 5, but it still might be possible to accommodate them if there is existing inventory of the components—recall the case said there was available capacity and the lead time for product X is only two weeks. If the student looks at component A they should see that with 10 available units in inventory for week 2 (when product X would need to be started because of the 2 week lead time), meaning that component A would be no problem. Component B is a problem in that there are only two units available in week 2. The student may be tempted to place another planned order release for product B in week one (since it is only a one week lead time), but they would then cause a problem for component C that is used to make B. Fortunately, there are 12 units of C that are not needed, so you could possibly make up to six additional units of B, more than enough to use for the additional order of product X. The main issue that should be discussed here is if the lot size for component B of 100 is a minimum lot size or a fixed lot size (packaging issues or some machining constraints, for example). The case does not say, but students should come to the conclusion that if the lot size for B is a minimum then they should be able to make more of the B’s for use in the X. The same argument must be made for Product X as well—is the lot size a minimum or fixed. If the lot sizes are minimums, then the customer order can be accommodated. If not, then the Company should promise the additional quantity for week 5 and not week 4. Question 4. The scrapping of 20 units of component C causes no problem for making component A since the first planned order for A isn’t until week 3 and there is already a planned order for C to cover that need. The problem is component B. The production for B (planned release in week 1) was to be covered from the 212 inventory of component C. Now with twenty of component C scrapped, there is only 192 good component C left—which is only enough to make 96 component B. The planned order for B was for 100, and all but 2 of those 100 were needed (there were 2 units in inventory). The need for 100 units will be 2 units short, implying that one less Product X can be made for the scheduled production of 50 units in week 2. Clearly one customer will not get one of their product X on time. The company should be contacting customers and finding out which one could work with getting the last of their order in week 5. Generally, that should be done by contacting customers in the week 4 bucket and working backward as necessary. If students are tempted to want to deal with it by creating an additional master production schedule quantity, you should be prepared to discuss the problems associated with that—the generation of 60 .
“system nervousness” as the added quantity works through the bill of materials. You might even want to show them what happens in this case should they choose to add a master schedule quantity. The major conclusion from this discussion is the importance of understanding how to peg upwards in case of a problem, and using the knowledge to enhance customer communication. Also important is the issue of schedule stability. Question 5. The discussion of safety stock should point out three major issues. First is the obvious trade-off of having extra stock “just in case” versus the cost of holding that stock. Secondly, since all the components in the bill of materials below product X are dependent demand, that demand should be perfectly calculated given the master production schedule for Product X. That means safety stock should generally NOT be used in dependent demand items to deal with uncertain customer demand. Safety stock in the master schedule is used for uncertain customer demand. The safety stock in MRP dependent demand should primarily be used for uncertainty in supply—inaccurate data bases, late supplier deliveries, quality problems, machine breakdown, etc. The exception to that would be if some demand for a typical dependent demand item has some additional independent demand—service parts, repair parts, etc. If one wishes to reduce or eliminate the safety stock in the MRP dependent demand items, they should look to those causes—quality, supplier problems, data inaccuracy, etc. and not uncertain demand. The third issue is the fact that safety stock requirements can “pollute priorities”. For example, look at the MRP for component B. Suppose there were a safety stock requirement of 10 units. Since the available number is only 2 units, the safety stock requirement would generate the planned release of another lot of 100. That means that instead of having 2 units in inventory going into the low demand season for product X there would be 102 units, clearly at a cost that the company does not want. In addition, to paraphrase what Oliver Wight (a pioneer in the MRP field) once said “Whenever you make something you don’t really need, it is almost always at the expense of something you do really need”. This means, of course, that people will clearly see that they were asked to produce a lot of 100 component B that are just going to sit in inventory, when they could have used their capacity to produce something that could be sold instead.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
In the diagram below the independent demand item is:
a. X b. 1 c. 2 d. 3 e. 4 2.
_______ is a set of priority planning techniques for planning component items below the _________. a. Material requirements planning; end item level b. Master production scheduling; the market plan c. Production planning; end item level 61 .
d. All of the above e. None of the above 3.
The objectives of material requirements planning are to: a. issue orders to purchasing and manufacturing b. keep priorities current c. determine requirements d. all of the above e. b and c above
4.
Which of the following is (are) elements in an MRP system? a. The computer b. Bills of material c. Inventory records d. All of the above e. None of the above
5.
A set of priority planning techniques for planning component items below the end item level is called: a. master scheduling b. material requirements planning c. capacity planning d. production control e. none of the above
6.
A major input to an MRP system is: a. the production plan b. the capacity plan c. shop-floor activity planning and control d. the master schedule e. none of the above
7.
The document that shows the component parts and the number of parts needed to make one of an assembly or subassembly is called: a. a route sheet b. a material requirements plan c. a bill of material d. a material requisition e. none of the above
8.
A product tree shows: a. the parts that go into making a product b. the subassemblies used in making the product c. the sequence in which parts go together 62 .
d. all of the above e. none of the above 9.
Which of the following statements is best? a. A part number identifies one part only b. A part has one and only one part number c. The same part on different bills of material will have the same part number d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
10.
Which of the following statements is best?
a. Item A is the parent of item B b. Item D is on level 3 c. Item A is a parent of item D d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true 11.
A multi-level bill of material: I.
reflects the way the product will be manufactured.
II. is produced by the engineering department. III. is a parts list only and does not contain subassemblies. a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and II only e. I, II, and III 12.
A bill of material whose purpose is to simplify forecasting, master production scheduling and material requirements planning is called: a. a summarized parts list b. where-used bill c. planning bill d. structured bill e. multi-purpose bill
13.
Which of the following statements is best? a. A where-used report is the same as a pegging report b. A where-used report shows all the components that go into assembly 63 .
c. A pegging report shows all the parents for a component d. A where-used report shows only those parents for which there is an existing requirement e. Pegging reports show only the parents for which there are requirements 14.
The ability to relate the demand for an item shown on an MRP record back to the particular parent causing the demand is called: a. where-used b. relating c. pegging d. any one of the above e. none of the above
15.
The lead time for each item is 1 week. If an order for 50 of A is to be delivered in week 5, in what week will there be a planned order RELEASE for item B?
a. 5 b. 4 c. 3 d. 2 e. 1 16.
Which statement is correct? a. Planned order releases show when the order is needed b. When an order is released, it becomes a planned order c. Scheduled receipts show when goods were put into inventory d. All of the above are correct e. None of the above is correct
17.
Which statement is correct? a. A product tree shows the parts that go into making a product b. A part has one and only one part number c. Net requirements = gross requirements – on-hand inventory – scheduled receipts d. All of the above are correct e. None of the above is correct
18.
In material requirements planning the process of placing the exploded requirements in the proper time periods, based on the assembly lead times involved, is known as: a. exploding b. offsetting 64 .
c. netting d. all of the above e. none of the above 19.
Which statement is best? a. The planned order release of the parent generates the gross requirement of the component b. The planned order release of the parent becomes the net requirement of the component c. The planned order release of the component becomes the order receipt of the parent d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
20.
Which of the following statements is best about released orders? a. A scheduled receipt is a released order b. An open order is a released order c. A planned order release is a not a released order d. All of the above are true e. None of the above are true
21.
Which of the following is NOT true of an MRP record? a. The current time is the beginning of the first period b. The number of periods in the record is called the planning horizon c. An item is considered to be available at the end of the time bucket in which it is required d. The projected on-hand balance is for the end of the period e. The immediate or most current period is called the action bucket
22.
In the following product trees the low-level code of item D is:
a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3 e. 4 23.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Every item has more than one low-level code b. Net requirements = gross requirements + on-hand + scheduled receipts 65 .
c. Each part has at least one part number, depending on where it is used d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true 24.
Given the following product tree, the parent of B is:
a. A b. B c. C d. D e. E 25.
Given the following parents and components, how many Bs are required to make an X? Quantities are shown in brackets. Parent
X
A
Component
A(2)
B(2)
B(1)
D(1)
a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. 5 26.
Which of the following are controlled by the materials planner? a. Firm planned orders b. Planned orders c. Released orders d. Exception messages e. All of the above
27.
66 .
The lead time for each item is 2 weeks. If an order for 100 of A is to be delivered in week 6, in what week will there be a planned order RELEASE for item B? a. 5 b. 4 c. 3 d. 2 e. 1 Use the following MRP record and your calculations to answer the following two questions. The component has an order quantity of 100, a safety stock of ten, and a lead time of one period. Complete the following MRP record. Week
1
Gross requirements
25
Scheduled receipts
100
2
3
4
80
20
80
Projected available 30 Net requirements Planned order receipt Planned order release 28.
Complete the above MRP record. Which of the following statements is correct? a. A planned order for 50 should be released in period two b. The projected available in period three is 55 c. The projected available in period three is five d. The net requirement in period two is 20 e. The net requirement in period three is ten
29.
The net requirement in period three is: a. 0 b. 5 c. 10 d. 15
30.
Which of the following statements is best regarding part numbering systems? a. Significant part numbering systems are difficult to maintain b. It is easier to remember numbers than letters c. A random number is an identifier not a descriptor d. All of the above are true
67 .
31.
Which of the following is elapsed time from recognition of a need until the time that need is satisfied? a. Production time b. Lead time c. Cycle time d. Schedule
32.
Which of the following comes directly from external customers? a. Dependent demand b. Independent demand c. Bill of materials d. Order quantity
33.
Service parts experience which of the following types of demand? a. Independent b. Dependent c. Independent and Dependent d. None of the above
34.
In material requirements planning, the process of placing the exploded requirements in the proper time periods, based on the assembly lead times involved, is known as: a. scheduling b. offsetting c. netting d. all of the above e. none of the above
35.
A bill of material for an item must change: a. when a component changes b. when there is a change in the use of the item c. when the item is used in another parent d. never e. if the item is fully interchangeable
36.
Three inputs to the MRP process are: a. production activity control, purchasing, and the production plan b. inventory status, the master production schedule, and the product structure c. the master production schedule, inventory status, and the capacity requirements plan d. the product structure, production activity control, and inventory status e. the product structure, production activity control, and the master production schedule
68 .
37.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
Firm planned orders are planned orders frozen by the planner
II. Released orders are planned orders that have been released by the computer III. The planner should not release an order unless satisfied the order can be carried out a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. I, II, and III e. none of the statements is true 38.
Given the following product tree, how many product structure relationships are there? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. 5
39.
The document that shows the component parts and the number of parts needed to make one of an assembly or subassembly is called: a. a route sheet b. a material requirements plan c. a bill of material d. a material requisition e. none of the above
40.
In the product structure diagram below item X has _______________ demand and item 2 has _______________ demand.
a. dependent, dependent b. dependent, independent c. independent, independent d. independent, dependent e. none of the above answers are correct The following two questions use the information in this MRP record. The lead time is 3 weeks. Week
1
2
3
4
5
Gross requirements
60
50
60
70
20
69 .
Scheduled receipts Projected available
100 40
90
30
40
Net requirements Planned order receipt Planned order release 41.
100
The projected available to be shown in week three is:
a. 0 b. 75 c. 125 d. 175 e. none of the above 42.
The net requirement for week four is: a. 25 b. 50 c. 75 d. 200 e. any of the above
43.
The beginning projected available is: a. 10 b. 40 c. 60 d. 100 e. cannot be determined from the data
44.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The same part on different bills of material has different part numbers b. A part number identifies one part only c. A significant part numbering system should always be used d. All of the above are true e. None of the above are true
45.
What happens to a planned order in MRP for a purchased part once it is released by the planner? a. It becomes a planned order for the period in which delivery is expected b. It becomes a scheduled receipt in the period in which delivery is expected 70 .
c. It becomes a scheduled receipt in the same time period in which it was planned d. It disappears from MRP and is only recorded in the purchasing system e. It becomes a firm planned order in the same time period in which it was planned Answers
1
a
2
a
3
d
4
d
5
b
6
d
7
c
8
d
9
d
10 a
11 a
12 c
13 e
14 c
15
c
16
e
17
d
18
b
19 a
20 d
21 c
22 c
23 e
24
a
25
e
26
a
27
a
28 b
29 d
30 d
31 b
32 b
33
c
34
b
35
a
36
e
37 b
38 e
39 c
40 d
41 a
42
c
43
e
44
b
45
b
71 .
CHAPTER 5: CAPACITY MANAGEMENT ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 5.1 Weekly available time = 3 × 16 × 5 = 240 hours 5.2 Hours actually worked = 240 × .80 = 192 5.3 Rated capacity = 240 × .80 × 1.20 = 230.4 standard hours 5.4 Rated capacity = 7 × 16 × 5 × .7 × 1.10 = 431.2 standard hours 5.5 Rated capacity = 4 × 8 × 5 × .8 × 0.9 = 115.2 standard hours 5.6 Demonstrated capacity =
50 + 48 + 44 + 52 = 48.5 hours per week 4
5.7 Measured capacity = 1050 ÷ 11 = 95.5 hours per week 5.8 Utilization = 72 ÷ 80 = 90% Efficiency = 75 ÷ 72 = 104.2% 5.9 Time available = 3 × 40 × 4 = 480 hours Utilization = 360 ÷ 480 = 75% Efficiency = 470 ÷ 360 = 130.6% Demonstrated Capacity = 470 ÷ 4 = 117.5 standard hours per week 5.10 Available hours = 5 × 16 × 5 × 50 = 20,000 Hours actually worked = 16,000 Standard hours produced = 15,400 Utilization = 16,000 ÷ 20,000 = 80% Efficiency = 15,400 ÷ 16,000 = 96.3% Demonstrated (measured) capacity = 15,400 ÷ 50 = 308 standard hours 5.11 Time required = 1.1 + 0.3 × 200 = 61.1 standard hours Actual hours =
61.1 standard hours = = 72.74 hours 1.2 ×.70 efficiency utilization ( )( )
5.12 Time required = 2.0 + (0.3 × 500) = 152 standard hours Actual hours =
152 = 162.56 hours 1.1×.85
5.13 Order quality
Setup time (hours)
Run time
Total time
(hours/piece)
(hours)
Release orders 120
300
1.00
0.10
31.00
340
200
2.50
0.30
62.50
Planned orders 560
300
3.00
0.25
78.00
72 .
780
500
2.00
0.15
Total time (standard hours)
77.00 248.50
5.14 Order quality
Setup time (hours)
Run time
Total time
(hours/piece)
(hours)
Release orders 125
200
0.5
0.1
20.5
345
70
0.75
0.07
5.65
Planned orders 565
80
2.00
0.25
22.00
785
35
1.50
0.14
5.4
Total time (standard hours)
53.55
5.15 Open orders for parts
Planned orders for parts
Week
1
2
3
1
2
3
123
12
8
5
0
5
10
456
15
5
5
0
10
15
Lead report Week Released load
Planned load
1
2
3
123
38
26
17
456
18
8
8
123
0
17
32
456
0
13
18
56
64
75
Total load 5.16 Week
18
19
20
21
Total
Released load
160
155
100
70
485
Planned load
0
0
70
80
150
Total load
160
155
170
150
635
Rated capacity
150
150
150
150
600
(over)/under
–10
−5
−20
0
−35
73 .
5.17 Operation number
Work center
Operation time (days)
Queue time (days)
Arrival date
Finish date
10
111
2
4
126
131
20
130
4
5
134
142
30
155
1
2
145
147
Stores
150
5.18 Operation number
Work center
Operation time (days)
Queue time (days)
Arrival date
Finish date
10
110
3
2
174
177
20
120
6
4
181
186
30
130
3
2
193
197
Stores
200
CASE STUDY 5.1 TEACHING NOTES Wescott Products
This case offers the opportunity for a student to examine the issues surrounding Master Scheduling, rough-cut capacity planning the issues of lot sizing, and even the relationship between “bucket” scheduling and detailed scheduling of actual production. The environment is an assemble-to-order environment, so the instructor has an opportunity to discuss the potential use of available-to-promise (ATP), although the case can clearly be approached without ATP. First, even though there is little data on manufacturing other than the one assembly area, it is a very logical to assume the assembly is the bottleneck, given the statement that there appeared to be plenty of subassemblies and components (paragraph 3 of the case). Secondly, it must be noted that there is more to the situation here than just master scheduling. Some of the critical issues are noted: •
Assembly is not only a bottleneck, but with the difficulty in getting new workers and in assigning overtime it is highly unlikely that capacity can be increased for quite some time. This clearly drives one to consider using the existing capacity more carefully.
•
Orders were generally within ten percent of the forecast, yet that is clearly not the case in the first week. Students may challenge the statement made in the case about forecast accuracy, but the condition in week one is a perfect opportunity to discuss 74 .
the concept of overloading. Many companies that fail to manage capacity effectively will “front load” missed orders from the past into the current time period, making it almost impossible to accomplish. •
The Sales and Marketing manager is being measured at least partially on new sales, and he is apparently being successful. This may not be a good business approach in the present circumstance, however. Part of the problem may be the quoting of a standard lead time of one week. Jason would then check for material availability and to see if the equipment was running. Note the lack of a capacity check. The focus on new sales should be examined in favor of customer delivery, at least in the short term, and certainly until the present problem is resolved. Standard lead times can be used, but should be evaluated in light of the situation. A preferable approach may be order promising on the basis of the master schedule.
•
There is little indication as to how the lot sizes for production were established, but that too should be examined. The setup times should also be scrutinized, as they not only take up precious capacity, but also drive the lot sizes larger.
•
It should be clear that they cannot possibly run a lot of all five products every week. With two workers on a 40-hour week, they have 4800 minutes of production capacity with 480 minutes (four hours times two workers) maximum overtime—and that assumes perfect efficiency and 100% utilization. Compare that available capacity of 5280 hours with the capacity to run a lot of each type, and the result is clear: Model A 3.7(150) = 555 + 90 min. setup = 645 minutes Model B 5.1(100) = 510 + 40 min. setup = 550 minutes Model C 4.3(120) = 516 + 60 min. setup = 576 minutes Model D 8.4(350) = 2940 + 200 min. setup = 3140 minutes Model E 11.2(400) = 4480 + 120 min. setup = 4600 minutes Total 9511 minutes
•
Model E has an inventory of 153. This indicates that was most likely the last model run the previous week. It is not clear why those were not designated for the 223 orders for the current week, but it may have to do with Jason scheduling only one week in advance. We can assume, however, that those in inventory can easily be designated for 153 of the 223 orders. It should be noted, however, that even though they can “easily add any subassembly options”, there is still somewhat of a capacity implication to do so. While the exact impact on capacity is not clear from the case, we must assume that 100% utilization of the existing resources for new orders is not possible. The same situation is also true of the other items where inventory exists at the end of last week (Models A and D).
•
If we assume the 153 items in inventory for Model E can be used to satisfy some of the customer orders for Model E in week one, there should be plenty of capacity even not including the small inventory of Models A and D. The total run time to build just the customer orders for Model A through D is 3083.1. Adding setup times for those models uses 3473.1, still easily within the available capacity. The real “killer”, then, appear to be the lot sizes that force run quantities in excess of customer demand each week.
•
The case is not clear as to how he is ordering components, but indications are that this is being done in less than a structured method. The two indications that can be used to assume that are the high inventory levels (3.5 turns) and the fact that he is only scheduling a master schedule one week at a time. He is probably not using MRP 75 .
logic, although this condition does present an opportunity to discuss with students alternatives he might consider to improve the situation. The large amount of component inventory leading to 3.5 turns probably indicates they are using some sort of reorder with very large safety stocks and quite possibly large lots. Informally-run planning systems typically will have large inventory levels, since the company typically does not know what they need and keep large inventories “just in case”. Until Jason is able to investigate (and potentially solve) the lot sizing problem, he needs to carefully manage the capacity he has. In the long term he also should be looking at a forecast much longer than the ten weeks given. If we assume the overall demand is growing (“rapid growth”, as the case states), we can assume we will reach a crisis in capacity again fairly soon in assembly. The forecast for the ten week period shows no growth, implying it is either suspect in accuracy or perhaps in a cyclical “flat” period of demand. In either case, Jason clearly needs to investigate when he will need to add capacity and start to develop a strategy to do so. Shifting to an order promising approach using ATP is certainly one solution, and may be the only viable one until the present circumstance is reversed. This does imply that in the short term a few orders will be late and that they also may need to take no more new orders for short delivery on certain models in the short term. The advantage in promising and delivering accurately to customers is the trade-off, and in the longer term he can more effectively have a chance to meet forecast.: MODEL A Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
Customer Orders
53
41
22
15
4
7
2
0
0
0
Projected Available 10
107
62
17
122
77
32
137
92
47
2
Available To Promise
44
124
148
Master Production Schedule
150
150
150
MODEL B Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
Customer Orders
66
40
31
30
17
6
2
0
0
0
Projected Available
34
–6
59
24
89
54
19
84
49
14
Available To Promise
0
33
75
100
100
100
100
100
Master Production Schedule MODEL C Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
76 .
Customer Orders
52
43
33
21
14
4
7
1
0
0
Projected Available
68
18
88
38
108
58
8
78
28
98
Available To Promise
25
66
95
119
120
Master Production Schedule
120
120
120
120
120
MODEL D Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
Customer Orders
277
190
178
132
94
51
12
7
9
2
Projected Available 22
95
255
75
245
65
235
55
225
45
215
Available To Promise
100
0
124
287
334
348
Master Production Schedule
350
350
350
350
350
350
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forecast
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
Customer Orders
223
174
185
109
74
36
12
2
0
0
Projected Available 153
–70
130
330
130
330
130
330
130
330
130
Available To Promise
0
156
106
290
386
400
400
400
400
400
400
MODEL E
Master Production Schedule
Calculation explanation: All projected available calculated from the larger of customer order or forecast. ATP calculation is non-cumulative, having to accommodate customer orders only until the next MPS. For model E the 2nd week ATP assumes customer orders missed in week one will be taken from the MPS of week 2 in addition to the week 2 customer orders. The same is true for the week 3 ATP in model B, and the ATP for week 4 in model D. Explanation
In general, the first 5 weeks have splitting of lots between weeks in order to catch up with the overloaded condition. Even though the lots are blocked into the master schedules, the sequencing of those jobs and splitting them between weeks becomes critical in the “catch up” mode. You might want to also take this opportunity to discuss with students how some assumptions in these numbers can cause additional problems. The assumptions made in these calculations are, for example, that the facility will operate at 100 percent efficiency, and that the time standards on which the run times and setup times are based are correct. Week 1: Note that this plan calls for running Models A through D in week one. Since that will use 4911 minutes (including setup time) of the 5280 maximum available (with overtime), it is 77 .
doubtful that much more can be done. We can assume that the 369 minutes remaining will be easily used up in adding options to existing inventory, even if (doubtfully) they achieve 100% efficiency and utilization. Note that this implies that seventy orders for model E cannot be met in week one. Customers should be notified immediately. Week 2: model E can be run, taking 4600 minutes. Model D also needs to be run, but the full lot cannot be run. If we assume the setup can be saved over the weekend, we have enough run time to make 57 assemblies (after the 200 minute setup). The remaining 293 assemblies can be run immediately in week 3. This is a perfect example of where the lack of detail in a master schedule using weekly blocks can be deceiving. It appears all customer orders will be met, but by starting the lot in week 2 and finishing in week 3 there will only be 152 of the customer orders met (95 left from week one and 57 made in week 2). Customers for the remaining 38 week two order will have to be notified that their order will be ready early in week 3. Note there will be a shortage of inventory for model B, but model D was selected because not running it would have produced a much larger shortage. Only six of the model B customers will have late deliveries. Week 3: The rest of the week 2 model D lot will take 2461.2 minutes. Lots of model B and C also need to be run. That will leave 1692.8 minutes to start the next needed lot of model E. After setup, that leaves time to complete 140 assemblies. Luckily, with the inventory left after the week 2 run of model E, the 140 assemblies will be adequate to cover all week three customer orders for model E. Week 4: The rest of the lot for model E needs to be run, taking 2912 minutes. Model A also needs to be run. That will leave 1723 minutes to start a needed lot of model D. After setup, they should be able to run 181 assemblies of model D, an adequate number to satisfy week 4 customers for model D. Week 5: The rest of the model D lot needs to be run, taking 1419.6 minutes. Models C and B also need to be run. That will leave enough time (2542.4 minutes after setup) to run 227 assemblies of a needed lot of model E. Those will easily satisfy customer orders for model E in week 5. Week 6: The rest of the lot of model E needs to be finished, taking 1937.6 minutes at the beginning of the week. Model D also needs to be run. The facility has finally caught up. No other models have to be run, meaning no overtime will be needed for the first time. In fact there will be 196.4 minutes left in regular time—time to start the setup reduction analysis. Week 7: Both model E and A need to be run, once again requiring overtime (total time needed is 5245 minutes). Week 8: Model B, C, and D need to be run, but again this implies an overtime-free week. Week 9: Again, no overtime. Only model E needs to be run. Week 10: Technically, only models C and D need to be run, but anticipation of week 11 with a probably need to run models A, B, and E, it might make sense to run a lot of model A early. The inventory is very low and it will need to be run early in week 11. As can be seen in this scheduling scenario, there is little room for flexibility. The facility is just too capacity-constrained in the assembly area. The business should stand a good chance of keeping out of trouble with customers, however, if while they attempt to solve the capacity problem and the flexibility problem associated with lot sizes they use the ATP logic to promise customer orders.
78 .
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
__________ is responsible for determining the capacity required and with methods of making the capacity available. a. Production planning b. Master production scheduling c. Production activity control d. Capacity planning e. Material requirements planning
2.
__________ is responsible for capacity planning at the master production schedule level and _____ at the material requirements planning level: I.
Resource planning
II. Rough-cut capacity planning III. Capacity requirements planning a. I and II b. I and III c. II and III d. none of the above 3.
Available capacity in production planning is: a. the amount of inventory that can be held in a warehouse b. the quantity of work that can be performed in a given period of time c. a measure of the ability of a plant to consume raw materials d. all of the above e. none of the above
4.
________ are generated by the priority planning system and involve the translation of the priorities, generally given in units of product or some common unit, into hours of work required at each work center in each time period. a. Capacity requirements b. Capacity bills c. Work center reports d. all of the above e. none of the above
5.
Rated capacity is calculated taking into account work center ________ and ________ . I.
historical data
II. utilization III. efficiency
79 .
a. I and II b. I and III c. II and III d. none of the above 6.
A work center consists of 2 machines working 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. Historically, utilization has been 80% and the efficiency 90%. The effective capacity, to the nearest hour, would be: a. 80 hours b. 40 hours c. 30 hours d. 50 hours e. 58 hours
7.
The available capacity will be influenced by: I.
product specification.
II. product mix. III. work effort. IV. units of measurement
8.
a.
I, II, and III only
b.
I, II, and IV only
c.
II, III, and IV only
d.
III only
e.
IV only
The percentage of time the work center is active compared to the available time is called: a. efficiency b. effectiveness c. utilization d. Murphy's factor e. up-time
9.
The ratio of standard hours of work produced to hours actually worked is called: a. efficiency b. effectiveness c. utilization d. Murphy's factor e. up-time
10.
(Available time) × (utilization) × (efficiency) is called: a. effectiveness b. useful capacity c. demonstrated capacity 80 .
d. rated capacity e. work time 11.
Which of the following is NOT an input needed in capacity requirements planning? a. Open shop orders b. Planned order releases c. Routings d. Time standards e. Rough-cut capacity
12.
Information on the standard times for an operation will be found in: a. the work center file b. the routing file c. the master file d. the product file e. the production file
13.
Which of the following is the best statement? a. Open shop orders appear as scheduled receipts in the MRP b. Information on queue and wait time can be obtained from the work center file c. The Gregorian calendar is suitable for production planning d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
14.
A ________ shows the capacity required at each work center based on planned and released orders for each time period of the plan. a. work center profile b. load profile c. scheduled order profile d. work-to-be-done report e. work center file
15.
One hundred units of part A are to be processed on a work center. The setup time is 2 hours and the run time per piece is 10 minutes. The total standard time will be: a. 2 hours 10 minutes b. 3 hours 40 minutes c. 10 minutes d. 1000 minutes e. 1120 minutes
16.
In the short run, capacity can be altered by any of the following EXCEPT: a. scheduling overtime b. selecting alternate routings c. reallocating the work force 81 .
d. purchasing new equipment e. subcontracting out 17.
A report that shows the future capacity requirements based on released and planned orders for each time period of the plan is called: a. load report b. capacity report c. order report d. dispatch list e. none of the above
18.
Over the previous three weeks a work center produced 36, 43, and 35 standard hours of work. What is the measured capacity? a. 114 standard hours b. 36 standard hours c. 38 standard hours d. 43 standard hours e. Cannot be determined with this data
19.
A work center was available for work 80 hours, produced 74 standard hours of work and actually worked 67 hours. What is the efficiency of the work center? a. 92.5% b. 110.4% c. 108.1% d. 119.4%
20.
In one week a work center produced 130 standard hours of work. The actual hours worked was 114. The efficiency is: a. 80.8% b. 87.7% c. 92.3% d. 114.0%
21.
Determining the need for labor, machines, and resources to meet the production objectives of the firm is called: a. production control b. sales and operations planning c. capacity planning d. all of the above
22.
(Available time) × (utilization) × (efficiency) is called: a. effectiveness b. useful capacity c. demonstrated capacity
82 .
d. rated capacity e. work time 23.
In one week a work center produces 130 standard hours of work. The hours scheduled are 120, and 105 hours are actually worked. The utilization is: a. 80.8% b. 87.5% c. 92.3% d. 108.3% e. 123.8%
24.
Which of the following best describes the approach to capacity planning in a lean production environment? a.
It is not very important because product designs in a lean environment tend to be standardized
b. It is not very important because equipment and personnel in a lean environment tend to be very flexible c. It is very important because the inventory in a lean production environment tends to be much less d. It is very important because the equipment setup times in a lean environment tend to be much larger 25.
Detailed capacity planning is often considered as not particularly important in a lean production environment for which of the following reasons? a. Product throughput times tend to be longer, allowing for better development of rough-cut capacity planning b. Product throughput times tend to be shorter, negating the need or even the possibility of developing a detailed plan c. Smaller inventories in a lean production environment implies there is both more flexibility and excessive capacity available d. MRP systems are almost never used in an MRP environment, implying a significant lack of data needed for detailed capacity planning
Answers
1
d
2
c
3
b
4
a
5
c
6
e
7
a
8
c
9
a
10
d
11
e
12
b
13
d
14
b
15
e
16
d
17
a
18
c
19
b
20
d
21
c
22
d
23
b
24
c
25
b
83 .
CHAPTER 6: PRODUCTION ACTIVITY CONTROL ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 6.1 Required capacity = 3.5 + 0.233 × 600 = 143.3 standard hours 6.2 Queue at work center A = 20 × 60 = 1200 minutes Work center A operation time = 40 + 100 × 4 = 440 minutes Wait time = 300 minutes Move time from A to B = 30 minutes Queue at work center B = 30 × 60 = 1800 minutes Work center B operation time = 50 + 100 × 5 = 550 minutes Wait time = 300 minutes Move time from B to stores = 180 minutes Total manufacturing lead time = 4800 minutes = 80 hours 6.3 (100 × 4 +100 × 5) ÷ 4800 = 18.75% Note that setup time is not included as actual running time 6.4 Queue at work center A = 40 × 60 = 2400 minutes Work center A operation time = 45 + 50 × 4 = 245 minutes Wait time at A = 480 minutes Move time from A to B = 60 minutes Queue at work center B = 30 × 60 = 1800 minutes Work center B operation time = 30 + 50 × 5 = 280 minutes Wait time at B = 420 minutes Move time from B to stores = 120 minutes Total manufacturing lead time = 5805
minutes
= 96 hours and 45 minutes 6.5 (245 + 280) ÷ 5805 = 9.04% 6.6
84 .
6.7
6.8 Q = 100 units SUA = 50 minutes Q1 = 60 units RunA = 9 minutes per piece Q2 = 40 units SUB = 30 minutes RunB = 6 minutes per piece Transit time = 20 minutes a. MLT for A =50 + 9 × 100 = 950 minutes Transit time = 20 minutes MLT for B =30 + 6 × 100 = 630 minutes Total MLT = 1600 minutes b. MLT for A (Q1) =50 + 9 × 60 = 590 minutes Transit time = 20 MLT for B (Q) =30 + 6 × 100 = 630 Total MLT = 1240 minutes Saving in MLT by overlapping = 1600 – 1240 = 360 minutes Instructor’s note. Ask the students to prove that Q2 will arrive at operation B shortly before Q1 runs out. 6.9 MLT before overlapping. Work center 10: 50 + 200 × 5 = 1050 minutes Transit time = 30minutes Work center 20: 90 + 200 × 8 = 1690 minutes Total MLT = 2770 minutes = 46.2 hours MLT after overlapping. Work center 10: 50 + 75 × 5 = 425 minutes Transit time = 30 minutes Work center 20: 90 + 200 × 8 = 1690 minutes 85 .
Total MLT = 2145 minutes = 35.8 hours and 35 minutes Saving in MLT = 10.4 hours 6.10 a. MLT = 50 + 9 × 100 = 950 minutes b. MLT = 50 + 9 × 50 = 500 minutes c. Saving in lead time = 450 minutes 6.11 MLT = 50 + 50 + 50 × 9 = 550 minutes Reduction in MLT = 400 minutes 6.12 MLT before splitting = 4×60 + 100 × 4 = 640 minutes MLT after splitting = 4×60 + 50 × 4 = 440 minutes 6.13 240 + 240 + (50 × 4) = 680 minutes Lead time increases by 40 minutes. MLT increases. 6.14 Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Planned input
35
38
36
39
148
Actual input
33
33
31
40
137
Cumulative variance
−2
−7
−12
−11
Planned output
40
40
40
40
160
Actual output
38
35
40
38
151
Cumulative variance
−2
−7
−7
−9
Planned backlog
32
27
25
21
20
Actual backlog
32
27
25
16
18
Period
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Planned input
78
78
78
78
78
390
Actual input
86
80
78
84
80
408
Cumulative variance
8
10
10
16
18
6.15
86 .
Planned output
80
80
80
80
80
400
Actual output
85
84
77
83
84
410
Cumulative variance
5
9
6
9
13
Planned backlog
45
43
41
39
37
35
Actual backlog
45
46
42
43
44
40
Process Arrival
Due
Operation
time
date
due
6.16 Job
date
(days)
date
Sequencing rule FCFS
EDD
ODD
SPT
A
5
123
142
132
1
2
2
3
B
2
124
144
133
2
3
3
1
C
3
131
140
129
3
1
1
2
D
6
132
146
135
4
4
4
4
Jobs A & B will be on time, and Job C will be late. 6.17
Job
Work center 10
Work center 20
Start day
Stop day
Start day
Stop day
A
1
7
8
10
C
8
16
17
20
B
17
21
22
23
6.18 Critical Ratio Order
=
Due date
Actual time remaining Lead time remaining
Lead time
Actual time
CR
remaining remaining A
89
11
15
1.36
87 .
B
95
25
21
0.84
C
100
22
26
1.18
Sequence to run in: B, C, A.
CASE STUDY 6.1 TEACHING NOTES Johnston Products Introduction
This case is a rather simple case, yet can be used very effectively to stress some very important capacity planning issues in a practical situation. Many students should be expected to pick up on most of the concepts here (although they may be surprised by some), but the context of the case in an actual production environment can be used to reinforce these very important capacity considerations. Quantitative Analysis
The quantitative analysis here is quite simple. The total capacity required for each batch is the run time plus setup time (although some students may forget the setup time). The total time required at standard is estimated to be: PRODUCT
Batch Size
Standard Assembly Time in minutes (per item)
Batch Run Time (including setup) in minutes
A174
50
17
50 * 17 = 850 + 15 = 865
G820
100
9
900 + 15 =915
H221
50
19.5
975 +15 =990
B327
200
11.7
2340 + 15 = 2355
C803
100
21.2
2120 + 15 = 2135
P932
300
14.1
4230 + 15 = 4245
F732
200
15.8
3160 + 15 = 3175
J513
150
17.3
2595 + 15 = 2610
L683
150
12.8
1920 + 15 = 1935
TOTAL TIME = 19225 min. = 320.42 hours Qualitative Analysis
As can be readily seen the total time needed is just over the 320 hours needed. Students may be tempted to say that with the learning curve concept and the fact that the standards are over 4 years old, the reality should be that the schedule is totally feasible. There are several issues in the case that represent capacity problems, however:
88 .
•
The workers have a very high turnover, and they also use several temporary workers. That implies that many of the workers are very new to the equipment, which also means they are very early in their own individual learning curves. If the standards were developed using more experienced workers, many of these new workers could be taking longer that the standards would imply, even with the standards being 4 years old.
•
With the old equipment needed frequent maintenance and subject to breakdown, the case states that each machine would often require about three hours of maintenance a week. Under the assumption that at least some of this would be done during the shift when production was being run, that could imply a loss of about 24 hours (for all eight machines).
•
Engineering changes often represent problems with run time, especially if those changes involved the equipment. Often a major engineering change can cause a “reset” of the learning curve, even for an experienced worker.
•
In an effort to “catch up” with production that is behind schedule, the master schedule would often be front-loaded. This is a fairly common practice in facilities where master schedules are not well managed. Such practices can have an adverse impact on efficiency due to split lots (caused by expediting activities) and material shortages (caused by schedule changes).
Given all these issues, it should not be too surprising to most that the conditions described in the opening of the case are occurring on a regular basis. There are several things that should be considered to get the situation under control. They include: •
Expected time for regular maintenance must be planned in the capacity plan just as if it were production time. Given that the equipment is old, some allowance should also be given for the possibility of unscheduled breakdowns. In the long run, a cost/benefit analysis should be done concerning the replacement of the old equipment. Ordinarily, some may suggest automating to the point where workers are no longer needed. It should be pointed out that such a move might not be possible given the high volume of engineering changes.
•
As long as they have such high worker turnover, they should re-evaluate the standards and set them for an average new worker. In the long run, they should evaluate the costs and benefits of raising worker pay and developing an environment where experienced workers will want to stay with the company.
•
Once standards are re-evaluated and reset as necessary, they should conduct an analysis of the financial tradeoffs between the cost of planning for buffer capacity versus the cost of poor customer service and the expediting activity that is currently occurring. Often companies find they are better off in many ways by allowing for some buffer capacity and then using a well-developed master schedule to order promise each order based on the current load and the capacity available. That is often preferable to quoting a standard lead-time.
89 .
CASE STUDY 6.2 TEACHING NOTES Craft Printing Introduction
This is a fairly basic case dealing with the interaction between detailed scheduling and capacity. It is not intended to be used to provide a complex treatment of scheduling, but instead is intended to provide an illustration of how scheduling in a job shop environment can dramatically impact both capacity utilization and delivery. Even though it is not intended to provide an optimal solution, it can have a powerful impact on student realization of the importance of scheduling and sequencing of operations. It can also help students understand simple scheduling rules and the development and potential use of Gantt charts. Quantitative Analysis
The critical ratio rule is fairly easy to implement here. The ratio used is (time remaining)/(work remaining). For example, to get the critical ratio for job A, the time remaining is 16 hours (the job is due at the end of the day Tuesday), and the work remaining is 12 hours. The critical ratio is, therefore, 16/12 or 1.33. The rest of the ratios are given below: Job
Ratio
A
1.33
B
3
C
1.45
D
3.2
E
3.2
F
3.5
G
2.9
H
1.9
That implies the order for the jobs is A, C, H, B, G, D, E (reverting to first come, first serve to break the tie between D and E), and F. Using the method described in the case question, a Gantt chart should look like the following:
90 .
The problem that John has becomes quite clear in the chart. Even though he thinks he has 8 hours “slack”, those hours are quickly used up by operations that have to wait for jobs as they are finished on earlier operations. In fact, only two of the eight jobs will be on time. The jobs and their lateness are given in the following chart: Job
Hours Late
A
On time
B
4 hours
C
1 hour
D
5 hours
E
5 hours
F
14 hours
G
2 hours
H
On time
The value of this chart and accompanying analysis should show students in a rather dramatic fashion that good capacity planning requires not merely a look at the hours, but is also heavily dependent on other factors—in this case on job sequence when jobs must share resources. Students should be challenged to come up with alternative solutions. For example, some may suggest that instead of loading the most important job work center by work center, they should try loading work center one with all jobs in order of priority, then work center two, and so on. Another approach may be to have more flexible workers, allowing a worker in a slack operation to help other operations to reduce the run time (assuming that is possible). Probably one of the more attractive solutions is to have a software solution that will quickly load a proposed job into the operation and, based on what the current load is, develop a reasonable order promise time. Students may come up with others, and should be encouraged to develop their ideas to see if their solution is preferable to the one given. In any case, they should get two important messages from this case. First they should understand the importance of considering all factors that affect load, utilization, and efficiency. Secondly, they should see that there are many approaches to loading an operation, and that the methods used do make (or can make) a considerable difference. In any 91 .
case, they should understand that sequencing and loading an operation is a critical responsibility and should not be taken lightly.
CASE STUDY 6.3 TEACHING NOTES Melrose Products
This case allows the students an opportunity to examine and discuss the pros, cons, and approaches to job design. It starts with a grumbling, “old school” supervisor who believes he really knows what will work and also believes he understands modern approaches and business imperatives. Many students will probably express that they do not like Jim, but this is an opportunity to challenge them with details. One question that seems to evoke some good discussion in some classes is “Why don’t you like Jim? He appears to be responsible and has been successful in getting the job done. Isn’t that what’s really important in a company like this?” This question can sometimes get the students easily and quickly involved in one critical aspect of the case. That is, what are the fundamental differences between the older-style, rigid structure of job design and the newer trend toward self-directed work teams with more flexibility and autonomy for the worker? You can also use this discussion to quickly move the discussion toward the impacts, pros, and cons of both approaches, and thereby leading the discussion toward an examination of the type of work and business environment that may call for the use of each of these approaches. Because of this linkage toward business imperatives, this case should be done after a discussion of fundamental approaches to operations strategy, or can alternatively be used to begin or supplement that discussion. Quantitative Solution
The quantitative analysis part of this case is quite simple, and basically allows the student to clearly see the relationship between standard time development and the impact on standard cost. This analysis can be used as the start of a discussion about the development and use of product cost data, as well as some of the alternative approaches to developing that cost data. The following table shows the full cost calculation: Task
Standard Time (min.)
Labor cost/min.
Labor cost/task
1
7.5
$0.28
$1.80
2
2.3
$0.22
$0.506
3
4.7
$0.28
$1.316
4
5.1
$0.29
$1.479
5
17.8
$0.26
$4.628
6
19.1
$0.18
$3.438
7
8.4
$0.25
$2.10
TOTAL
64.9
TOTAL:
$15.267
With a total labor cost of $15.27, the overhead can be calculated as $35.11 (230% of $15.27). The total cost is, therefore, $59.73 (when overhead, labor, and materials are all added). Several students will want to add in the supervisor cost of $24 per hour into the product cost. This is generally not done, as the cost of management is normally included in the overhead cost. The 92 .
reason the hourly supervisor cost is given is so students can use the figure to counterbalance the loss of efficiency if a self-directed team is used. Without a supervisor, they can be $24 per hour less efficient and still not have a negative impact on the product cost. There appear to be three employees currently at Melrose working on the K-line. This calculation can be estimated by the following: The standard time for all seven tasks is 64.9 minutes. If we assume there are probably seven productive hours per eight hour shift (given 15 minutes for a morning break, 15 minutes for an afternoon break, and 30 minutes for lunch), we can assume one worker can make an average of 6.47 per shift (7/64.9 = 6.47). Since there are an average of twenty made per shift, that would be about three workers (20/6.47 = 3.09). Qualitative Discussions
There are several models that can be discussed regarding how to develop self-directed work teams. It can be quite productive to let students “brainstorm”, and then examine the pros and cons of their approaches in some level of detail. The purpose of this brainstorming session is to allow students to see the many alternatives and also to realize that each approach has its risks and potential problems. An example of one approach is to eliminate the supervisor (at $24/hour) and add one direct worker (at approximately $15 per hour, given that the direct labor cost for one of the K-line products is $15.27, and takes just over an hour (64.9 minutes). Given that the workers now have the responsibilities previously assumed by the supervisor, it should be expected that the productivity per worker would probably decrease (under the typical productivity measurement approaches). You should note, however, that with one extra worker they should be able to produce approximately the same number of products per shift and reduce total costs by $9 per hour ($24 – $15). The total productivity of the four-person team under those assumptions would, therefore, be greater than the old approach that still uses four people. At this point it is usually helpful to illustrate the importance of measurement systems and cost analysis. A more traditionally focused manager may, for example, think the solution is terrible because of the traditional impact on individual labor productivity and/or labor efficiency. A discussion on the concepts of system versus individual measures may be appropriate and beneficial here. In addition to the earlier discussion about their feeling concerning Jim, the students should be challenged about what the primary responsibilities of a supervisor are, and therefore how these responsibilities can effectively be placed in the hand of the workers. This should very quickly lead to a discussion of the types of environments where they may or may not make sense. For example, in environments with high volume, standard products that are cost sensitive one will typically find low-skilled workers (much of the skill work being done by automation). The student can be challenged to discuss what kind of skills are needed by supervisors in this type of environment and whether it makes sense to try to develop teams instead (in most cases, it won’t make much sense). On the other hand, have them conduct the same exercise in an environment with highly skilled (and often highly motivated) workers. They should eventually see that not all environment have the same supervisory requirements and, therefore, the idea of teams is not appropriate without a complete analysis of the major role of supervisors in the environment. Some students (especially in undergraduate classes) will probably call for firing Jim. That is the easy way out that may seem appealing on the surface. Before that approach is accepted, however, it is helpful to point out the high level of institutional and product knowledge that many long-time employees carry with them. Sometimes that informal knowledge is invaluable to the company. If we assume that Jim quite likely has such knowledge and may be an extremely valuable employee in the right circumstances, the discussion can be channeled toward developing a hypothetical role for Jim in the organization that will effectively utilize his institutional knowledge without undermining the initiatives started by Cindy. 93 .
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
________ is concerned with very short-term detailed planning of the flow of orders through manufacturing: a. Production planning b. Master production scheduling c. MRP d. Production activity control e. Master planning
2.
Planning the flow of work requires production activity control to: I.
be sure the material needed is available
II. be sure the tooling needed is available III. schedule the start and stop dates at each work center IV. advise the plant supervisor of future orders a. all of the above b. I, II, and III c. I, II, and IV d. II, III, and IV e. I, III, and IV 3.
The activities of production activity control can be classified as: I.
planning
II. implementation III. control IV. process control a. I, II, and III b. I, II, and IV c. II, III, and IV d. I, III, and IV e. all of the above 4.
Work authorization can be classified under the function of: a. planning b. scheduling c. implementation d. load leveling e. control
5.
Which of the following are characteristics of intermittent manufacturing? I.
Work centers are arranged according to the routing
II. Work centers are dedicated to producing a limited range of similar products
94 .
III. Work flow through the shop is not constant IV. Throughput times are generally high a. I and II b. I and III c. I and IV d. II and III e. III and IV 6.
Which of the following files is used by PAC for planning? I.
Shop order master file
II. Shop order detail file III. Item master file IV. Routing file a. all of the above b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. III and IV 7.
Which of the following files will contain information on manufacturing lead time and quantity on hand? a. Item master b. Bill of material c. Work center file d. Shop order detail file e. Industrial engineer’s file
8.
The ____ shows the total standard time required to produce one end product in each work center required for its manufacture: a. work center bill b. routing file c. capacity bill d. bill of material e. none of the above
9.
Which file contains information on the efficiency and utilization of a work center? a. Efficiency file b. Utilization file c. Routing file d. Work center file e. Either a or b
95 .
10.
A shop order for 1000 pieces is to be processed on work station 123. The setup time is 4 hours and the run time per piece is .08 hours. What is the required capacity on this work center in standard hours? a. 4.08 b. 0.08 c. 80 d. 84 e. 4000
11.
All of the following are elements of manufacturing lead time EXCEPT: a. design time b. setup time c. run time d. wait time e. move time
12.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The largest element of manufacturing lead time is queue b. The larger the load, the longer the queue c. If queue is reduced, the lead time and work in process will be reduced d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
13.
A scheduling system in which the last operation on a routing is scheduled first and for completion on the due date is called: a. forward scheduling b. backward scheduling c. infinite scheduling d. finite scheduling e. none of the above
14.
A scheduling system that assumes the required capacity will always be available is called: a. forward scheduling b. backward scheduling c. infinite scheduling d. finite scheduling e. none of the above
15.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Implementation is achieved by issuing a shop order to manufacturing b. Engineering drawings, bills of material and routings may be included in a shop packet c. The dispatch list is the instrument of priority control 96 .
d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true 16.
Which of the following are methods of reducing manufacturing lead time? I.
Subcontracting
II. Forward scheduling III. Operation overlapping IV. Operation splitting a. all of the above b. I and II c. II and III d. II and III e. III and IV 17.
Operation overlapping means: a. the same job running on two machines at the same time b. using alternate routings c. moving work to the next operation as a group of pieces is completed d. running two or more jobs at the same time e. locating work centers close together to reduce materials handling
18.
Which of the following statements is best? a. A bottleneck (capacity constraint resource) will control the throughput of all products processed by it b. A time buffer should be established before a CCR c. Work centers feeding a CCR should work at full capacity d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
19.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
Throughput is the total volume of production passing through a facility
II. Throughput is controlled by the total capacity of a system III. Work centers feeding bottlenecks should be 100% utilized a. I only b. I and II only c. II and III only d. II only e. III only 20.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Using a non-bottleneck 100% of the time produces 100% utilization b. Time saved at a non-bottleneck saves nothing 97 .
c. The capacity of a system depends on the capacity of the bottleneck d. a and b only e. b and c only 21.
Which of the following is NOT a principle of managing bottlenecks? a. A time buffer should be established after each bottleneck b. The rate of material fed to a bottleneck should be controlled c. Do anything to increase the capacity of a bottleneck d. Use alternate routings e. Change the schedule
22.
If the previous backlog was 20 units, the planned input was 25 units and the planned output was 30 units the planned backlog would be: a. 5 units b. 10 units c. 15 units d. 20 units e. 25 units
23.
The following information is to be used in this and the next question. For the last week a work center had a planned input of 40 standard hours and an actual input of 36 standard hours. The planned output was 40, the actual output 42 standard hours and the beginning backlog was 30 hours. The cumulative input variance was: a. 0 b. –2 c. +2 d. –4 e. +4
24.
The planned backlog was: a. 30 b. 36 c. 40 d. 42 e. 66
25.
Which of the following dispatching rules ignore due dates? a. First come, first served b. Earliest operation due date c. Shortest processing time d. a and b above both ignore due dates e. a and c above both ignore due dates
98 .
26.
Given the following information, which sequence will the orders be run in? ORDER
CRITICAL RATIO
A
1.5
B
1.0
C
0.7
a. ABC b. BCA c. ACB d. CBA e. BAC 27.
If today is manufacturing day 100 and an order has a due date of 120 and a lead time remaining of 25 days, the critical ratio would be: a. 0.8 b. 1.2 c. 1.25 d. 0.25 e. 0.2
28.
In a drum-buffer-rope scheduling system, the "drum" represents which of the following? a. A drum of jobs to be selected b. The master schedule for the operation c. A safety stock of material d. The constraint against too much being loaded into the master schedule
29.
Which of the following is concerned with very short-term detailed planning of the flow of orders through manufacturing? a. Sales and operations planning b. Master production scheduling c. Material requirements planning d. Production activity control
30.
A scheduling system that assumes the required capacity will NOT always be available is called: a. forward scheduling b. backward scheduling c. infinite scheduling d. finite scheduling
31.
An order for 100 of a product is processed on work center 123. The setup time is 60 minutes and the run time is 5 minutes per piece. If the order is run on two machines in the work center, and the setups are made simultaneously, the elapsed time will be: a. 560 minutes b. 500 minutes 99 .
c. 250 minutes d. 310 minutes 32.
The selection and sequencing of available jobs to be run at individual work stations and the assignment of these jobs to workers is called: a. dispatching b. scheduling c. priority management d. production control
33.
Given the following data, which job(s) will be late if the shortest process time sequencing rule is used? Today is day 100. Job
Process
Due
Time
Date
A
4
104
B
1
106
C
5
109
a. all jobs will be on time b. A and B will be late c. A and C will be late d. B and C will be late 34.
Operation overlapping means: a. the same job running on two machines at the same time b. using alternate routings c. moving work to the next operation as a group of pieces is completed d. running two or more jobs at the same time on the same machine e. locating work centers close together to reduce materials handling
35.
Priority rules should be which of the following? I.
Simple to use
II. Clear to users so they can understand them III. Followed without question IV. Consistent with the objectives of the planning system a. all the above b. I, II, and III only c. I, II, and IV only d. II, III, and IV only e. none of the above
100 .
Answers
1
d
2
b
3
a
4
c
5
e
6
e
7
a
8
c
9
d
10 d
11 a
12 d
13 b
14 c
15
d
16 e
17 c
18 d
19 a
20 e
21 a
22 c
23 e
24
a
25 e
26 d
27 a
28 b
29 d
30 d
31 d
32 a
33
c
34 e
35 a
101 .
CHAPTER 7: FUNDAMENTALS OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 7.1 The first supplier has a risk level of 8 (4 × 2) The second supplier has a risk level of 12 (3 × 4) The third supplier has a risk level of 5 (5 × 1) Question 1 – the highest priority should be the second supplier Question 2 – Since nothing can likely be done to ease the political conflict, the best response would likely be to evaluate and develop sources of supply in other, less risky country settings. In the meantime the inventory levels of the impacted supplies should be grown (if possible) to hedge against problems until new suppliers are developed (or until the political conflict is resolved) Question 3 – The quality risk might have been avoided with better selection or development of suppliers with proven and measurable high quality levels. The same came be said about selecting suppliers in countries with questionable political environments.
CASE STUDY 7.1 TEACHING NOTES Supply Chain “Mini Cases”
The primary purpose of these mini cases is for students to put real situations in a context of issues and problems with real supply chains, especially in non-normal environmental conditions. In many of these situations there is no clear “correct” solution, but the students should gain insights and perspectives from considering alternative approaches together with associated costs and benefits. That is intended to be the major learning opportunity. In most cases the discussion can be started with a simple question “You are a supply chain manager faced with the issue described—what would you do?” Many students will likely generate somewhat simplistic solutions, but then a common follow-up question is “Why did you select that approach—and be as specific as possible?” Use the opportunity to challenge them with possible costs and benefits, and in some cases challenge them with a solution that might not be feasible. As they continue to discuss and attempt to provide approaches, use the discussion as appropriate to reinforce the concepts and characteristics of good supply chain management. CASE 7.1—As a good starting point, the first mini case (a real example) is fairly easy to both explain and find a solution for. Since it happened prior to the development of the modern supply chain concept, it is a good example of the lack of real-time informational links and close information flow and sharing. Use the opportunity to emphasize the importance of designing modern approaches to sharing data and information in real-time within a supply chain. As for a solution, what actually happened was once the problem was clearly understood the chip producers took control. Essentially, they told all their customers that all orders beyond a certain time were cancelled, then each customer was asked to go into their planning systems and determine their real needs over the next couple of months. The producers could then determine what the priority and quantities of orders to satisfy the customers as best they could. They reduced the lead time requirement back to the original six weeks, and stability returned. Essentially, they “forced”
102 .
information sharing into the environment, unlike most effective modern supply chains that have such linkages built into their design. CASE 7.2—The second mini case can be used to explain how this situation can generate a clear “bullwhip” effect in the supply chain, and can be uses to ask students to describe why that is so. Follow-up discussion can focus on how to react in this specific case, and also how in general to eliminate or at least minimize the impact of bullwhip effect situations. The students should be prompted to use as many supply chain concepts as possible (and appropriate) to both deal with the situation and how to return the supply chain to stability. This is also a good opportunity to discuss supply chain risks and how to manage those risks. They should also possibly be prompted to discuss the costs and benefits of each of the solutions they may generate and based on those discussions they might offer their own preference (with justifications). CASE 7.3—This case is again based on a real situation which can potentially generate some lively discussions with respect to the approach they might take if they were the supply manager. The case discussion most likely would require two major issues. The first is to deal with the immediate demand. This discussion might be a good opportunity to highlight the text discussion concerning supply chain agility. The students should be encouraged to be as specific as possible as to how they might go into “expedite” mode, and should also be expected to discuss the potential costs and risks involved with trying to cover the greatly increased demand in a short period of time.
The second major issue is the administration’s call for an abandonment of the current lean approach to supply orders. This is a great opportunity to discuss supply chain risk, the possible approaches to deal with those risks, and the cost/benefit analysis they might use to make a good decision. The students should be prompted to discuss if they would include all supplies or not, and if not, what criteria would they use to make the decision. This is also an opportunity to include a further discussion of the concept and use of threatcasting and risk management as discussed in the chapter. In any case, the student should clearly understand that dealing with this issue should not be attempted until the more immediate problem of a significantly increased (but likely temporary) demand is addressed.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following approaches to better manage production is most commonly credited with being the “catalyst” to the development of the modern supply chain concepts? a. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) b. Sales and Operation Planning (S&OP) c. Production Activity Control (PAC) d. Just In Time production (JIT)
2.
Which of the following activities are typically included in managing a supply chain? I.
Procurement
II. Warehousing III. Physical Distribution
103 .
a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. I, II, and III 3.
If an organization designs a product for global distribution but production of the final design is postposed in order to meet the needs of a particular local market, which of the following terms is often used to describe it? a. Crossdocking b. Glocalization c. Supply chain agility d. Risk mitigation
4.
If an organization develops a system to evaluate and determine the needs of their customers and then work to align their activities around the needs of the customers, it is commonly known by which of the following? a. Total Sales Analysis b. Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) c. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) d. Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR)
5.
Which of the following terms is used to describe what happens when lot sizing and poor communication linkages in the supply chain cause large upheavals in the raw material demand in the supply chain? a. The bullwhip effect b. Capacity disruption effect c. Erratic logistic effect d. The supply disruption effect
6.
A system of linking final retail sales back through the supply chain all the way to production and transportation is frequently called which of the following? a. A supply linkage program b. A quick response program c. Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment d. Enterprise resource planning
7.
An approach that utilizes data and information from several sources to analyze future potential problems or disruptions in the supply chain is frequently called which of the following a. future forecasting b. intrinsic forecasting c. economic modeling d. threatcasting
104 .
8.
An organization attempts to minimize the impact of a risk event. Which of the following terms is generally used to describe that attempt? a. Risk avoidance b. Risk prevention c. Risk mitigation d. Risk acceptance
9.
Organizations will often develop programs to reduce waste, produce reusable outputs and minimize resource use. Which of the following term best describes that approach? a. Economic utilization b. Sustainability c. Resource planning d. Capacity management
10.
Which of the waste activities is generally the most environmentally “friendly” and therefore is generally placed at the top of the waste hierarchy pyramid? a. Recover b. Recycle c. Reuse d. Reduce
11.
The United Nations Global Compact generally addresses principles recommended for use in which of the following areas? a. Approaches for safe internet use b. Environmental impacts c. Social responsibility d. Cross-country financial stability
12.
Which of the following life cycle stages tends to promote the use of long-term contract between partners in the supply chain? a. Introduction b. Growth c. Maturity d. Decline
13.
Which of the following terms is used to describe a growing list of records in the supply chain that tend to be linked and stored using cryptography? a. Cloud computing b. Automated storage and retrieval systems c. The Internet of Things (IoT) d. Blockchain
105 .
14.
Which of the following descriptions best describes supply chain event management? a. Using supplier relationship management to evaluate and forecast future needs throughout the supply chain b. Establishing a data base that gathers and classifies shortages or late deliveries throughout the supply chain c. A software that monitors activity in the supply chain to trigger alerts when something unexpected occurs d. An approach to consolidate and standardize quality approach between supply chain partners
Answers
1.
d
2. d
3.
b
8.
c
9. b
10. d
4.
c
11. c
5.
a
6.
b
7.
12. c
13.
d
14. c
106 .
d
CHAPTER 8: PURCHASING ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 8.1 Profit would increase from 10% of sales to 12% of sales. This would represent a 20% increase in profits. 8.2 Factor
Weight
Suppliers
Rating of Supplier
Ranking of Suppliers
A
B
A
B
Function
7
6
9
42
63
Cost
5
8
6
40
30
Technical
4
5
8
20
32
Credit terms
1
7
5
7
5
109
130
RANKING 8.3 Fixed cost = $50,000 Variable cost = $5.00 per unit Unit (average) cost =
50,000 + 5.00 = $5.50 100,000
Price looks high with a profit of $4.50 per unit and there should be some room to negotiate.
CASE STUDY 8.1 TEACHING NOTES Let’s Party Exercise 1
1. This exercise can be used for either a supplier selection or a classroom exercise of selecting a location for a year-end class party. If you want the students to work independently, please see the suggestions under Exercise 2. There are two schools of thought in applying weights and ratings. Weights are the importance of the factors selected. Ratings represent how well each supplier rates on each particular factor. One method allows any weight or rating to be used and the other method restricts the weights. Restrictions can allow only numbers from 1 to 10 for each weight and for each rate and not allow the same number to be used twice. Use your own judgment on this. If there are ten factors in the list then it is reasonable to allow the same weighting one or twice. Try to use different ratings for each location unless there is no difference in say, price. Potential factors for a year-end party could include the following:
107 .
Location
Live Band
Ambience
Parking
Cover Charge
Dancing
Price of Food
Age Restrictions
Cleanliness
Variety of Food
Privacy
Security
Quality of Food
Room Charge
Student Run Facility
Music
Bus Service
Date of Availability
Seating
Smoking
Hours of Operation
Price of Drinks
Service
Stage Area
This exercise is recommended for selecting a supplier of goods or services in an industrial setting. It not only gives good results but, also ensures the input from any sources and the consideration of all factors. When selecting a supplier of industrial goods, the following factors could be considered: Price
Technical Support
Communications
Quality
Financial Strength
Warranties
Policy on Returned Goods
Local Supplier
Cost of Reduction Sharing
Payment Terms
ISO 9000
JIT Methods
Delivery
ISO 14000
Lead Time
Reliability of Service
Minimum Order Size
Location
2. When making the selection based on the weighted-point method it does not always point to a clear winner. The method should, at least remove the bottom two-thirds of the suppliers. In the case of selecting a class party location it should narrow the choices down to at least the top two locations. If the group can agree and there is a clear winner then the method was successful. 3. Often, when performing this analysis and a final score is calculated, people want to go back and change some of the weights. This is a desirable outcome. People now realize the consequences of putting too much value on say, price. They also realize the views and values of other members of the group. This works equally well in both the classroom and industry. Exercise 2
When performing this exercise in the classroom it is important that everyone has an opportunity to contribute to: the factors chosen, the weights and the ratings used. Try to encourage all members to give some input. The exercise can also be done in groups of 3 to 6 students with each student group preparing their own charts. To allow each group the chance to make a presentation it is more interesting to assign different problems to each group. Some suggestions that work well with students could include: a tropical vacation, spring break, a new car, where to live while going to school, pizza (or the local favorite), a movie/show/concert, where to go shopping, where to buy socks/groceries, etc. Summarize the results of each exercise and make sure that the students know how the weights and factors work. In most cases students will want to go back and change some of the rating or 108 .
weights. This is an excellent outcome. The students now realize that some things they feel are of high importance such as price) often have overwhelming consequences. Finally, ask if members of the class feel that they had an opportunity to take part in the decision and if they feel more in agreement then at the start of the exercise. Weighted-Point Supplier Selection
Locations
Factors
Weight
Rating
Score
Rating
Score
Rating
Score
Rating
Score
Rating
Score
Total
CASE STUDY 8.2 TEACHING NOTES The Connery Company
This case is designed to be used as a “launching pad” for a comprehensive discussion of the responsibilities and alternative approaches for purchasing—specifically to emphasize the value of purchasing as a strategically critical business function, and not merely a clerical position. There are a few numbers in the case that can clearly be used to start the discussion. Specifically, •
Dividing the annual cost of goods sold by the inventory value from the balance sheet yields 6.3 inventory turns. As a single number representing just under two months’ worth of inventory, it doesn’t mean a whole lot. It takes on great significance, however, when you realize there are two months’ worth of inventory for a product that takes less than four hours to process! Even building in lots of queue time, a week’s worth of inventory might be 109 .
adequate. The financial impact of that can be clearly shown with the financial information given: •
•
If the inventory is dropped to one week (52 turns), the value will drop from $2,352,117 to $285,195. Inventory holding cost will therefore drop from $493,945 per year down to $59,880 – representing a savings of $434,064, or almost 3% (2.9%) of sales (cost of goods sold). As the product is becoming price sensitive, 3% saving is highly significant.
There appears to be a very large number of suppliers (2872) for only 72 designs. This represents an average of less than $3000 per supplier per year ($8,517,323/2872). This may not only impact transportation cost adversely, but such a small value of purchasing per supplier is not likely to allow Connery much “clout” with negotiations. Suppliers are not likely to be especially cooperative to develop quality, delivery, and mutual value analysis programs with Connery with such a small value of purchased items. There are some key points in the case that should be noted as a basis for discussion:
•
•
In the past, their close-to-monopoly position in the market allowed for good profitability with little effort, because they could pass along costs in the form of price increases. That situation has turned around (as should be expected), and they are now in a competitive market with the product moving toward maturity (if not close to a commodity product position). While they still have some brand recognition and at least somewhat of a positive advantage with their learning curve, they need to act for the future. Juan was using standard prices from supplier catalogs, and not worrying about transportation costs. While he recognized some quality problems with some suppliers, he apparently did not pay much attention to the inventory implications of buffer inventory needs surrounding quality and delivery concerns.
Approach:
Once the discussion of the analysis sets the stage, the case can be used as a basis for discussion of purchasing, especially in the type of environment described. Jaun needs to start building a case for the actions he inevitably will need to take. Some of the data and information he needs to gather includes: •
•
•
The performance history of each major supplier, including quality, delivery (cost, delivery speed, and delivery reliability), price, and any other aspects deemed important (for example, willingness to conduct mutual value analysis activity and cooperation on any engineering change activity). The number of suppliers for each product. These suppliers should then be compared, product by product, toward what eventually may become an effort to move toward single sources of supply. This is a good opportunity to move the discussion toward the pros and cons of single versus multiple sources of supply and the criteria used to make such a decision. The design stability of each purchased item. This implies frequency of design changes and the extent of change. This is necessary for the negotiation of stability.
Based on this and other data available, Juan should begin selecting suppliers for discussions on developing closer and longer-term relationships. Criteria should include (but not necessarily limited to) delivery, quality, cost, and mutual value analysis where appropriate. Business cases should be developed for each selection. For example, in some cases a higher cost supplier may be chosen as a single source, but a financial case based on reduced quality cost, delivery cost, or inventory cost can often (and should often) be built. In general, the discussion should focus on how Juan needs to become a purchasing professional and no longer view the position as being primarily clerical.
110 .
CASE STUDY 8.3 TEACHING NOTES Keltox Fabrication
As stated, this case is a simplified description of a real situation. I can be used as the basis for a comprehensive discussion about establishing relationship with suppliers, including issues of negotiation, trust, and cooperation between a company and a supplier. It can also be used to discuss the issues, advantages, and risks of having a single source of supply, especially given the pressures companies have of using single sources as they move toward implementing lean production principles. Students are likely to come up with several plans and some should be selected for discussion in a class setting (if possible) to allow students to think carefully about many issues regarding supplier selection and management of the supplier base. Even after the discussion, they are almost always curious about “what really happened?” The following is a summary and simplified conclusion to the real story: Even though some in the company wanted to “trick” the supplier and gradually increase the order size so that Keltox could build an inventory to use after they took their tooling back and new suppliers were adjusting to the new work, John decided against that for two reasons. First, there was a real risk that the supplier would figure out that Keltox was trying to get rid of them as a supplier. If they guessed such a thing, there was a real risk that the performance would get even worse and also they might try to prevent or slow down the process of Keltox getting into the supplier facility to recover their tooling. More importantly, trying to “trick” the supplier was just dishonest. John wanted Keltox to have a reputation as a fair and honest customer to their current and potential future suppliers, and he speculated that the word of one dishonest action would quickly spread to other suppliers. Instead, John opted to be direct and honest with the supplier and discuss the problem (something the supplier probably should have initiated with Keltox when they became aware of their possible new customer). The supplier said they still had not yet been approved for being the supplier for the new potential customer, and were also uncertain as to when or even if that approval would happen. After some serious discussion and negotiations, this was the final plan: •
•
•
The supplier would add a shift (and overtime if necessary) to ensure that Keltox would get all their regular orders with good quality components. Added to the regular orders were additional safety orders to allow Keltox to build an inventory of the components in case the supplier won the new customer orders and no longer had the capacity to service Keltox. There were clearly extra costs involved—both inventory holding cost for the extra safety inventory as well as supplier costs for adding capacity (the extra shift and/or overtime). The two companies agreed to split the costs. The supplier knew it was their new customer issue that caused the problem, and Keltox knew that even though the extra inventory cost (holding and a slight item cost increase) was preferred to the unknown and potentially very large cost in failing to meet shipment requirements from their customers. The supplier agreed to keep Keltox informed as to the status of their potential work with getting approved from their new customer. If they did not get approved, Keltox agreed to keep the supplier as long as the deliveries to Keltox were reliable with good quality components. If the supplier did win the approval of their new customer, the supplier agreed to ship the tooling to Keltox on whatever schedule Keltox wanted. The schedule was based on when Keltox calculated that the safety level of each component was at a sufficient level to cover a new supplier being ready to assume delivery of a sufficient quantity of quality components using the Keltox tooling. 111 .
•
As time progressed, the supplier did win approval from the new large customer, meaning the plan for phasing in new Keltox suppliers was implemented and was largely successful, allowing for the new suppliers to be phased in and Keltox customers continuing to get most of their orders on time and with good quality.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following is an objective of purchasing? I.
Obtain goods and services of the required specification and quality
II. Obtain goods and services at the lowest cost III. Be sure the best possible service and delivery are provided by the supplier a. I only b. II only c. III only d. IV only e. all are objectives of purchasing. 2.
Which of the following is NOT a step in the purchasing cycle? a. receipt and analysis of purchase requisition b. selection of vendor c. make up the specification for the product d. issue a purchase order e. receive and accept the goods.
3.
Purchasing departments usually have the responsibility and authority to: a. legally commit the company to a contract b. satisfy the needs of the user department c. determine price and source d. all of the above e. none of the above.
4.
______ originates with the department or person who will be the ultimate user: a. A purchase requisition b. A purchase order c. Vendor selection d. Any of the above e. None of the above.
5.
The decision on what is the “best buy” involves consideration of: a. functional requirements b. price c. quantity required d. all of the above e. none of the above 112 .
6.
____________ is concerned with the end use of the item and what it is expected to do: a. Quantity required b. Functional specification c. Production department d. All of the above e. None of the above
7.
Which of the following is NOT a phase in providing user satisfaction? I.
Quality and production planning
II. Quality and product design III. Quality and manufacturing IV. Quality and use a. all the above are phases in providing user satisfaction b. I only c. II only d. III only e. IV only 8.
Functional specifications set out: a. how the product is to work b. the purpose for which the product is required c. all those aspects or characteristics of a product that are determined by its final use d. none of the above
9.
From the buyer’s point of view the best quality is: a. the most expensive b. the least expensive c. that which is best adapted to a particular use d. that which technically does the best job e. none of the above
10.
Which of the following statements is best in describing quality by specification? a. Standard specifications are set by government and non-government agencies b. Specifications are usually more costly to develop than using a brand c. Specifications tend to ensure more equitable competition d. All of the above are true e. None of the above are true
11.
Which of the following applies to standard products? a. Their prices are comparatively stable b. They are quoted on the basis of list price less discounts
113 .
c. They are purchased ONLY after firm quotations d. Only a and b above apply e. All of the above apply 12.
Products should be specified by brand because: a. price levels of brand items are low b. the number of potential suppliers is restricted c. it is difficult to develop accurate specifications for an item d. all of the above e. a and b above
13.
In which of the following situations would a company probably specify by brand? a. When buying small quantities b. When the item to be bought is patented c. When the item to be bought is made to an industry standard d. a and b above e. b and c above
14.
Which of the following is FALSE regarding description of a product by specification? a. Allows purchase from a number of sources b. Developing specifications is an inexpensive process c. The minimum specifications set by the buyer are likely to become the maximum furnished by the supplier d. All the above e. b and c above
15.
Which of the following is an advantage of specifying by company-developed specification? a. The cost of establishing specifications is low b. It is always possible to draw up specifications for any product c. Unless a performance specification is used, the buyer takes responsibility for performance d. All of the above are advantages e. None of the above is an advantage
16.
Which of the following is the most important responsibility of a purchasing officer? a. Getting the best price b. Getting the best quality c. Selecting the best source d. Ensuring goods are delivered on time e. None of the above
17.
Which of the following is NOT a factor to consider when selecting a supplier? a. Technical ability b. Manufacturing capability 114 .
c. Reliability d. Price e. Political affiliation 18.
Buyers should realize that when they make a continuing purchase they buy more than the vendor’s product. They also buy the supplier’s: a. managerial capabilities b. procurement capabilities c. production capabilities d. technical capabilities e. all the above
19.
Which of the following will help a purchasing officer select potential sources of supply? a. Trade journals b. Purchasing department’s own records c. Advertising d. All the above e. None of the above
20.
Supplier goodwill is necessary because: a. the buyer can expect price concessions b. the buyer can expect presents from the vendor c. the buyer and vendor depend upon each other for communication and problem solving d. all of the above e. none of the above
21.
When using the “ranking method” of evaluating suppliers: a. each supplier is ranked for overall suitability b. important factors are selected and assigned a “weight” c. suppliers are rated against each factor d. weight and rating of each supplier is multiplied for each factor and the total taken as the ranking of the supplier e. all the above are used
22.
Which of the following is (are) a qualification(s) of a good supplier? a. Has adequate plant and facilities b. Has a sound financial position c. Has reasonable prices d. All the above are qualifications of a good supplier e. None of the above is a qualification of a good supplier
23.
Vendors’ costs are important to a purchasing agent because: a. they help in estimating a fair price b. they help in negotiating a fair price 115 .
c. cost determines market price d. a vendor is entitled to a profit just because he is in business e. a and b above 24.
Special items will generally be purchased on the basis of a quotation. The purchasing agent will select on the basis of: a. the lowest price b. the most reliable bidder c. the preference of the department that will use the item d. consideration of all the above e. none of the above
25.
In comparing prices, which of the following factors should be considered? a. Base price b. F.O.B. point c. Installation and tooling costs d. All the above should be considered e. None of the above should be considered
26.
A fair price is: a. the lowest price b. the lowest price that ensures a constant supply of the quality and allows the seller to make a profit c. a competitive price d. all the above e. b and c above
27.
Which of the following is a function of supplier scheduling and follow-up? a. Selecting suppliers b. Establishing specifications c. Releasing orders d. Price determination e. Negotiation
28.
Which of the following statements is true about planner/buyers? I.
Planner/buyers handle more components than planners do
II. Planner/buyers issue material releases to suppliers III. Planner/buyers establish supplier delivery priorities IV. Planner/buyers negotiate prices with suppliers a. I and II only b. II and III only c. III and IV only d. I, II, and III only e. II, III, and IV only 116 .
29.
Which of the following statements is true? a. In contract buying, price and delivery are negotiated each time an order is released b. Contract buying assures suppliers they have a given amount of business and commits them to allocating that amount of their capacity to the customer c. Contract buying is useful for short term purchases d. EDI does not eliminate much of the paper work associated with buying e. None of the above is true
30.
Intranet stands for which of the following? a. A net that includes all who are connected to it b. An external net that can be used by all people c. An internal net normally used within the boundaries of the company d. An net shared by two or more companies e. None of the above
31.
Which of the following is not an objective of the Purchasing Department? a. Ensuring the best possible service and prompt delivery by the supplier b. Developing good supplier relations c. Issuing a regular quantity of purchase orders d. Selecting products that reduce the impact on the environment e. Obtaining goods and services at the lowest cost
32.
If the fixed cost to produce an item is $500, labor is $2.00 per unit and materials are $2.50 per unit; then the unit cost for an order of 1,000 would be: a. $6.50 b. $5,000 c. $5.00 d. $504.50 e. more information is needed to solve this problem
33.
A price that is competitive and allows the seller to make a profit is considered to be a price that is: a. optimal b. fair c. an incentive d. the final price e. the lowest price
34.
Which of the 3R’s has the most positive impact on the environment? a. Reduce b. Reuse c. Recycle d. All of the above have equal impact
117 .
35.
Which of the following departments is most likely to be familiar with knowledge of waste products, the legislation governing their handling and other uses in the company. a. Purchasing b. Maintenance c. Engineering d. Direct Customer Sales e. Human Resources
36.
A Purchasing Agent, wishing to dispose of waste plastic from one of their processes should first contact: a. plant Maintenance b. a buyer of waste materials c. local Government regulators d. the supplier e. the customer who buys the products
37.
After the supplier’s invoice is received which document(s) are needed to approve payment? a. The approved budget and the purchase order b. The purchase order and the receiving report c. The purchase order and the invoice d. The bill of lading and the receiving report e. Approval can be made from the purchase order
38.
Verifying shipments for quantity and having no damage is the responsibility of: a. the quality department b. the purchasing department c. accounts payable d. the receiving department e. the shipping department
39.
Which of the following represents the best example of environmentally responsible purchasing? a. Standardizing product designs to reduce waste in supplier production processes b. Using multiple warehouses of supplier material, thereby reducing fuel usage to transport to those warehouses c. Working with suppliers to reduce packing materials or developing reusable packaging materials d. Developing measurement systems for supplier to use to shut down equipment when not directly used for production
40.
Which of the following is the best example of a purchasing practice that might be considered unethical? a. Giving preference to suppliers that are also customers b. Using single source suppliers for all information technology systems 118 .
c. Working with a customer to establish locating some supplier inventory in the customer’s warehouse d. Using private contract carriers for transportation of supplier inventory Answers
1
e
2
c
3
d
4
a
5
d
6
b
7
a
8
c
9
c
10
d
11
d
12
c
13
d
14
b
15
e
16
c
17
e
18
e
19
d
20
c
21
e
22
d
23
e
24
d
25
d
26
e
27
c
28
b
29
b
30
c
31
c
32
c
33
b
34
a
35
a
36
d
37
b
38
d
39
c
40
a
119 .
CHAPTER 9: FORECASTING ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 9.1 Forecast for month 4 =
255 + 219 + 231 = 235 3
Forecast for month 5 =
219 + 231 + 228 = 226 3
9.2 Month
Actual demand
1
60
2
66
3
40
4
50
55
5
68
52
6
65
53
7
Forecast
61
9.3 Month
Actual demand
1
102
2
91
3
95
4
105
96
5
94
97
6
100
98
7
106
100
8
95
100
9
105
100
10
98
102
11
Forecast
99
120 .
9.4 Forecast for February = (.14)(136) + (.86)(122) = 123.96 = 124 9.5 Forecast = (.2)(83) + (.8)(100) = 96.6 = 97 9.6 Month
Actual demand
Forecast demand
1
260
250
2
230
248
3
225
244
4
245
240
5
250
241
6
243
9.7 Month
Actual demand
1
102
2
91
3
95
96
4
105
96
5
94
99
6
100
96
7
106
98
8
95
101
9
105
98
10
98
101
11
Forecast
99
The two forecasts for month 11 are the same (both are 99). 9.8 Week
Actual demand
Forecast
1
103
100
2
112
101
121 .
3
113
104
4
120
106
5
128
110
6
131
115
7
140
119
8
142
124
9
129
9.9 Seasonal index = 140 ÷ 175 = .80 9.10 Average quarterly demand = 300 Forecast for first quarter = 300 × 0.8 = 240 9.11 Average month’s demand = 1800 ÷ 12 = 150 January seasonal index = 70 ÷ 150 = 0.47 January forecast = 0.47 × 2000 ÷ 12 = 78 9.12 Month
Average demand
Seasonal index
January
30
0.28
February
50
0.46
March
85
0.78
April
110
1.01
May
125
1.15
June
245
2.25
July
255
2.34
August
135
1.24
September
100
0.92
October
90
0.83
November
50
0.46
December
30
0.28
Total
1305
9.13 Month January
Seasonal index
Forecast
0.28
47 122 .
February
0.46
77
March
0.78
130
April
1.01
168
May
1.15
192
June
2.25
375
July
2.34
390
August
1.24
207
September
0.92
153
October
0.83
138
November
0.46
77
December
0.28
47
9.14 Deseasonalized April demand = 1480 ÷ 2.5 = 592 units 9.15 Quarter
Actual Seasonal Depersonalized demand index demand
1
130
0.62
210
2
170
1.04
163
3
375
1.82
206
4
90
0.52
173
Total
765
9.16 a. Deseasonalized last month’s demand = 180 ÷ 1.2 = 150 b. Deseasonalized forecast for next month = alpha (last period’s deseasonalized demand) + (1 – alpha) (last period’s deseasonalized forecast) = .3 (150) + (1 – 0.3) (100) = 115 c. Forecast of seasonal demand = 0.8 × 115 = 92 9.17
Month
Forecast Average Seasonal Demand Past Index Next Demand Year
December
300
1.14
342.
January
400
1.52
456
February
220
0.83
249 123 .
March
130
0.50
150
Total
1050
Period
Forecast
Actual demand
Absolute deviation
1
110
90
20
2
110
107
3
3
110
122
12
4
110
93
17
5
110
90
20
Total
550
9.18
72
MAD = 14.4 9.19 Period
Forecast
Actual demand
Absolute deviation
1
100
106
6
2
105
95
10
3
110
85
25
4
115
135
20
5
120
105
15
6
125
118
7
Total
675
644
83
MAD = 13.8 9.20 Period Forecast Actual Deviation
Cumulative Tracking deviation signal
1
100
110
10
10
0.67
2
105
90
−15
−5
−0.33
3
110
85
−25
−30
−2.00
4
115
110
−5
−35
−2.33
5
120
105
−15
−50
−3.33
6
125
95
−30
− 80
−5.33
124 .
Period 6. Yes. From period 2 on, all tracking signals are negative and increasingly so. This indicates demand is falling short of forecast.
CASE STUDY 9.1 TEACHING NOTES Northcutt Bicycles: The Forecasting Problem Introduction
Northcutt Bicycles is a relatively basic forecasting situation. While the major thrust of the case is a quantitative analysis of the demand data in the case, it also provides an opportunity to discuss with students the issues of applying forecasting solutions in a growing company, and in particular how the quantitative analysis of the forecasting data can be used in conjunction with the qualitative issues of the actual company situation. As with other cases involving small but growing companies, Northcutt is faced with the possible need to formalize their approaches to business if they are to continue with successful growth. Quantitative Analysis
The first thing students should do in the case is plot the data to obtain a “picture” of the situation, as is indicated by the first case analysis question. The basic plot is attached to this note. Students should readily see that the data shows clear seasonality (as should be expected from the type of product), and also shows a clear upward overall growth trend. This is important for them to note, as any effective forecasting approach should include capturing both trend and seasonality components. In the second question, some students may use as one of their methods a “collapse” of the data into quarterly rather than monthly data points (as suggested by case question 4). If so, you can use this opportunity to discuss that while such an approach may provide “better” forecasts (in that the average MAD or MSE may be smaller), the method will also result in a loss of detail. You can use this opportunity to discuss the trade-offs involved and the type of conditions where such a collapse of data may or may not be appropriate. Included with this note are two examples of approaches used. The first is a simulation using Winter’s Model, which is a smoothing model incorporating both trend and seasonality smoothing constants. The simulation was set up to search for the best smoothing constants, starting at 0.01. The criterion for selection was the smallest MAD. In this case the simulation selected an alpha of 0.23093, a beta of 0.01036, and a gamma of 0.41165. The resulting MAD was 194.84. Using this model, the forecast for the next four months (rounded) was: 755 1101 1041 1217 Students may want to know why only four months was asked for. If so, this question is a good opportunity to discuss with them the assumptions of time-series models and how the accuracy of such models falls off when used for long-term forecasts. The second model used was simple regression. Regression captures trend very well, but seasonality must be dealt with separately. At least three approaches can be used here. One is to use multiple regression with dummy variables. The second is to compute seasonality multipliers, apply them to the data (to “de-seasonalize” it), then reapply the multipliers after the forecast is 125 .
made. The third approach (used here) is to regress each month separately. The forecasts using this method were: 789 1480 1207 1250 It is noteworthy that the February forecast is so much larger using the regression. Looking at the raw data shows that the demand in February is growing with a larger trend (in fact the regression shows a trend growth of 231 units per year for February. In contrast, the trend for January is 69.3, March is 130.3, and April is 81.1. Students should be expected to be able to discuss the differences in the models, how those differences come about, and what should they do about it if this was their company. They should also be capable of discussing (and not just showing) methodologies to determine which method was “best.” Typical approaches use computation of MAD or MSE. Qualitative Issues
The last three case questions address some of the qualitative issues in the case. The first of these addresses the inclusion of the qualitative knowledge into forecasts. While the time series analysis of the data help provide patterns of demand, there are still many issues that cannot be captured. They include, of course, issues of competitive moves, economic factors, advertising and promotional activities, and so forth. Clearly Jan’s knowledge of these qualitative issues can and should be used in combination with the quantitative analysis to provide the best overall forecast for the business. The last two questions address the issue of the size and the general management approaches that the business size suggests. Some might suggest the business is too large to continue running it as it has been run in the past. That may in fact be true, but the best solution is seldom to shrink. Instead she should look to formalize approaches to manage the growth and size. She needs to not only incorporate the forecast methodology into the business, but also needs to develop approaches to capacity and inventories that will best serve both her customers and the needs of her business. The alternatives can be discussed in general at this point in the case, but can then be addressed more explicitly if you wish to “revisit” S&OP concepts.
CASE STUDY 9.2 TEACHING NOTES Hatcher Gear Company
To start with, students might be interested to know that this case is based on a real situation. The numbers and conditions are somewhat simplified to make a “mini” case, and the names and even the product have been changed. This case has two possibly interesting discussion points that can be used. First is how this situation should never exist if the company was using Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), and using it appropriately. The students may wish to discuss how proper S&OP would have prevented the dilemma, and use this example to review the approach to S&OP. With all the proper executive-level people in the S&OP meetings, the demand forecast given by the Director of Sales and Marketing should have been discussed, and the final demand number used to order the steel would have been agreed to by all, including the general manager. In other words, Jaya should have never been placed into such a difficult situation. These are essentially the points that should be made in the solution for the second case question. 126 .
The second discussion point clearly deals with the forecasting problem and the dilemma in which Jaya was placed (the first assignment question). Experience has shown that many students who do not analyze the problem completely would “split the difference” and select a number in the middle between the past average demand (fairly steady at about 10,000 gears per year) and the new forecast of 16,000—in other words, they will say to order enough steel for 13,000 gears. These students should be challenged if they think that is really the best solution—try to see if other students agree or not, and often some good discussion should evolve. The forecasting approach here is clearly qualitative forecasting, and in most companies it is the sales and marketing people who are generally more aware of the market and the customers, and should therefore be a critical source in making a qualitative forecast. Student should be asked why Jaya called Phil and asked him all those questions. Clearly those are the questions that Phil should have been dealing with to make the forecast, and given that he clearly seemed to know the answers then one must ask why he came up with the forecast of 16,000 when clearly for the past several years the sales showed nowhere near that number. Students should discuss this to realize that when using qualitative forecasting methods that human emotions often “get in the way”. Some sales people, for example, may purposely set a low number when they forecast in order to potentially make themselves look good when the number is exceeded. Also they may have had a very poor sales period recently and are therefore overly pessimistic. Clearly the opposite can happen—a very successful recent sales period can make them overly optimistic about the market. This could be what has happened in this case. Also artificially inflated forecast numbers can come about as a result of the sales people using the forecast as a “target”—some lofty goal they wish to obtain. In this case one or perhaps even both of these last two situations might have happened. Jaya, on the other hand, cannot afford to be impacted this way. It should be recognized by the students that what Jaya was doing when she asked all those questions about customers was, in fact, conducting the type of qualitative forecasting that Phil should have been using. The answers that Phil gave, together with a simple analysis of the demand from the past six years, should make a strong case for ordering little more than enough steel for about 10,000 gears. Since customer service is so important and timing is such a problem, Jaya may wish to err somewhat on the side of safety stock. Since the largest demand over the past six years was 10,145, Jaya may decide on ordering enough for perhaps 10,300, but likely no more than enough for 10,500. Any more safety stock than that may produce inventory holding costs that could be problematic. More sophisticated students should be able to point out that the past demand data given would allow for a basic statistical analysis to be undertaken, providing both a mean and standard deviation. Even though the concept of safety stock is developed later in the text (Chapter 12), you may wish to introduce it here and use the material in Chapter 12 to reinforce the concepts. The mean of the demand data is 9962, and the standard deviation is 151. Given that, and with a target customer service level of 97 percent, two standard deviations of safety stock would suggest buying enough steel for 10,264 gears. Students may wish to know that in the real situation, the real “Jaya” ordered enough steel for 10,400, even though she knew that might be a bit high given the facts she had. She then spent a nervous year until at the end she realized that the real demand came in at just a few gears over 10,000 gears—but slightly less than 10,400. Also in the real situation, the real “Jays” made a recommendation for a more comprehensive approach to planning in the future (basically a Sales and Operations Planning approach), but few (including the General Manager and the Director of Sales and Marketing) in the Company thought it was worth the trouble. Shortly after her recommendation for comprehensive planning was rejected, Jaya became discouraged and concerned that the situation in the case could become a regular problem. She left the Company for a new position.
127 .
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements is best statement about forecasting? I.
It must be done by all who wish to meet the demands of the future
II. Companies who make-to-order to NOT have to forecast a. I and II only b. I only c. II only d. neither I nor II 2.
Which of the following is NOT a component of a demand pattern? a. Trend b. Standard deviation c. Seasonal variation d. Random variation e. All of the above are components of a demand pattern
3.
Given this product tree which item(s) should be forecast?
a. only A b. A, B and C c. D and E d. B, C, D, and E e. all items should be forecast 4.
Which of the following is the best statement about the general principles of forecasting? a. Forecasts are more accurate for larger groups of items b. Forecasts are more accurate for nearer periods of time c. Every forecast should include an estimate of error d. All of the above are general principles of forecasting e. None of the above is a general principle of forecasting
5.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Dependent demand items should be forecast b. A forecast for sales next week will not be as accurate as for a year from now c. Forecasts for families of products should be built up from individual product forecasts d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true 128 .
6.
Which of the following statements is best? a. If we wish to forecast demand, then past sales must be used for the forecast b. Forecasts made in dollars for total sales should be used for manufacturing c. Forecasts should be made for all items, models, and options manufactured d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
7.
A firm manufactures a line of vacuum cleaners composed of standard, custom and deluxe models. All are essentially the same except for the options and add-ons. What should they forecast? a. The total of all models b. Each model c. Each model and add the forecasts together d. All of the above e. None of the above
8.
Which of the following is NOT true? a. Number of orders shipped is a good measure of demand for an item b. Circumstances relating to historical data should be recorded c. Demand for different groups should be recorded separately d. None of the above is true
9.
Which of the following statements is best regarding forecasting techniques? a. Qualitative techniques are based on judgment b. Techniques that use external economic indicators are classified as extrinsic c. Intrinsic techniques use historical data d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
10.
What important assumption is made about statistical (quantitative) forecasting methods? a. The past is a valid indicator of the future b. Demand trend is seldom linear c. Seasonal variations are small d. Random variations are small e. All of the above
11.
Which of the following methods can be used to forecast the demand for a NEW product? a. Equation fitting b. Moving averages c. Qualitative techniques d. All of the above e. None of the above
129 .
12.
A forecasting technique that takes the average demand for some past number of periods is called: a. trend time analysis b. moving average c. exponential smoothing d. none of the above e. all of the above
13.
Demand over the past three months has been 700, 750, and 900. Using a three-month moving average, what is the forecast for month four? a. 700 b. 750 c. 900 d. 783 e. 822
14.
The old forecast was for 200 units and last month’s sales were 225 units. If α (alpha) is 0.2 what is the forecast for next month? a. 200 b. 225 c. 212½ d. 205 e. 210
15.
Select the one best answer from the following: a. Demand fluctuations that depend on the time of the year, week or day are called seasonality b. The seasonal index is an estimate of how much the demand during the season will be above or below the average demand c. Seasonality ALWAYS occurs in summer, winter, spring and fall d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
16.
If the average quarterly demand is 200 units and the first quarter demand is 350 units, what is the seasonal index for the quarter? a. .57 b. 200 c. 350 d. 1.75 e. none of the above
17.
Select the one best answer from the following: a. Deseasonalized data should be used for forecasting b. Seasonalize the base forecast to predict actual demand for future periods 130 .
c. Actual sales should only be compared on a month-to-month basis d. a and b are best e. b and c are best 18.
If the February demand for a product is 5,000 units and the seasonal index for February is 0.75, what is the deseasonalized February demand? a. 3,750 b. 6,667 c. 8,750 d. 10,000 e. 15,000
19.
Forecast error will be caused by: a. random variation from the average demand b. errors in forecasting average demand c. differences in lead times d. a and b above e. none of the above
20.
Select the one best answer from the following: a. the mean absolute deviation can be used as a measure of forecast error b. usually forecast error is distributed normally about the average demand c. in a normal distribution the error will be within 1 MAD of the average about 60% of the time d. all the above are true e. none of the above is true
21.
Select the one best answer from the following: a. forecasts do not need to be tracked b. forecast error does not need to be measured c. when actual demand exceeds a reasonable error, it should be investigated to discover the cause of the error d. all the above are true e. none of the above is true
22.
Forecasts are far more accurate for which of the following? a. Short term b. Individual items c. Product families d. End use components
23.
Which of the following is good for short-range forecasts, can detect trends, but lags the trend? a. Exponential smoothing b. Stable forecasting 131 .
c. Forecast smoothing d. Moving average 24.
Which of the following is NOT a source of demand? a. Internal customers b. External customers c. Stockholders d. Spare parts
Answers
1
b
2
b
3
a
4
d
5
e
6
e
7
16 d
10 a
11 c
12 b
13 d
14 d
15
a
19 d
20 d
21 c
22 b
23 a
24
c
132 .
a
8
a
17 d
9
d
18 a
CHAPTER 10: INVENTORY FUNDAMENTALS ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 10.1 Average annual inventory in transit =
11 × 10,000 = 301.4 units 365
10.2 Average annual reduction in inventory in transit =
3 × $2,500,000 = $20,547.95 365
10.3 Annual carrying cost = (.12 + .07 + .08)($1,000,000) = $270,000 10.4 Annual carrying cost = (0.1 + 0.23 + 0.55)($12,000) = $10,560 10.5 Average ordering cost =
$90,000 + $22 = $32 9,000
Annual ordering cost = $32 × 9,000 = $288,000 10.6 Annual ordering cost = $75,000 + $30 × 6,000 = $255,000 Annual carrying cost = (.08 + .09 + .10)($250,000) = $67,500 10.7 Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Total $
Sales
1000
2000
3000
2000
8000
Production
2000
2000
2000
2000
Ending inventory
1000
1000
0
0
Average inventory
500
1000
500
Inventory cost
1500
3000
1500
0
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Total $
Forecast demand
5000
7000
8500
9500
30000
Production
7500
7500
7500
7500
30000
Ending inventory
2500
3000
2000
0
Average inventory
1250
2750
2500
1000
Inventory cost
7500
16500
15000
6000
0 6000
10.8
Annual cost of carrying safety stock = $6 × 4 × 100 = $2,400
133 .
45000
10.9 Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Total $
Forecast demand
3000
4000
6500
6500
20000
Production
5000
5000
5000
5000
20000
Ending inventory
2000
3000
1500
0
Average inventory
1000
2500
2250
750
Inventory cost
3000
7500
6750
2250
19500
10.10 Owners’ equity = assets – liabilities = $2,000,000 – $1,600,000 = $400,000 10.11 Assets = liabilities + owners’ equity = $4,000,000 + $1,300,000 = $5,300,000 10.12 Revenue
$3,000,000
Direct labor
=
$700,000
Direct material
=
$900,000
Factory overhead
=
$800,000
= $2,400,000
Gross margin
= $600,000
General and administrative expense
= $350,000
Net income
= $250,000
10.13 Profit would increase by $200,000 10.14 a. Turns ratio =
annual cost of goods sold $12,000,000 = = 5.3 average inventory $2,500,000
b. Average inventory =
annual cost of goods sold $12,000,000 = = $1,200,000 tuns 10
Reduction in inventory = $2,500,000 − $1,200,000 = $1,300,000 c. Annual savings = 20% × $1,300,000 = $210,000 10.15 a. Turns ratio =
$30,000,000 =6 $5,000,000
b. Average inventory =
$30,000,000 = $3,000,000 10
c. Reduction in inventory = $5,000,000 – $3,000,000 = $2,000,000 Annual savings = 25% × $2,000,000 = $500,000
134 .
10.16 Average daily usage = 7200 ÷ 240 = 30 units Days of supply = 900 ÷ 30 = 30 days 10.17 Annual unit usage
Unit cost $
Annual $ usage
1
21000
$1
$21,000
2
5000
$40
$200,000
3
1600
$3
$4,800
4
12000
$1
$12,000
5
1000
$100
$100,000
6
50
$50
$2,500
7
800
$2
$1,600
8
10000
$3
$30,000
9
4000
$1
$4,000
10
5000
$1
$5,000
Part number
Total
$380,900
Part number
Annual $ usage
Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative Class $ usage % $ usage % of items
2
$200,000
$200,000
52.51
10
A
5
$100,000
$300,000
78.76
20
A
8
$30,000
$330,000
86.64
30
B
1
$21,000
$351,000
92.15
40
B
4
$12,000
$363,000
95.30
50
B
10
$5,000
$368,000
96.61
60
C
3
$4,800
$372,800
97.87
70
C
9
$4,000
$376,800
98.92
80
C
6
$2,500
$379,300
99.58
90
C
7
$1,600
$380,900
100.00
100
C
135 .
10.18 Part number
Annual unit usage
Unit cost $
Annual $ usage
1
200
$10
$2,000
2
17000
$4
$68,000
3
60000
$6
$360,000
4
15000
$15
$225,000
5
1500
$10
$15,000
6
120
$50
$6,000
7
25000
$2
$50,000
8
700
$3
$2,100
9
25000
$1
$25,000
10
7500
$1
$7,500
Total
$760,600
Part number
Annual $ usage
Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative Class $ usage % $ usage % of items
3
$360,000
$360,000
47.96
10
A
4
$225,000
$585,000
77.94
20
A
2
$68,000
$653,000
85.85
30
B
7
$50,000
$703, 000
92.42
40
B
9
$25,000
$728,000
95.71
50
B
5
$15,000
$743,000
97.68
60
C
10
$7,500
$750,500
98.67
70
C
6
$6,000
$756,500
99.46
80
C
8
$2,100
$758,600
99.73
90
C
1
$2,000
$760,600
100.00
100
C
136 .
10.19 Cumulative %
Cumulative % of Items
Description
Qty Used/Year
Value
Dollar Usage
Pct of Total
of Dollar Value
B99
8,000
$23.00
$184,00 0
34.7%
34.7%
12.5%
A
V94
5,500
$19.00
$104,50 0
19.7%
54.4%
25.0%
A
Y12
1,100
$62.00
$68,200
12.9%
67.3%
37.5%
B
H64
1,200
$41.00
$49,200
9.3%
76.6%
50.0%
B
C34
4,000
$12.00
$48,000
9.1%
85.6%
62.5%
C
R74
1,440
$33.00
$47,520
9.0%
94.6%
75.0%
C
P77
400
$72.00
$28,800
5.4%
100.0%
87.5%
C
$0
0.0%
100.0%
100.0%
C
$530,22 0 M22 should be handled as either an “A” or “B” item. The key would be its importance to the item - the difficult to obtain and long-lead time lend themselves to “A” status - but the price may keep it to “B” status - how important is it?
CASE STUDY 10.1 TEACHING NOTES Randy Smith, Inventory Control Manager
This case has several applications and uses for discussion about inventory, but the first thing most students should focus on is the potential for analysis using ABC. First we can obtain the average annual usage in dollars, giving: Part Number
Part unit value in $
Quantity currently in inventory
Average annual usage
Annual usage in $
1234
$2.50
300
3000
$7,500.00
1235
$0.20
550
900
$180.00
1236
$15.00
400
1000
$15,000.00
1237
$0.75
50
7900
$5,925.00
1238
$7.60
180
2800
$21,280.00
1239
$4.40
20
5000
$22,000.00
137 .
Class
1240
$1.80
200
1800
$3,240.00
1241
$0.05
10
1200
$60.00
1242
$17.20
950
2000
$34,400.00
1243
$9.00
160
4500
$40,500.00
1244
$3.20
430
8000
$25,600.00
1245
$0.30
500
10000
$3,000.00
1246
$1.10
25
7500
$8,250.00
1247
$8.10
60
2100
$17,010.00
1248
$5.00
390
4000
$20,000.00
1249
$0.90
830
6500
$5,850.00
1250
$6.00
700
3100
$18,600.00
1251
$2.20
80
6000
$13,200.00
1252
$1.20
480
4500
$5,400.00
1253
$5.90
230
900
$5,310.00
This table can then be sorted according to the last column, giving:
Annual usage in $
Part Number
$40,500.00
1243
$34,400.00
1242
$25,600.00
1244
$22,000.00
1239
$21,280.00
1238
$20,000.00
1248
$18,600.00
1250
$17,010.00
1247
$15,000.00
1236
$13,200.00
1251
$8,250.00
1246
$7,500.00
1234
138 .
$5,925.00
1237
$5,850.00
1249
$5,400.00
1252
$5,310.00
1253
$3,240.00
1240
$3,000.00
1245
$180.00
1235
$60.00
1241
This table shows a fairly clear “cut off” point for the “A” items—parts 1242 and 1243. The cutoff point between the “B” and “C” items is a bit less clear—providing an opportunity to allow the students to discuss the tradeoffs between having more items classified as “B” or not. Including more items provides more control, but also tends to cost more money to obtain that control. It also allows discussion that the classification of “A”, “B”, and “C” is clearly somewhat subjective. Once that discussion is complete, the case provides several other areas for discussion: •
Part 1236 is a good example of anticipation inventory
•
Part 1241 is a good example of why some parts may need to be artificially classified at a higher level. The part clearly is a “C” item from the table above, but the erratic supply history and long lead time suggests it be “upgraded” to a “B” or even an “A”.
•
Part 1242 shows both some anticipation and some transportation issues
•
Part 1246 is another example of a part that might be “upgraded” in its classification—this time because of the quality history.
•
Part 1248 can actually be used to help transition into the third question in the case (other information needed). This example brings into question the accuracy of the data itself. How accurate are the quantities? How accurate are the locations in the records? What methods are used to monitor and maintain the record accuracy?
•
Part 1253 can provide more discussion about the records and their accuracy. Why were items that were shown to have unacceptable quality kept with good items, and not clearly indicated on the inventory records?
The remainder of the discussion about the policy should also include some discussion as to how they want to (or if they want to) indicate “special” cases, such as anticipation inventory, returned stock, items awaiting transportation, and so forth. While not essential to the case, the discussion points in the case can be used to launch into approaches to cycle counting and other control approaches for inventory.
139 .
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements is best about inventory management? a. Inventories and production can be managed separately b. Inventory is not important at the production planning level c. Inventories are usually insignificant on the balance sheet d. All the above are true e. None of the above is true
2.
___________ are materials that have entered the production process and ___________ are materials that are used in the production process but do not become part of the product. I.
Raw materials
II. Work in process III. Finished goods IV. Maintenance, repair and operational supplies a. I and II b. II and III c. III and IV d. I and III e. II and IV 3.
Inventories that are built up in advance of a peak selling season, a promotion program or a plant shut-down are known as: a. lot-size inventories b. transportation inventories c. safety stocks d. anticipation inventories e. none of the above
4.
Transportation inventories can be reduced by: a. reducing transportation time b. reducing order quantities c. increasing order quantities d. reducing the order point e. none of the above
5.
Items that are purchased or manufactured in quantities greater than needed immediately create ________ inventories: a. anticipation b. lot size c. hedge
140 .
d. any of the above e. none of the above 6.
Select the one best of the following statements: a. inventories allow manufacturing to level out production and to satisfy peak demand b. inventories allow manufacturing to reduce production runs, reducing unit cost c. inventories allow manufacturers to operate different work centers at the same output d. all the above are true e. none of the above is true
7.
Which of the following company objectives are in conflict? I.
Maximize customer service
II. Low-cost plant operation III. Minimum inventory investment a. I, II, and III b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. none of the above 8.
In managing inventory, the problem is to balance the inventory investment with: I.
Customer service
II. Costs associated with changing production levels III. Costs of placing orders IV. Transportation costs a. II and III only b. III and IV c. I, II, and III only d. II, III, and IV only e. I, II, III, and IV 9.
Which of the following costs are relevant to inventory management decisions? a. Carrying costs b. Ordering costs c. Capacity-related costs d. All the above e. None of the above
10.
Which of the following is NOT a cost of carrying inventory? a. Capital costs b. Storage costs c. Purchase cost
141 .
d. All the above e. None of the above 11.
Which of the following are considered ordering costs? I.
Production control costs
II. Lost capacity costs III. Risk costs a. I, II, and III b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. none of the above 12.
Which of the following statements is NOT true? a. The annual cost of ordering depends on the number of orders per year b. The annual cost of ordering can be reduced by ordering less at any one time c. The annual cost of carrying inventory can be decreased by ordering less at one time d. All the above are true e. None of the above is true
13.
Which of the following costs would NOT be included in the cost of placing an order? a. Setup costs b. Costs of placing a purchase order c. Back-order costs d. All the above e. None of the above
14.
Which of the following would NOT be included in calculating inventory carrying costs? a. Capital costs b. Ordering costs c. Obsolescence costs d. All the above e. None of the above
15.
Which of the following equations is correct? a. Assets = liabilities + revenue b. Profit = revenue + owners’ equity c. Liabilities = assets – owners’ equity d. Revenue = accounts receivable – liabilities
16.
If the annual cost of goods sold is $10,000,000 and the average inventory is $2,000,000, what is the turns ratio? a. $8,000,000 b. 5 142 .
c. 0.2 d. 20% e. cannot be calculated from the information given 17.
If there are 20 working days in a month, the monthly usage is 660 units, and there are 100 units on hand, approximately how many days’ supply are there? a. 3 b. 5 c. 7 d. 33
18.
Which of the following statements is most accurate? a. About 20% of the items will usually account for about 80% of the total value b. ‘A’ class items should have the tightest possible control c. The general rule using the ABC approach is to have plenty of everything in stock d. a and b only are true e. None of the above is true
19.
Of the following statements, which are true? I.
‘A’ items usually account for about 70%−80% of the total usage value
II. About 50% of the items usually account for 50% of the value III. ‘C’ items should be given the top priority in inventory management a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I and III only d. III only e. I only 20.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Two items with the same part number but in two different inventories would be one stock keeping unit (SKU) b. Two white shirts of different sizes in the same inventory would be one SKU c. Two items with the same part number in the same inventory would be one SKU d. All the above are true e. None of the above is true
21.
Delivery of goods from a supplier is in transit for 14 days. If the annual demand is 2600 units, what is the average annual inventory in transit? a. 99.7 units b. 100 units c. 1.97 units d. Cannot be determined from the data given
143 .
22.
A company carries an average annual inventory of $1,000,000. If the cost of capital is 10%, storage costs are 8%, and risk costs are 7%, what does it cost per year to carry this inventory? a. $100,000 b. $80,000 c. $70,000 d. $250,000 e. cannot be determined from the data given
23.
Which of the following would not be considered work-in-process inventory? I.
Finished goods in the stockroom
II. Processed material waiting for inspection III. Raw materials not issued IV. Components in queue ahead of a milling machine a. I and II b. I and III c. I and IV d. II and III 24.
Which of the following are reasons for keeping inventory? I.
To allow for goods in transit
II. To build up stock for seasonal demand III. To reduce production costs IV. To guard against uncertainty in supply and demand a. I, II, and III only b. II, III, and IV only c. II and IV only d. all the above are valid reasons 25.
Given the following information, calculate the inventory turns. Sales
= $200,000,000
Cost of sales
= $160,000,000
Average inventory = $40,000,000 Carrying cost
= 12%
a. 0.20 b. 0.25 c. 4.0 d. 5.0
144 .
26.
All of the following are reasons to keep inventory EXCEPT: a. Allow flexibility in production scheduling b. Couple supply with demand c. Meet fluctuations in product demand d. Provide a safeguard against delivery time variations
Answers
1
e
2
e
3
d
9
d
10 c
11 b
17 a
18 d
19 e
25 c
26 b
4
a
5
b
6
a
7
a
8
e
12 b
13 c
14
b
15
c
16
b
20 c
21 a
22
d
23
b
24
d
145 .
CHAPTER 11 : ORDER QUANTITIES ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 11.1 and 11.2 Order quantity (units)
11.3
(10.1)
(10.2)
500
1200
a.
Average inventory
=
order quantity 2
250
600
b.
Orders per year
=
annual demand order quantity
10.4
4.3
c
Inventory carrying cost
=
Q × c ×I 2
$500
$1200
d.
Annual ordering cost
=
A ×S Q
$520
217
e.
Total annual cost
=
c. + d.
$1020
$1217
A
= 500,000 units
S
= $35
c
= $9.00
i
= 24%
a.
EOQ =
b.
Number of orders per year =
c.
Cost of ordering =
500,000 × 35 AS = $4348 = 4025 Q
Cost of carrying =
Qic 4025 × .24 × 9 = = $4347 2 2
2(500,000)(35) = 4025.4 0.24(9) A 500,000 = = 124 4025 Q
Total Cost =
$8695
146 .
11.4
A
=
$800,000
S
=
$32
i
=
20%
a.
EOQ =
b.
Number of orders per year =
c.
Cost of ordering =
AS 800,000 × 32 = $1600 = Q 16,000
Cost of carrying =
Qic $16,000 × .2 = = $1600 2 2
2 AS 2(5800,000)(32) = = $16,000 i 0.2 A 800,000 = = 50 Q 16,000
Total Cost = $3200 11.5
d.
Results are not the same.
A
=
20,000 units
S
=
$90
i
=
23%
EOQ =
C
=
2 × 20,000 × 90 = 1022 Dollar cost = 1022($15.00) = $15,330 0.23 × 15
11.6 No discount Unit price
Discount
$10.00
$9.70
Lot size (dollars)
$5, 480.00
$9,700.00
Average inventory
$2,740.00
$4,850.00
18.25
10
Purchase cost (dollars)
$100,000.00
$97,000.00
Carrying cost (dollars) 20%
$548.00
$970.00
Ordering cost—$30 per order
$547.45
$300.00
$101,095.45
$98,270.00
Number of orders per year
Total cost (dollars) Savings (dollars)
$2,825.45
A = 10,000 C = $10 S = $30 I = 20% 147 .
$15.00
EOQ = 11.7
2 AS 2(10,000)30 = = 548 2(10) ic
A = 500,000 units = $4,500,000 S = $35 C = $9.00 i = 24%
EOQ = 4025 units Discounted order quantity = 6000 units or $54,000 × .98 = $52,920 Discount on $40,000 order = 2% No discount Unit price
Discount
$9.00
$8.82
Lot size (dollars)
$36,225.00
$52,920.00
Average inventory
$18,112.50
$26460.00
124
83
Number of orders per year Purchase cost (dollars)
$4,500,000.00 $4,410,000.00
Carrying cost (dollars) 24%
$4,347.00
$6350.40
Ordering cost—$35 per order
$4,340.00
$2,905.00
Total cost (dollars)
$4,508,687.00 $4,419,255.40
Savings (dollars)
$89,431.60
11.8 A = 10,000 or $40,000 S = $50 i = 25% c = $4.00 Discount of 2% with orders over 2,000 units. No discount
With discount
Unit price
$4.00
$3.92
Lot size (dollars)
$4,000
$8,000
Average inventory
$2,000
$4,000
10
5
$40,000
$39,200
Number of orders per year Purchase cost (dollars 148 .
Carrying cost (dollars)
$500
$1,000
Ordering cost $50 / order
$500
$250
$41,000
$40,450
Total cost (dollars) Savings (dollars)
$550
11.9 Annual Demand
Item
New Lot Size = K√AD
√AD
1
2500
50
250
2
900
30
150
3
121
11
55
11.10 Annual Demand
Item
Orders per Year
√AD
1
$14,400
5
120
2
$4,900
5
70
3
$1,600
5
40
Totals
$20,900
15
230
K = 230 ÷ 15 = 15.33 11.11 Item
Annual Usage
Present Lot Size
√AD
New Lot Size
New Orders per year
= K√AD
N = AD /Q
1
$22,500
6
$3,750.00
150
$2,308.50
9.82
2
$7,569
6
$1261.50
87
$1,338.93
5.56
3
$1,600
6
$266.67
40
$615.60
2.62
Totals
$31,325
18
$5,278.17
277
$4,263.03
18.00
Average inventory
K=
Present orders per year
$2,639.09
277 = 15.39 18 149 .
$2131.52
11.12 Item
Annual Usage
Present orders per year
Present
√AD
New Lot Size
Lot Size
= K√AD
New Orders per year N = AD /Q
1
$12,100
4
$3,025.00
110
$1,732.50
6.98
2
$8,100
4
$2,025.00
90
$1,417.50
5.71
3
$3,600
4
$900.00
60
$945.00
3.81
4
$1,600
4
$400.00
40
$630.00
2.54
5
$225
4
$56.25
15
$236.25
.95
$25,625
20
$6,406.25
315
$4,961.25
19.99
Totals
Average inventory
$3,203.13
$2,480.63
K = 315 ÷ 20 = 15.75 11.13 EOQ = 700 units Usage = 2600 units per year = 2600 ÷ 52 = 50 units per week Period order quantity = 800 ÷ 44 = 14 11.14 Weekly average demand = 630 ÷ 8 weeks = 78.75 per week POQ = 250 ÷ 78.75 = 3.17 rounded to 3 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total
Net requirements
100
85
90
0
85
80
90
100
630
Planned order receipts
275
255
100
Planned order period 1 = 275 units Planned order period 5 = 255 units Planned order period 8 = 100 11.15 EOQ = 200 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total
Net
70
75
60
40
60
80
70
45
20
80
600
150 .
requirements Planned order receipt
200
Ending inventory
130
200 55
195
200 155
95
15
200
145
100
80
0
970
Weekly average demand = 600 ÷ 10 = 60 units per week POQ = 200÷60 = 3.3 → 3 weeks Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total
Net requirements
70
75
60
40
60
80
70
45
20
80
600
Planned order receipt
205
Ending inventory
135
180 60
0
140
135 80
0
65
80 20
0
11.16 A = 240 × 52 = 12.480 per year S = $600 i = .20 c = $42 Demand rate = 240 per week Production rate = 500 per week EOQ = SQRT((2 × 12480 × 600)/(.20 × 42 × (1 – 240/500))) =1,852 units
CASE STUDY 11.1 TEACHING NOTES Jack’s Hardware
1. First we need to calculate the EOQ for the data given: EOQ =
2DS ic
For Item A: EOQ =
2(1000)(15) = 244 0.18(2.80)
EOQ =
2(750)(22.5) = 123 0.18(12.50)
For Item B:
2. The average weekly usage for A = 1000/52 = 19.2 or 19 units The average weekly usage for B = 750/52 = 14.4 or 14 units 151 .
0
500
POQ = EOQ/(average weekly usage) For item A, POQ = 244/19 = 12.8 or 13 weeks, with a “critical inventory level” of 22 For item B, POQ = 123/14 = 8.78 or 9 weeks, with a “critical inventory level” of 16 3. And 4. Item A using current lot size of 100 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 0
1 1
12
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
18
1 9
2 0
Dema nd
2 4
15
2 1
1 1
8
2 6
1 8
30
1 4
2 1
2 8
7
1 9
2 3
1 2
2 9
1 7
9
2 2
1 3
7 6
6 3
Plan. Recpt. End Invent .
10 0 6
91
10 0 7 0
5 9
5 1
2 5
7
77
10 0 6 3
4 2
1 4
10 0
10 7
8 8
6 5
5 3
2 4
7
98
Current inventory = 30 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 1086/20 = 54.3 Inventory cost = 54.3(2.80)(.18) = $27.37 Order cost = 1000/100 = 10 orders per year = $150 Total = $177.37 Item A using EOQ of 244 1
2
3
4
5
2 4
15 21 11 8
6
7
8
9
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
15 16 17 18 19 20
26 18 30 14 2 1
2 8
7
1 9
2 3
12 29 17 9
W k De m Pl. Re c.
24 4 6
In v.
22 13
24 4
23 21 20 19 16 15 12 10 8 5 4 3 5 9 1 1 7 6
5 8
5 1
Current inventory = 30 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 2786/20 = 139.3 Inventory cost = 139.3(2.80)(.18) = $70.21 Order cost = 1000/244 is 4.1 orders/year or 4.1(15) or $61.50 Total = $131.71
152 .
3 2
9
24 21 19 18 16 15 1 2 5 6 4 1
Item A using a POQ of 13 weeks W k
1
2
De m
2 4
15 21 11 8
Pl. Re c. In v
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
15 16 17 18 19 20
26 18 30 14 2 1
2 8
7
1 9
2 3
12 29 17 9
26 0 6
22 13
24 7
24 22 21 20 17 16 13 11 9 5 4 3 5 9 1 1 7 6
6 8
6 1
4 2
1 9
25 22 20 19 17 16 4 5 8 9 7 4
Current inventory = 30 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 2994/20 = 149.7 Inventory cost = 149.7(2.80)(0.18) = $75.45 Order cost (with one order every 13 weeks) is 4 orders/year or $60 Total $135.45 Item B using current lot size of 60 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
1 8
1 9
2 0
Deman d
1 2
9
1 7
2 0
1 8
6
1 2
1 6
4
1 3
5
1 9
2 2
8
1 0
1 1
1 6
1 3
8
1 9
Plan. Recpt. End Invento ry
6 0 1 3
6 0
6 4
4 7
2 7
9
6 3
6 0 5 1
3 5
3 1
1 8
1 3
5 4
6 0 3 2
2 4
1 4
6 3
4 7
3 4
2 6
7
Current inventory = 25 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 672/20 = 33.6 Inventory cost = 33.6(12.50)(0.18) = $75.60 Order cost: 750/60 = 12.5 orders per year 12.5(22.50) = $281.25 Total = $356.85 Item B with EOQ of 123 Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 0
1 1
12
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
1 8
1 9
2 0
Deman d
1 2
9
17
2 0
1 8
6
1 2
1 6
4
1 3
5
19
2 2
8
1 0
1 1
1 6
1 3
8
1 9
Plan. Recpt.
12 3
12 3 153 .
End Invent ory
1 3
12 7
11 0
9 0
7 2
6 6
5 4
3 8
3 4
2 1
1 6
12 0
9 8
9 0
8 0
6 9
5 3
4 0
3 2
1 3
Current inventory = 25 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 1236/20 = 61.8 Inventory cost = 61.8(12.50)(0.18) = $139.05 Order cost: 750/123 = 6.1 orders per year 6.1(22.50) = $137.25 Total = $276.30 Item B with a POQ of 9 weeks Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 0
11
12
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
1 8
1 9
20
Deman 1 d 2
9
17
2 0
1 8
6
1 2
1 6
4
1 3
5
19
2 2
8
1 0
1 1
1 6
1 3
8
19
Plan. Recpt.
12 6
End Invent ory
1 3
11 7
12 8 10 0
8 0
6 2
5 6
4 4
2 8
2 4
1 1
13 4
11 2 11 5
9 3
8 5
7 5
6 4
4 8
3 5
2 7
93
Current inventory = 25 Average inventory level over 20 weeks = 1304/20 = 65.2 Inventory cost = 65.2(12.50)(0.18) = $146.70 Order cost: 52weeks/9 week POQ = average of 5.8 orders per year. 5.8(22.50) = $130.50 Total = $277.20 You might want to ask the students why the inventory cost and order cost are so different from each other for Item A. Hopefully they will notice that the EOQ formula is based on the assumption that usage is fairly uniform, which is violated to some extent in both cases. Also there are “rounding errors”. 5. There are certainly “rounding errors”, but probably the largest reason is the formula the student devised to minimize stockouts given the fact that for POQ the inventory values would not be monitored until after the review period. You may wish to point out that the “tradeoff” is the time and effort saved by not having to constantly monitor inventory levels. The small extra cost using POQ may be very well worth it overall. The students may want to include in their final recommendation a plan to capture those possible cost savings before selecting a final approach. 6. Using the EOQ for Item A, compared with the current order size of 100: $177.37 – $131.71 = $45.66 Using the EOQ for Item B, compared with the current order size of 60: $356.85 – $276.30 = $80.55 If those two items are about 4% of the similar items value, then the possible savings of using EOQ may be approximately (80.55 + 45.66)/0.04 = $3155.25. It clearly appears that implementing EOQ would provide substantial savings. 154 .
7. Students may not think of this approach, but this environment may be a perfect place to use the old “two bin” system. Specifically, a box of each item equal to the “critical inventory value” (reorder point) can be kept with the inventory of each item. The rule is simple—inventory is to be taken from the location but NOT the separate box until they run out of inventory except in the box. They can then use the inventory in the box to fill the order, but by using the box inventory it needs to trigger a reorder. This helps save the need to constantly monitor inventory levels. This is especially useful when the demand is somewhat erratic, as it is in this case.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following are NOT assumptions on which the economic order quantity (EOQ) is based? a. Demand is relatively constant and known b. The item is produced continuously c. Order preparation costs, inventory carrying costs and lead times are constant and known d. Replacement occurs all at once e. All of the above are true assumptions
2.
In developing the standard economic order quantity formula the following assumption(s) is (are) made: a. demand for the item is relatively uniform b. replenishment is in lots or batches that arrive at once c. lead time is constant d. all of the above are assumed e. none of the above is assumed
3.
In determining the economic order quantity (EOQ) the following costs are considered: a. costs of a stockout and ordering costs b. costs of a stockout and inventory holding costs c. ordering costs and inventory carrying costs d. ordering costs and costs of changing production levels e. inventory holding costs and costs of changing production levels
4.
If the order quantity is increased the annual cost of carrying inventory will: a. increase b. decrease c. remain the same d. not be affected e. none of the above
5.
Assuming the cost per order is constant, increasing the order quantity will cause annual ordering costs to: a. decrease b. increase 155 .
c. remain the same d. increase at a decreasing rate e. cannot be determined 6.
In the simple EOQ model annual inventory carrying costs and annual ordering costs vary: a. according to the time of year b. with seasonally adjusted demand c. with the order quantity d. do not vary in any way e. in an unknown manner
7.
While working a simple EOQ problem, you notice that, with a certain lot size, the annual ordering cost is exactly the same value as the annual inventory carrying cost. Which of the following is true? a. The lot size is the economic order quantity b. Total cost is at its maximum c. The annual carrying cost will decrease if the order quantity is increased d. All of the above e. None of the above; the phenomenon is merely a coincidence
8.
A firm uses $20,000 of an item per year. The carrying cost is 25%, the cost of ordering is $10 and the order quantity is $1,000. The annual total cost of carrying plus ordering would be: a. $2,500 b. $5,000 c. $100 d. $325 e. none of the above
9.
For a particular item the usage is 2000 units per year, the ordering cost is $10, the inventory carrying cost is 20% and the unit cost is $5. The economic order quantity is: a. 20 units b. 200 units c. 2000 units d. 400 units e. 4000 units
10.
If the economic order quantity is to be calculated in DOLLARS, then: a. the annual demand must be stated in dollars b. ordering costs MUST be stated on a per UNIT basis c. carrying costs are stated in dollars per unit d. all the above are true e. none of the above is true
156 .
11.
A supplier offers a quantity discount. Which of the following will influence the decision to accept the discount or not? a. Purchase cost b. Cost of carrying inventory c. Cost of placing one order d. All of the above are relevant e. None of the above is relevant
12.
If a purchase discount is taken: I.
there is a saving in purchase cost
II. ordering costs are reduced III. carrying costs are increased IV. there is not necessarily a net saving a. all the above are true b. 2 and 3 are true c. 3 and 4 are true d. 2 and 4 are true e. 3 and 4 are true 13.
For a certain group of items, the cost of carrying inventory and the cost of placing orders is not exactly known but is about the same for all the items. The company has calculated K = 20 for these items. If one item has an annual demand (A) = $10,000 the NEW order quantity should be: a. $2,000 b. $10,000 c. $20,000 d. $50,000 e. none of the above
14.
Which of the following statements is correct? a. You must know the ordering cost to use the EOQ concept b. Quantity discounts will not change the total inventory costs of the item c. Inventory levels can be lowered by raising the order quantity d. If stock is not received all at once into inventory then EOQ formula can be modified and used e. None of the above is correct
15.
The EOQ for an item is 5500 units and the annual demand is 78,000 units. What is the period order quantity? a. 14.18 b. 0.27 c. 3.67 d. 4 e. Cannot be determined from the given data 157 .
16.
Which of the following statements are true? I.
The EOQ should be used with lumpy demand
II. Transportation cost should be included in the cost of ordering III. Anticipation inventory should be built based on capacity and future demand a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. all the above e. none of the above 17.
Using the POQ method of ordering, calculate the total cost of carrying and ordering inventory for the 6 week period shown. Use a POQ = 3 weeks for your answer.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Net requirements
60
40
10
50
20
30
Planned order receipts Ending inventory Cost to place an order = $100.00 Cost to carry inventory = $1.00 per unit per week Annual demand = 1,500 units Cost per unit = $200.00 Opening inventory = 0 units a. $140 b. $280 c. $340 d. $400 e. None of the above 18.
Quantity discounts cause companies to: a. order sooner b. order less at a time c. increase their inventory d. increase ordering costs e. always save money
19.
The period order quantity is equal to: a. annual demand divided by EOQ b. EOQ divided by average period demand c. the carrying cost up to but not exceeding the ordering cost d. the sum of the carrying costs divided by cost per unit e. the part period cost times average inventory 158 .
20.
Which of the following is NOT true regarding period order quantity method (POQ) of lot sizing? a. The order quantity is constant b. The time interval of inventory coverage is constant c. POQ is derived directly from the EOQ d. POQ is better suited to lumpy demand than EOQ e. POQ and EOQ will try to order the same number of times per year
21.
K the constant used for lot sizing is calculated as the: a. order point minus safety stock b. sum of the square roots of demand divided by the number of orders per year c. standard deviation of the demand divided by the square root of demand d. annual demand divided by the order quantity e. the reciprocal of order quantity times the economic order quantity
22.
The period order quantity: a. can only be applied to continuous demand b. orders a constant amount for a set number of periods c. works like a quantity discount d. is based on the same assumptions as the EOQ model e. orders the same quantity each period
23.
Which of the following techniques balances the cost of ordering with the cost of carrying inventory? a. EOQ b. POQ c. The constant K d. All of the above
24.
The letter ‘K’ used in lot sizing makes the order quantities. a. Order the big items more often and the low volume items less often b. Increase the average inventory c. Decrease the average inventory by gradually ordering more often d. Maintains the current inventory level while decreasing the number of orders e. Balances the safety stock of items with demand
25.
Quantity discounts: a. make buyers order more than is economical b. decrease the annual carrying costs but increase the ordering cos c. can be a good decision if the total annual costs are reduced d. always advantage the seller at a cost to the buyer e. persuade the buyer to buy more often
159 .
Answers
1
b
2
d
3
c
4
a
5
a
6
c
7
a
10 a
11 d
12 a
13 a
14 d
15
c
16 c
19 b
20 a
21 b
22 d
23 d
24
a
25 c
160 .
8
d
17 c
9
b
18 c
CHAPTER 12: INDEPENDENT DEMAND ORDERING SYSTEMS ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 12.1 Average inventory =
1600 + 100 = 900 units 2
Order point = 4 × 150 + 100 = 700 units 12.2 Average inventory =
10 × 80 + 200 = 600 units 2
Order point = 7 × 90 + 200 = 830 units 12.3
Period
Actual Deviation Deviation demand squared
1
500
0
0
2
600
100
10000
3
425
−75
5625
4
500
0
0
5
600
100
10000
6
525
25
625
7
375
−125
15625
8
450
−50
2500
9
550
50
2500
10
475
−25
625
Total
5000
47500
Average demand = 500 units Sum of the squares of deviations = 47500 Average square deviation = 47500 ÷ 10 = 4750 Sigma =
4750 = 68.92 units
161 .
12.4 Period Actual Deviation Deviation demand squared 1
1700
−300
90000
2
2100
100
10000
3
1900
−100
10000
4
2200
200
40000
5
2000
0
0
6
1800
−200
40000
7
2100
100
10000
8
2300
300
90000
9
2100
100
10000
10
1800
−200
40000
Total
20000
0
340000
Average demand = 2000 units Sum of the squares of deviations = 340,000 Average of the squares of the deviation = 340,000 ÷ 10 = 34,000 Sigma =
34,000 = 184.39 units
12.5
Safety stock
= zero
Order point
= DDLT + SS = 250 + 0 = 250 units
12.6 12.7
a.
b. Safety stock
= 1.04 × 130 = 135 units
Order point
= 135 + 250 = 385 units
Safety factors taken from Figure 12.5 Service Level
Safety Factor
Safety Change in Stock Safety Stock
75
0.67
54
80
0.84
67
13
85
1.04
83
16
90
1.28
102
19
95
1.65
132
30
99.99
4.00
320
188
162 .
12.7
Orders per year = 10,000 ÷ 750 = 13.33 Service level = 12.33 ÷ 13.33 × 100 = 92.5% Safety stock = 1.42 × 150 = 213 units
Hint: Use the average of the SF for 90% and 94% i.e. 1.28 and 1.56 Average inventory = 750 ÷ 2 + 213 = 588 units Order point = 12.8
10,000 × 3 + 213 = 790 units 52
Orders per year =
210 × 52 = 12.133 900
Service level = 11.133 ÷ 12.133 x 100 = 92% Safety factor 92% (halfway between 90% and 94% Safety factor = (1.28 + 1.56)/2 = 1.42 Safety stock = 1.42 × 175 = 249 units Average inventory =
900 + 249 = 699 units 2
Order point = 210× 3 + 249 = 879 units 12.9
Orders per year =
600 × 52 = 12.5 2500
Service level = 11.5 ÷ 12.5 = 92% Safety stock = 1.42 × 100 = 142 units Hint use the average of the safety factor for 90% and 94% Average inventory =
2500 + 142 = 1392 units 2
Order point = 600 × 4 + 142 = 2542 units 12.10 SIGMA (LTI) = SIGMA (FI) = 100
LTI FI
3 L
= 173 units 12.11 New Interval Old Interval
Safety stock (new) = Safety stock (old) = 200
5 3
= 258 units
163 .
12.12 SIGMA (LTI) = SIGMA (FI) =140
LTI FI
3 = 242,5 units 1
12.13 New safety stock = 240
5 = 190 units 8
New safety stock = 500
5 = 559 units 4
12.14
12.15 Week
Actual Deviation Deviation Demand squared
1
2100
100
10000
2
1600
–400
160000
3
2700
700
490000
4
1400
–600
360000
5
1800
–200
40000
6
2400
400
160000
7
2100
100
10000
8
1600
–400
160000
9
2100
100
10000
10
2200
200
40000
Totals
20000
0
1440000
a. Average squared deviation = 1,440,000 ÷ 10 = 144,000 Sigma = 144,000 = 379.5 units
2 1 = 537 units
b. Sigma for lead time interval = 379.5 c. Order per year =
100,000 = 10 10,000
c. Service level = 9/10 = 90%
164 .
d. Safety factor = 1.28 d
Safety stock = 1.28 × 537 = 687 units
e. Order point = (100,000/52)× 2+ 687 = 4,533 units 12.16
Sigma = 537 units Service =
20 – 1 = 95% 20
Safety factor = 1.65 Safety stock required = 1.65 × 537 = 886 units Change in safety stock = 807 – 626 = 199 units Cost of increased service level = 199 × $10.00 = $1,990 12.17
Number of orders per year =
10,000 = 40 250
Number of orders without stockout = 0.9 × 40 = 36 Number of stocks per year = 4 12.18 Distribution center A Transit time: 2 weeks Order quantity: 100 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
Forecast
50
50
85
50
110
90
40
30
In transit Projected available
100 75
Planned order release Distribution center B
25
75
100
100
Transit time: 1 week Order quantity: 200 units
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Forecast
120
110
115
100
105
In transit
200 20
105
5
100
Projected available Planned order release
50
130
200
165 .
200
Central supply Lead time: 2 weeks Order quantity: 500 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
Forecast
100
200
100
200
300
100
0
300
300
Scheduled receipts Projected available
400
Planned order release
500
12.19 Distribution center A Transit time: 2 weeks Order quantity: 500 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
Forecast
300
200
150
275
300
In transit
500 200
50
275
475
500
500
Projected available
200
400
Planned order release Distribution center B
Transit time: 2 weeks Order quantity: 200 units
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Forecast
50
75
100
150
150
100
25
125
175
25
Planned order release
200
200
Central supply
Lead time: 1 week 4
5
In transit Projected available
150
Order quantity: 600 units Week
1
2
3
Forecast
200
700
500
200
100
200
600
600
Scheduled receipts Projected available Planned order release
400
166 .
12.20
D = 300 units per week L = 1 week R = 2 weeks SS = 2 × 300 = 600 units a.
Target level (T) = D(R + L) + SS = 300(2 + 1) + 600 = 1,500 units
b. Q = T – (on hand) = 1,500 – 600 = 900 units 12.21 D = 20 cases per day L = 3 days R = 5 days SS = 2 × 20 = 40 cases Target level (T) = D(R + L) + SS = 20(5 + 3) + 40 = 200 cases Order = 200 – 90 = 110 cases 12.22 Item
Annual
Target
On-Hand
Order
Demand
Level
Nut – 6mm
500
40
22
18
Nut – 8 mm
750
60
54
6
Bolt – 6 mm
300
24
0
24
Bolt – 8 mm
100
9
6
3
Screw #8 – 30 mm
250
20
12
8
Screw #8 – 40 mm
200
16
8
8
Washer – 8 mm
600
48
20
28
Washer – 10 mm
100
9
5
4
Pin - Split
400
32
40
0
On-Hand
Order
Quantity
12.23 Item
Annual
Target
Demand
Level
Nut – 6mm
500
30
22
8
Nut – 8 mm
750
45
54
0
Bolt – 6 mm
300
18
0
18
167 .
Quantity
Bolt – 8 mm
100
6
6
0
Screw #8 – 30 mm
250
15
12
3
Screw #8 – 40 mm
200
12
8
4
Washer – 8 mm
600
36
20
16
Washer – 10 mm
100
6
5
1
Pin - Split
400
24
40
0
CASE STUDY 12.1 TEACHING NOTES Carl’s Computers
This case allows the students to perform some fairly standard inventory analysis using Economic Order Quality approaches. In addition, the student is given the opportunity to analyze some inventory control problems. This provides an opportunity for the instructor to develop a fairly comprehensive discussion about the approaches, alternatives, and pros and cons of various inventory control needs. The first issue the student should deal with is the quantitative analysis of the two sample parts. All the data in the following tables are taken directly from the case: A233
Part Number
P656
32 per week
Part Usage
120 per week
47
Weekly Standard Deviation
14
1 week
Lead Time
2 weeks
$18
Part Cost
$35
$16
Order Cost
$2
64
Present Order Quantity
350
23%($4.14 for $18)
Holding Cost
23%($8.05 for $35)
98%(z = 2.05)
Desired Customer Service
98%(z = 2.05)
Several issues can be noted qualitatively from this table, but should be confirmed quantitatively. For example, with part A233 it can be noted that there is a high probability for stockouts, given that the weekly usage plus only one standard deviation of the usage exceeds the order quantity. Even with a lead-time of only one week, the part must surely cause frequent stockout conditions. The other part (P656) probably doesn’t cause as many stockout conditions, but must be costing a lot of extra money. There is a much smaller variation of demand, yet their order quantity is very large (almost three weeks usage) given the small variation in demand and the very small order cost. What makes it a potential financial problem is the fairly high item cost, with the holding cost representing 23% per year. There will probably be some stockout problems here, but for a different reason. Since they are using one-week’s usage as a reorder point, the two-week lead time with this part should pose problems even though the variation in demand is relatively small. 168 .
The EOQ calculations confirm most of the qualitative observations. First, for part A233:
EOQ =
2 DS H
=
2(52 )(32 )16 0.23(18)
= 113 .4
Or rounded to 113. This contrasts with the other usual order quantity 64. The reorder point (ROP) for A233 is calculated as
ROP = dL + zσ d 32(1) + 2.05(47) = 128.35 Or rounded to 129. This confirms the qualitative suspicion about stockouts. The reorder point they are currently using is a week’s worth of average use, which for this part is 32. They should be ordering when the level gets to 129, primarily because of the large variation in demand. Since they often will only have one-fourth of what they should have when they reorder, there is little chance that they are able to maintain the customer service level they desire. This does not represent large annual savings in inventory or holding cost. Using part of the total cost equation, the total of ordering and inventory cost for both order quantities can be determined:
TC =
Q D 64 (32)(52) H+ S= (.023)(18) + = $548.48 2 Q 2 64
For the old order quantity. For the economic quantity, the calculation is:
TC =
113 (32)(52) (0.23)(18) + 16 = $469.52 2 113
This represents savings of only $78.96 per year. What it does NOT show is the very large potential shortage cost, as discussed above. The same calculations can be applied to part P656. First, the EOQ:
EOQ =
2(52)(120)2 = 55.68 0.23(35)
Or rounded to 56 units. The ROP calculation is slightly different, as the lead time is two weeks and the standard deviation of demand is given as one a week standard deviation. The safety stock part of the ROP calculation therefore needs to be multiplied by the square root of the multiplier for the lead time:
ROP = 2(120) + 2(2.05)(14) = 280.59 Or rounded to 281. The total cost (holding plus order) for the old order quantity is given as:
TC =
(52)(120) 350 (0.23)(35) + (2) = $1444.4 2 350
For the new EOQ, the same calculation yields:
TC =
56 (52)(120) (0.23)(35) + (2) = $448.26 2 56
169 .
This represents a savings of $996.15 per year. If this kind of savings is possible for numerous of the parts in Carl’s inventory, the potential savings is substantial indeed. Price Break The EOQ for the new price is below the quantity needed (200) to get the price break:
EOQ =
2(52)(32) = 120.28 0.23(16)
In spite of this, the total cost (including item costs) should be calculated to determine if ordering the minimum amount to get the price break is still better than to order the EOQ and not obtaining the price break. For the EOQ,
TC = DC +
Q D H + S = 18(52)(32) + 548.48 = $30,500.48 2 Q
If you were to take the price break and order 200:
TC = 16(52)(32) +
200 (52)(32) (0.23)(16) + 16 = $27,125.12 2 200
As this represents a substantial saving ($3375.36 per year), it is clear that the price break should be taken even though it does not represent and EOQ. Qualitative Issues:
There are several symptoms that can be used to lead a discussion toward both the real problems in the case and also lead to potential solutions. Some of the symptoms that most students should be able to draw from the case include: 1. They apparently do not have a good process in place to coordinate design changes (a frequent and necessary part of the business) into the inventory planning and control system. This has led to friction with the engineering staff and extra expense due to obsolete inventory. 2. The suppliers appear to be cooperative for the most part, but are apparently getting “mixed messages” as to what is really important for Carl’s. No company or supplier should be expected to be great at all aspects, but most suppliers with effective managers and systems can adapt to meet the needs of important customers, assuming those needs are fairly clear. In the case of Carl’s, they are being pushed for rapid delivery with low prices, yet are being subjected to great uncertainty in both product design and changes in order timing and quantity. Rapid delivery in the face of uncertain order is typically met by using buffer inventory (finished goods) in the supplier facility, yet how can they do that with the risk of a design change making the inventory obsolete? Clearly that implies extra cost, either in the form of inventory, systems designed for rapid and flexible delivery, or obsolete inventory write-offs, yet how can the supplier absorb the extra costs when they are also being pressured for lower prices? 3. The information from the Chief Financial Officer is a clear symptom that the problem is out of control. The rapid and large growth in inventory well beyond the corresponding growth in sales is bad enough by itself, but when combined with massive cost of order expediting, it clearly illustrates a major problem. The major culprit is most likely the very low inventory accuracy level of less than 30%. It should be noted that there is a “vicious circle” at work here. The poor inventory 170 .
accuracy has caused the field service technicians to develop an “informal” system to ensure they have a chance to do their jobs. This includes keeping their own private stock and then replenishing it when it gets low. This practice tends to produce very erratic demand, which is contrary to a basic assumption of a reorder point system. The technicians are also a part of the problem, in that they fail to use the transaction system properly. The poor inventory is not helped in that there is an indication that the only reconciliation activity appears to be an annual physical inventory. This problem presents an opportunity to discuss in detail the approaches to and the advantages of a comprehensive cycle count program with the goal of correcting and maintaining the integrity of the transaction system, and therefore the inventory records themselves. Solution:
The solution posed by students can be many and varied, but they all should have at least three major elements: 1. The first element is to formalize the system and get the inventory accuracy up. They need to secure the inventory and not allow unrestricted access, such as was indicated by field service technicians “grabbing parts”. Inventory specialists in a secure environment must control all transactions. 2. To make sure all users have trust and faith in the formal system, the transaction system and associated inventory records need to be constantly checked and corrected. A formal cycle count system clearly is in order. 3. The inventory system needs to become part of the overall planning activity, including purchasing and design.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following are basic systems for determining when to order INDEPENDENT demand items? I.
Order point system
II. Periodic review system III. Material Requirements Planning a. I only b. II only c. I and II d. I and III e. II and III 2.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Order point = DDLT + SS b. Average inventory = Q ÷ 2 + SS c. Safety stock is always needed d. a and b are true e. d and c are true
171 .
3.
When using the order point system which of the following is true? a. Order quantities are usually fixed b. The order point depends upon the demand during the lead time plus safety stock c. Time intervals between orders are constant d. a and b above e. b and c above
4.
Which of the following statements is true about safety stock? a. It must always be carried b. It depends only on the amount of demand c. It depends on the required service level d. All the above are true e. None of the above is true
5.
Select the description which most closely fits the term ORDER POINT: a. the time it takes to replenish an item in inventory b. extra inventory of an item carried to protect against variations in demand during lead time c. a listing of components required to manufacture a product d. the time when an order should be placed e. none of the above
6.
Select the description which most closely fits the term SAFETY STOCK: a. the time it takes to replenish an item in inventory b. extra inventory of an item carried to protect against variations in demand during lead time c. a listing of components required to manufacture a product d. the time when an order should be placed e. none of the above
7.
Select the description which most closely fits the term LEAD TIME: a. the time it takes to replenish an item in inventory b. extra inventory of an item carried to protect against variations in demand during lead time c. a listing of components required to manufacture a product d. the time when an order should be placed e. none of the above
8.
Among other things the amount of safety stock carried will depend upon: a. the frequency of reorder b. the service level desired c. variability of demand during the lead time d. all the above e. a and b above 172 .
9.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Safety stock depends on the service level desired b. Safety stock depends on the length of the lead time c. Safety stock depends on the variation of demand during the lead time d. All of the above are correct e. None of the above is correct
10.
If the standard deviation of demand is 100 units and the average demand is 1000 units, then we can be 95% confident that actual sales will be 1000 units plus or minus about: a. 100 units b. 150 units c. 200 units d. 300 units e. 400 units
11.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Most demand patterns tend to be stable and predictable b. The most common predictable pattern is called a normal distribution c. The normal curve can be described by its average (mean) and the variation of actual demand about the average d. All the above are true e. Only and b are true
12.
If the sum of the absolute deviations of demand was 500 for 10 periods, MAD would be: a. 5 b. 500 c. 50 d. 0.02 e. none of the above
13.
Management states that they will tolerate one stockout every year for a specific item. If 10 orders are placed for the item each year the service level desired is: a. 80% b. 85% c. 90% d. 95% e. none of the above
14.
The average demand for an item is 1000 per month. The mean absolute deviation of monthly demand is 300 units. The MAD for yearly sales will be approximately: a. 3600 units b. 12,000 units c. 1040 units
173 .
d. 3464 units e. none of the above 15.
Given that the lead time is 1 week and the sigma is 100 units, if the lead time changes to 2 weeks then the sigma would change to about: a. 200 units b. 180 units c. 160 units d. 140 units e. 120 units
16.
Management is willing to tolerate one stockout every 2 years for a specific item. If 10 orders are placed for the item each year the service level desired is: a. 80% b. 85% c. 90% d. 95% e. none of the above
17.
Which of the following is the best statement? a. Stockouts do not cost money because customers are willing to wait b. The cost of a stockout will vary depending on the market served, the customer, and competition c. Stockouts can occur at any time in the inventory cycle d. Stockouts do not depend on the frequency of reorder e. All the above statements are true
18.
Which of the following systems are used to determine when the order point is reached? I.
Two-bin system.
II. Perpetual inventory system. III. Periodic inventory system. IV. Safety stock system. a. all are used to tell when the order point is reached b. I and II are used c. I, II, and III are used d. I and III are used e. II and III are used 19.
____________ is an inventory record system that keeps a continuous account of transactions as they occur: a. Perpetual inventory system b. Periodic inventory system c. Two-bin system
174 .
d. Safety stock system e. All the above keep a continuous account 20.
The demand placed on a factory or a central warehouse by distribution centers is considered: a. dependent b. independent c. uniform d. all of the above e. none of the above
21.
An order system in which the order quantity is allowed to vary and the order cycle is fixed is called the: a. periodic review system b. two-bin system c. reorder point system d. red-tag system e. none of the above
22.
If the lead time is 1 week, the review period 4 weeks, the average demand 100 units per week and the safety stock is 50 units, the target level will be: a. 150 units b. 200 units c. 250 units d. 300 units e. 550 units
23.
Using the periodic review system, the target level is: a. forecast demand during lead time b. forecast demand during the review period c. the sum of a and b d. the sum of a and b plus the safety stock e. none of the above
24.
If the lead time is 1 week, the review period 1 week, the average demand 100 units per week and the safety stock is 50 units, the target level will be: a. 150 units b. 200 units c. 250 units d. 300 units e. none of the above
25.
Which of the following is correct? a. Order quantities are fixed in the periodic review system b. The two-bin system is an example of the order point system 175 .
c. The safety stock does not depend upon the frequency of reorder d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true 26.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
In a pull system central supply determines what is needed by the distribution centers
II. In a push system all decisions are made by the distribution centers III. An advantage of a pull system is central coordination a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I and III only d. all the above e. none of the above 27.
Which of the following are objectives of distribution inventory management? I.
To provide the required level of customer service
II. To minimize the costs of transportation and handling III. To always have enough of everything on hand so there are no stockouts IV. To be able to interact with the factory so as to minimize scheduling problems a. all the above are objectives b. I, II, and III c. I, II, and IV d. I, III, and IV e. II, III, and IV 28.
The distribution inventory management system which forecasts when the various demands will be made by the system on central supply is called: a. pull system b. push system c. distribution requirements planning d. inventory replenishment e. order point system
29.
If the on hand inventory is 40 units, the safety stock 20 units and the target level is 120 units then an order should be placed for: a. 100 units b. 80 units c. 60 units d. 40 units e. 20 units
176 .
30.
For a given item the lead time is 1 week, the on hand inventory is 50 units, demand is 20 units per week, safety stock is set at 3 weeks supply and the item is ordered every 2 weeks. The order quantity should be: a. 70 units b. 60 units c. 50 units d. 40 units e. 120 units
31.
A company that keeps no safety stock can expect an average service level of a. 0% b. 15% c. 50% d. 85% e. Safety stock does not affect the service level.
32.
A company that has regular replenishments of small value items such as a grocery store would use the _____________ system. a. Order Point b. Materials Requirements Planning c. Push d. Kanban e. Periodic Review
33.
Management has carefully measured the standard deviation of the demand of a product and plans to use this to calculate the level of safety stock. If they keep one Standard Deviation of safety stock then the expected service level should be approximately: a. 15% b. 35% c. 85% d. 90% e. 100%
34.
Lead time for a given item is 3 weeks and sales have been recorded in 1 week intervals. If the Standard Deviation for the sales interval is 25 then the Standard Deviation for the lead time should be approximately: a. 25 b. 43 c. 75 d. 14 e. 8
177 .
35.
For a given item controlled by a periodic review system the target level is 100 units. If there are 40 units on the shelf and the lead time is 2 weeks then the order quantity should be: a. 140 units b. 120 units c. 85 units d. 60 units e. 40 units
36.
A product has a standard deviation of demand of 15. The safety stock for a service level of 98% would be approximately: a. 15 b. 26 c. 31 d. 8 e. 14.7
Use the following information to answer the next two questions Distribution Center A Transit time: 1week Order Quantity 200 units Week
1
2
3
4
5
Gross Requirements
150
125
125
100
150
In Transit
200
Projected Available 75 Planned Order Release 37.
There will be a planned order release(s) in weeks: a. 2 and 3 b. 1 and 2 c. 1 and 3 d. 1, 2 and 3 e. intransit inventory will cover all the orders.
38.
What will be the projected available for periods 2, 3 and 4? a. 200, 75, 175 b. 125, 0, 100 c. 75, 175, 25 d. 0, 75, 175 e. 125, 0, 75 178 .
39.
Demand on Central Supply tends to be: a. smoothed out with planned orders. b. continuous c. monotonous d. lower than the Distribution Centers e. lumpy
40.
The Gross Requirements on Central Supply are: a. the sum of the planned order releases from the Distribution Centers b. taken from the Distribution Centers and offset by the lead time c. the sum of the Gross Requirements for the Distribution Centers d. the sum of the gross requirements for the DC’s offset by the lead time. e. the same as the Intransit Inventory
Answers
1
c
2
d
3
d
4
c
5
e
6
b
7
a
8
d
9
d
10
c
11
d
12
c
13
c
14
c
15
d
16
d
17
b
18
b
19
a
20
a
21
a
22
e
23
d
24
c
25
b
26
e
27
c
28
c
29
b
30
a
31
c
32
e
33
c
34
b
35
d
36
c
37
a
38
d
39
e
40
a
179 .
CHAPTER 13: PHYSICAL INVENTORY AND WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 13.1
5000 ÷ 30 = 167 pallets Pallet positions = 167 ÷ 3 = 55.67 56
13.2
Number of pallets needed = 6600 ÷ 20 = 330 pallets Number of pallet positions = 330 ÷ 4 = 82.5 83
13.3
Number of pallets positions per row = 200 × 12 ÷ 42 = 57.14 57 Number of pallets = 57 × 4 × 2 = 456 pallets
13.4
Pallet positions per row = 60 × 12 ÷ 42 = 17.14 17 Pallets in 4 rows = 17 × 3 × 4 = 204
13.5 SKU
Pallets
Positions Required
A
13
5
B
4
2
C
10
4
D
13
5
E
14
5
Total
54
21
a.
Pallet positions needed = 21
b.
In 21 pallet positions there is room for 63 pallets Cube utilization = 54 ÷ 63 × 100% = 86%
c.
If racking is used they would require 54 ÷ 3 = 18 pallet positions
13.6 SKU
Pallets
Positions Required
A
14
4
B
18
5
C
40
10
D
32
9
E
55
14
F
23
6
G
35
9
Total
217
57 180 .
a.
57
b.
In 57 pallet positions there is room for 228 pallets Cube utilization = 217 ÷ 228 = 95.2%
c.
Pallet positions needed = 217 ÷ 4 = 54.25 → 55
13.7 a. Part number
Shelf count
Inventory record
Difference
% % Within Difference Tolerance tolerance?
A
650
635
15
2.31
±3
Y
B
1205
1205
0
0.00
±0
Y
C
1350
1500
–150
–11.11
±5
N
D
77
80
–3
–3.90
±5
Y
E
38
40
–2
–5.26
±3
N
Total
3320
3460
A, B, and D, are within tolerance. b.
Accuracy by item = 3 / 5 × 100% = 60%
13.8 a. Part number
b.
Shelf count
Inventory record
Difference
% % Within Difference Tolerance tolerance?
A
75
80
-5
–6.67
±3
N
B
120
120
0
0.00
±0
Y
C
1435
1500
–65
–4.53
±5
Y
D
75
76
–1
–1.33
±5
Y
E
68
66
2
2.94
±2
N
Total
1738
1842
Accuracy by item = 2 / 5 × 100% = 40%
181 .
13.9 Count frequency per year
A
1100
12
13200
54.3
53
B
1650
4
6600
27.2
26
C
2250
2
4500
18.5
18
Total counts
24300
Workdays per year
250
Classification
Number of counts per year
% of Total
Number of items
Counts
Counts per Day
Counts per day
97.2
97
Number of items
Count frequency per year
Number of counts per year
Counts
A
1700
24
40,800
64.4
163.2
B
3000
4
12,000
18.9
48
C
5300
2
10,600
16.7
42.4
Total counts
63,400
Workdays per year
250
Counts per day
253.6
13.10 Classification
% of Total
Counts per Day
253.6
Due to rounding the total counts for some items may be off. A decision could be made to always round up the counts per day.
CASE STUDY 13.1 TEACHING NOTES Lesscost Warehouse
This case is a fairly straightforward look at inventory management set in a retail warehouse. The case has no quantitative analysis to allow the student to focus their attention on the qualitative issues, but the need for some quantitative analysis is not overlooked. The second case question addresses the need for data analysis, and puts the student in the position to discuss what data they would need and how they would use it. The case can be extended in coverage if you have some anticipated data sets available as the case is discussed. A good classroom exercise is then to give the data to the student (once they have identified it as necessary) and then have them analyze and use it.
182 .
Problem Analysis
Probably the number one issue is the accuracy of the inventory records, both in terms of count and location. The fact that they use a “home base” approach with overflow areas lends itself to a good discussion of the approaches to location and the types of environments where it should be employed. The retail environment described in the case, for example, probably should not use home base. Home base location assumes a relatively stable environment in terms of design (part numbers) as well as quantity. In the environment of style changes and quantity issues (due to seasonality and promotions) a home base can only work effectively with a very large (and inefficient) use of space, or a continual reallocation of existing locations. There are also some apparent problems with communications, planning, and relationships with both suppliers and the retail store. Suppliers, for example, are being pressured for price while being “jerked around” for schedules. The suppliers probably view the warehouse as a poor customer that should be tolerated to a point, but it can be fairly easily seen why they are not anxious to be overly cooperative with the warehouse. It also appears that even people within the warehouse have their responsibilities defined in isolation. They have either been discouraged from establishing more effective communication or may not know how to do it. Overriding all this is the apparent poor attitude of Hank. The “mutual boss” must have had either some loyalty to Hank or else he valued his experience to some degree, since he kept Hank in the basic position of general supervisor. It also is apparent that the boss did not have the confidence in Hank to solve the current inventory problems and therefore wanted to reduce his area of responsibility. Amy will clearly have to find ways to not only work with Hank, but also to “win him over.” This problem is one that will allow discussion about job design and relationships. Amy must try to change his attitude without undermining his ego or position in the eyes of the warehouse workers. Suggested Approach
One of the good things about this case is that it lends itself to taking the discussion with students in several directions. Regardless of direction, however, it appears that the most critical issue that must first be addressed is to obtain and maintain accurate inventory records, both with response to count and location. It is encouraging that they have a cycle count program, but it should be examined for its approach. To be specific, the following steps are recommended: 1. Review the cycle count program for corrections and completeness. Make any changes to ensure the program is effective and adequately staffed. 2. Change the location system from “home base” to “zone random.” In the zone random system, each category of good has a general zone in which it is location, but the specific location within that zone is random. The random location allows for efficient use of space as styles and quantities change, but since all goods from the category are in the same zone, cycle counting or locations of mismarked goods are relatively easily done. 3. Once the location changes have been made, a physical inventory should be scheduled. Even though such a massive count program is seldom more than about 90% accurate, it should quickly improve the current “no more than 50% accurate.” The cycle count program then should not only continue to improve the accuracy, but should also start to improve the transaction system (which is, of course, the major goal of cycle counting.) Once these changes are made, the communication channels should be examined and improved. The accuracy level problem should be addressed first, however, not only to convince the parties involved that there are real changes in the works, but also to provide a basis for communicating 183 .
accurate data. Establishing new communication channels and then transmitting poor data will only create skeptics. The following communication channels should be examined (students will often have several approaches here. This is a good opportunity for extensive student discussion):
•
One of the first communication areas that should be examined is the internal one between workers in the warehouse. This may be informal, but could also be computer-based. Regardless of form, it is clear that the people interviewed in the case need more information as to what is happening and why.
•
Since the retail store already has a computer system, it should be little extra effort to have the warehouse linked into it. With information on inventory levels, rates of sales, and any expected changes (such as promotions), they should be able to plan more effectively and anticipate needs. There should be few surprises that need quick response if the warehouse plans effectively. A central software system fed by wearable technology from the workforce could be considered to enable all decision makers with “real–time” information.
•
Once the warehouse has its own “act together” (and only then), they will be in the position to start working with suppliers to develop partnerships and communication channels. With advanced planning they should be in a position to share the information with appropriate suppliers. Suppliers can be brought into discussion regarding lot sizes, package sizes, lead times, and delivery mode in addition to cost (and therefore price) control.
Data analysis approach—some of the data that students may suggest be collected include:
•
An audit of the inventory record accuracy—both location and count
•
An analysis of the demand from the store, and the actual shipments in response— both in timing and count
•
An analysis of the reasons given for stockout problems
•
The number of incidents where packaging causes a problem in delivery to the store
•
A supplier-by-supplier analysis of delivery history, including timing, count, and quality
Finally, there is the problem of Hank to deal with. Some students might suggest he be fired, but by doing so, the warehouse would be losing a lot of experience and also may risk alienating other workers who may be friends with Hank. If he doesn’t “come around,” termination may be the only recourse, but it should be viewed as the last recourse. A better plan would be to understand his skill areas and utilize those skills with specific improvement projects. If he sees that he is valued and being given important projects to manage, it is possible that he will turn out to be an effective manager. His current attitude may, in fact, have been learned by experiencing nothing but poor warehouse management in the past. Unfortunately since Amy is at the same job level as Hank, so her only approach to accomplish this is to work with their mutual boss. Once she has accomplished getting control of the inventory and supplier information linkages, the chances are good that the mutual boss will be open to discussion on the issues to help convert Hank into an effective manager. It might even happen that Hank will notice the success Amy has and provide her with much more respect as to her capabilities.
184 .
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements are true about warehouse operation? I.
The major operating cost is labor
II. Labor productivity depends on warehouse layout III. Capital costs are those of transport and space a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only. 2.
The operating costs of a warehouse will depend on: I.
the type of material handling equipment used
II. the stock location system used III. the warehouse layout a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only. 3.
Which of the following is NOT a warehouse activity? a. Receiving b. Identifying c. Dispatching d. Order picking e. Transportation.
4.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The complexity of a warehouse operation will depend on the number of SKUs handled, the quantities of each SKU and the number of orders received and filled b. Most of the activity in a warehouse is material handling c. Warehouse management is NOT concerned with space utilization and effective use of labor and equipment d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
5.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Inventory is stored only on the floor b. A pallet position is a position where pallets are stored c. Accessibility means being able to get at the goods with a minimum amount of work 185 .
d. There is always a tradeoff between accessibility and cube utilization e. None of the above statements is true 6.
If items were stacked against a wall as shown, the cube utilization would be:
a. 100 percent b. 80 percent c. 20 percent d. cannot be determined from the data given e. none of the above. 7.
In a floating location system: I.
goods are stored wherever there is appropriate space for them
II. the same SKU may be stored in several locations at the same time III. an accurate and up-to-date information system is required IV. the system is appropriate for all warehouses a. all the above b. I, II, and III c. I, II, and IV d. II, III, and IV e. none of the above is true. 8.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Among other things, warehousing labor productivity will depend on warehouse layout b. All warehouses need to keep accurate records of where each item is located c. The space required in a warehouse will depend on the amount of labor used d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true.
9.
Which of the following is a principle of merchandise location in the warehouse? a. Group functionally related items together b. Group physically similar items together c. Group fast-moving items together d. All of the above e. None of the above.
10.
Which of the following is NOT a method of order picking? a. Area system b. Floating location system 186 .
c. Zone system d. Multi-order system e. All the above are methods of order picking. 11.
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of point-of-use storage? a. Materials are readily accessible to users b. Material handling is reduced or eliminated c. Central storage costs are reduced d. Inventory record accuracy is easier to maintain e. Material is accessible at all times.
12.
Among other things a good physical control and security of inventory will depend on: I.
a good part-numbering system
II. a well-trained work force III. free access to stock a. I and II b. I and III c. II and III d. I only e. II only 13.
Which of the following is the best statement? a. A transaction occurs ONLY when goods are received or issued b. The steps in a transaction system are: identify the goods, verify quantity, record the transaction, and physically execute the transaction c. Inventory is a tangible asset that is easy to lose track of unless properly controlled d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
14.
Which of the following statements are true about inventory accuracy? I.
Inventory accuracy is essential for planning
II. It is important to find the cause of record error III. Periodic audits of inventory will find the cause of record error a. all the above b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. none of the above 15.
Which of the following are causes of inventory record errors? I.
Unauthorized withdrawals of material
II. Unsecured stockroom III. Audit capability 187 .
a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only 16.
Which of the following statements is best? I.
It is not always practical to expect 100% inventory accuracy on all items
II. Variance is the amount of variation between an inventory record and a physical count III. Tolerance is the amount of permissible variation between an inventory record and a physical count a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only 17.
The three factors in good preparation for a physical inventory are: I.
housekeeping
II. identification III. verification IV. training a. I, II, and III b. I, II, and IV c. II, III, and IV d. I, III, and IV 18.
Which of the following techniques can be used to select items for cycle counting? a. Count all items once a year b. Count only “A” and “B” items c. Base the frequency of count on annual dollar usage d. Count all items the same number of times a year e. Make a random audit of the items
19.
Which of the following are true when cycle counting inventory? I.
Inventory should be audited for count and location
II. Cycle counts can be scheduled at regular intervals or special times III. A good time to cycle count an item is when an order is placed a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only. 188 .
20.
Which of the following are advantages of cycle counting? I.
Timely detection and correction of problems
II. Reduction of loss of production III. Making use of spare labor a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only. 21.
Which of the following is NOT a basic stock location system? a. Group functionally related items together b. Locate all stock for fast access c. Group fast-moving items together d. Group physically similar items together e. Locate working stock and reserve stock separately
22.
In a cycle counting system: a. all items are counted each month b. item counts are determined by their ABC classification c. the purpose is to correct inventory imbalances d. count the A items first, then B’s then C’s e. counts are done at the end of the business year
23.
In a cycle counting system A items are usually: I.
expensive items
II. items which often experience imbalances III. difficult to get items a. I only b. I and II only c. I and III d. III only e. all of the above 24.
Cycle counting uses which of the following methods? a. ABC method b. Zone method c. Location audit method d. a and b only e. All of the above
189 .
25.
A simple method of determining when an item should be cycle counted is: a. count when the item is ordered b. count each time the item is picked c. count each item once per month d. count items which have been in storage for a given period of time e. count items which don’t appear to be used often
26.
The most important reason for cycle counting is to: a. correct inventory balances b. train warehouse staff in location methods c. correct inventory valuation d. find and correct errors e. keep stock in correct rotation
27.
Which of the following is NOT an objective of a warehouse operation? a. Provide timely customer service b. Minimize cube utilization c. Keep track of item location and quantity d. Provide communication links with customers e. Minimize warehouse effort
28.
In a warehouse operation, which of the following is usually the largest capital cost? a. Labor b. Space c. Materials handling equipment d. Damage and loss of goods e. Management overhead
29.
What type of storage system is best suited for a Just in Time environment? a. Zone method b. Floating location c. Central storage d. Point-of-use storage e. Bulk location storage
30.
In which order picking and assembly method is the order picker NOT confined to one location? a. Multi-order system b. Zone system c. Floating system d. Area system e. Mobile system
190 .
31.
After picking the order and prior to shipment the goods are: a. sorted. b. put away c. marshaled d. added to inventory e. dis-aggregated
32.
Which of the following descriptions best represents the major purpose of cycle counting? a. To update inventory record quantities and locations b. To establish the financial value of the inventory c. To evaluate and fix process problems leading to inaccuracy d. To establish which in-process inventory to use first in production
33.
The Internet of Things (IoT) can be useful in a warehouse setting for which of the following reasons? a. To provide truck locations and delivery estimates b. To update ERP records for suppliers c. To establish real-time product cost estimates d. To establish order promise dates for customers
34.
Which of the following descriptions represents a typical use of cross-docking in a warehouse? a. To minimize material handling for fragile items b. To reduce the need for disposable packaging c. To establish accurate cost estimates for transportation d. To break down deliveries and repackage by customer order
Answers
1
a
2
a
3
e
4
d
5
c
6
b
7
b
8
a
9
d
10
b
11
d
12
a
13
e
14
b
15
b
16
c
17
b
18
c
19
a
20
b
21
b
22
b
23
e
24
e
25
a
26
d
27
b
28
b
29
d
30
d
31
c
32
c
33
a
34
d
191 .
CHAPTER 14: PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS
14.1 Rail
Truck
Transportation cost
$400
$700
In-transit inventory cost 15 days × $36 =
$540
Total cost
$940
14.2
Sea
Air
Transportation cost
$2700
$7500
Inventory carrying cost
4200
200
Total cost
$6900
$7700
4 days × 36 =
$144 $844
It appears cheaper to ship by sea. However, they should take the shorter lead time into account. It means that they can get a more accurate forecast of what their actual assembly needs will be and will be able to respond to demand quicker. Inventory at the assembly plant should be reduced and there should be fewer disruptions to production. Also machine tools tend to have a number of options and the faster delivery time may avoid the customer changing their mind. 14.3
Line-haul cost = $13.00 × 200 = $2,600 Line-haul cost per cwt. = $2,600 ÷ 300 = $8.67 per cwt Line-haul cost per cwt. = $2,600 ÷ 400 = $6.50 per cwt Saving per cwt. =
14.4
$2.17
Line-haul cost = $4.50 per mile × 1,600 miles = $7,200 Line-haul cost per unit = $7,200 ÷ 350 units = $20.57
14.5
Line-haul cost per unit = $7200 ÷ 550 units = $13.09
14.6
Truck would be able to carry 10 × 2,000 = 20,000 pounds. Present line-haul cost = $600 / 2,000 = $0.30/pound Proposed line-haul cost = $600 / 20,000 = $0..03/pound
14.7
TL Calgary to market = $15.00 per unit Inventory-carrying cost = $5.00 per unit LTL cartage = $7.00 per unit Total cost = $27.00 per unit Annual saving = ($30 – $27) × 200,000 = $600,000
14.8
Plant to customer LTL direct = $40/cwt. Plant to customer via warehouse: Plant to warehouse TL = $20/cwt. Warehouse costs = $5/cwt. Warehouse to customer = $10/cwt. 192 .
Total cost =
$35/cwt.
Savings per cwt. = $5/cwt. Annual saving = $5 × 100,000 = $500,000 14.9
Let x be the distance from central supply to the market boundary. LDCCS = 75 + 2x LDCDC = (75 + 60 + 4) + 2(400 – x)
Costs of LDCCS and LDCDC are equal at the boundary 75 + 2x = 139 + 800 – 2x x = 216 LDC at the market boundary = $75 + $2 × 216 = $507 14.10 From warehouse: Plant to warehouse cost = $20.00/cwt Warehouse to customer LTL = $7.00/cwt. Inventory carrying cost = $5.00/cwt. Total cost = $32.00/cwt. Direct from plant cost = $35.000/cwt. It’s cheaper to supply this market from the warehouse rather than from central supply because the cost per cwt. is $3 less per cwt. 14.11 a.
Cost per cwt. shipping direct: LTL direct = $0.70 + $.30 × 120 = $36.70
b.
Cost of shipping via the warehouse: TL to warehouse = $0.4 + $0.15 × 145 = $21.70 Warehouse costs = = 0.30 LTL city B to city A = $0.70 + $0.30 × 40 = 12.70 $34.70
c.
The fixed cost concerns loading, handling and paperwork which is independent of distance traveled. See also Figure 13.3 and section in text on total transportation costs.
CASE STUDY 14.1 TEACHING NOTES Metal Specialties, Inc.
This case is ideally suited to a spreadsheet exercise which will allow the student to analyze the data at different volumes. Students will need to make some assumptions when entering data such as a minimum shipping time of 2 days for rail or the approximate cost of a truck. The data shown is for an annual shipping volume of 16,000 cwt. Ordering Cost
$40
Inventory Carrying Cost 20% Cost of Steel/cwt
$300
Cost of Capital
8% 193 .
Transportation Inv Cost 10% EOQ = SQRT((2*16,000*40)/(.2*300)) = 146.1 cwt
assume one day for a 200 mile trip
Transportation Inventory = 16,000*1/365 Metal Specialties Inc
Annual Volume cwt
16,000
Ordering Cost
$40
Inventory Carrying Cost
20%
Cost of steel/cwt
$300
Cost of Capital
8%
Transportation Inv Cost
10%
Load distance
200
Costs
Heavy Metal Transport Weight Shipped
Midland Railway $/cwt/mi
<150 cwt
$4.00
150 – 199 cwt
$3.80
200 – 249
$3.60
250 – 400 cwt
$3.40
Transit time (days)
$/cwt/mi
$3.25
1
2
Minimum load (cwt) Maximum load (cwt)
Annual Cost Summary
200 400
400
HMT
HMT
HMT
HMT
Rail
Load per trip (cwt)
150
200
250
400
400
Transportation Cost
$85,333
$60,800
$46,080
$27,200
$26,000
Inventory Carrying Cost
$4,500
$6,000
$7,500
$12,000
$12,000
194 .
Ordering Cost
$4,267
$3,200
$2,560
$1,600
$1,600
Transportation Inv Cost
$1,315
$1,315
$1,315
$1,315
$2,630
Total
$95,565
$71,515
$57,705
$42,515
$42,630
Private
Private
Private
Private
Load per trip (cwt)
150
200
250
400
Transportation Cost
$93,867
$70,400
$56,320
$35,200
Inventory Carrying Cost
$4,500
$6,000
$7,500
$12,000
Ordering Cost
$4,267
$3,200
$2,560
$1,600
Operating Cost
$42,000
$42,000
$42,000
$42,000
Transportation Inv Cost
$1,315
$1,315
$1,315
$1,315
$146,098
$123,115
$109,945
$92,515
Operating Cost
Private
Annual Operating Cost
$30,000
Capital Cost
$150,000
Line Haul Cost / mile
$2.20
Distance (miles)
400
Transit
1day 400
Annual Cost Summary
Total
Note that private ownership of a truck is always above the costs of a third party. The calculations used a distance traveled of 400 miles for the round trip. If a regular schedule could be established and a back haul arranged costs could be reduced substantially. Also a privately owned truck would be idle most of the time for this amount to be shipped. Even at the lowest weight shipped of 150 cwt (15,000 lbs) the truck would only have to make two trips per week. Students should identify these costs and opportunities and include them in their decision.
CASE STUDY 14.2 TEACHING NOTES Rictok Fabrication Products Delivery Problem
This case is intended to provide students with a perspective of some of the detailed analysis and qualitative issues involved with selecting appropriate transportation and storage issues confronting supply chain managers. From that perspective it can be a good case for a class discussion. The case has some basic data that students can use to gather some perspective of the financial analysis that is needed to make intelligent decisions. Analysis of that data should give the student a good perspective on the fact that making a good decision in this case has the 195 .
potential for significant impacts on costs as well as qualitative issues. At some point it may be worthwhile to point out why brokers are often used by companies to provide potential options in these types of situations. Examples of some of the type of quantitative and qualitative analysis that can be done follows (along with some of the questions that still would need analysis if they were really faced with having to do solve this type of problem in a real situation):
•
Given the description of the pallets, it appears that each pallet can contain 100 parts (ten boxes per tier, two parts in each box, 5 tiers high). An assumption for the situation would be that shipments would occur in full pallets. Based on the typical usage from the customer (220 parts per week, each pallet represents just under ½ a week’s need for the customer. If shipments are made every two weeks, two pallets would not be enough inventory and three pallets would be too much, so clearly the delivery quantity would have to be negotiated in order to prevent splitting pallets. Reasonable offer would be to deliver three pallets for one delivery, then two pallets for the next delivery.
•
Inventory holding costs about $391 per pallet per year (value of component $23, 100 parts per pallet, 17% holding cost per year. It appears at this point that the company has very large setup requirements implying very large production order sizes. Eventually some student should recognize this area is a great opportunity for improvement, but for now we assume it is a given fact. Given that, the company clearly will incur this holding cost no matter where they hold the inventory as long as the customer now will only accept two weeks’ worth of inventory—meaning that even if they utilize rental space in a public warehouse RFP still owns the inventory. In addition to the holding cost, the public warehouse costs about $19 per pallet size per month in rental. If they can stack the pallets three high in a truck (4.1 feet high pallet in a 13.5 feet high truck trailer) that still means an average of over $6 per month per pallet in rental cost. Then there is also the addition cost of a short-distance LTL delivery from the public warehouse to the customer site every two weeks. There are no costs given, but clearly those handling and transportation costs will not be trivial. Those costs will be somewhat offset by the savings (about 50%) by using full truck loads to ship to the public warehouse.
•
There are several qualitative issues also surrounding the decision between keeping the inventory in the RFP warehouse versus the public warehouse. They would avoid the extra rental cost and the LTL delivery and would also have more control over their inventory. The RFP warehouse option also implies far less additional handling of the pallets, potentially significantly decreasing the risk of damage. In addition, they would have the inventory readily available to them in the situation where they need to recall the inventory back to production if necessary for a design rework, which according to the case is an ongoing issue. If the parts were in a distant public warehouse, there are all the transportation costs to return them to RFP. On the other hand, keeping the inventory in the RFP warehouse and using LTL delivery puts them at a very high risk factor of missing deliveries. Truck breakdowns or accidents and possible weather delays were fairly small risks under their current delivery mode, but those risks would increase significantly under a scenario of delivering only 2 to 3 pallets every two weeks. Given the public warehouse option, the inventory would be quite close to the customer, greatly reducing those risks. It would be difficult to definitively gather the specific costs for those areas, but the company could possibly make some estimates that might help with the decisions.
196 .
•
There is very little information in the case about using rail, but clearly the cost of delivery to the rail line, delivery from the rail terminal to the public warehouse, and the additional risks of damage need to be taken into account.
Students will likely conclude many different “solutions”, but given the data in the case it is difficult to come up with one “correct” solution. That is not the point of this case, however. What the student should gain from this case is some extent of the qualitative and quantitative aspect of making intelligent transportation decisions. They should, after thinking about the issues in this case, come away with a significantly improved perspective of what is involved and why it is such an important issue for companies to deal with.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements is best regarding distribution channels? a. There are only two members in any distribution channel b. The transaction channel is concerned with transfer of ownership c. The distribution channel is concerned with the transfer of goods d. all the above are true e. b and c only are true
2.
The particular way materials move will depend upon: a. the channels of distribution the firm is using b. types of markets served c. characteristics of the product d. all of the above e. none of the above
3.
Which of the following activities is NOT considered a function of physical distribution? a. Transportation b. Production control c. Distribution inventory maintenance d. Warehousing e. Order processing
4.
The two criteria for establishing a particular physical distribution system are: a. cost of the system and service level desired b. service level and cost of carrying inventory c. cost of transportation and cost of warehousing d. cost of transportation and materials handling e. cost of warehousing and cost of inventory
5.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The objective of distribution management is to provide the required level of service at least cost b. There will be cost trade-off between the various activities in physical distribution c. Distribution can operate separately from marketing and production 197 .
d. a and b are true e. b and c are true 6.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Physical distribution provides a bridge between marketing and production b. Physical distribution contributes towards creating demand c. Replenishment orders to replace field warehouse stocks will not affect production d. a and b are true e. b and c are true
7.
Which of the following are elements in the cost of carriage? I.
Ways
II. Vehicles III. Terminals a. I, II, and III b. II and III c. I and II d. I and III e. none of the above 8.
Which of the following statements is true? a. Railways are best at moving small volumes of bulky goods over short distances b. Road transport is the least flexible of all the modes c. Air cargo should be used for fast service over short distances d. All of the above are true e. None of the above is true
9.
A shipper moving expensive goods of small size from Boston to Seattle would likely use: a. air b. motor c. rail d. water e. none of the above
10.
Considering the service desired and the relative cost of the item, which of the following would you most likely ship by truck? a. Regular shipments of cut flowers b. Regular shipments of iron ore c. Regular shipments of grain d. a and b above e. b and c above
198 .
11.
Which of the following is true? a. Because of high capital cost, rail must have a large volume of traffic to justify the expense b. Water transport requires low rates of energy per ton mile moved c. Operating costs per ton mile tend to be low for trucks d. a and b above e. b and c above
12.
Of the five modes of transportation, which one requires the lowest capital investment? a. Air b. Motor c. Rail d. Water e. Pipeline
13.
Which mode would provide the fastest service capability? a. Air b. Motor c. Rail d. Water
14.
Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Pipeline capital costs are high in comparison with other modes b. Air cargo is generally used for low value bulky items c. Truck transport is suitable for distribution of small volume goods to a dispersed market d. Water transport is slower than rail e. Rail transport is more suited to bulky low value items than road transport
15.
Which of the following is true? a. The service capability of mode depends only on transit time b. Air transport is the most expensive mode c. Reliability of service and area covered are not important in selecting a mode d. All of the above e. b and c above
16.
Which mode would provide the slowest service capability? a. Air b. Motor c. Rail d. Water
199 .
17.
A contract carrier provides: a. a service available to the general public b. a scheduled service c. published rates d. all of the above e. none of the above
18.
In which case(s) would you use common carriers instead of contract carriers? a. Regular delivery by a food chain to its stores b. Shipment to customers by a mail order house c. Regular shipment of paper from a mill to its warehouse d. a and b above e. a and c above
19.
Which of the following types of transportation will provide the best service capability? a. Common b. Contract c. Private d. All of the above are equal e. None of the above
20.
In which case(s) would you use contract carriers instead of common carriers? a. Regular delivery by a food chain to its stores b. Shipment to customers by a mail order house c. Regular shipment of paper from a mill to its warehouse d. a and b above e. a and c above
21.
Which mode of transportation would cost the MOST per ton mile? a. Air b. Motor (truck) c. Rail d. Water
22.
Which mode of transportation would cost the LEAST per ton mile? a. Air b. Motor (truck) c. Rail d. Water
23.
Which of the following are elements in transportation cost? a. Line haul b. Pickup and delivery c. Terminal handling 200 .
d. All of the above e. None of the above 24.
Which of the following is correct? a. Consolidating shipments reduces billing and collecting costs b. Line-haul cost per hundredweight can be reduced by increasing the weight shipped c. Shipping costs will be higher with common carriers than contract carriers d. All of the above e. None of the above
25.
A shipper wishing to reduce transportation costs will: a. ship only in small quantities b. ship to LTL lots c. use trucks for all his shipments d. all of the above e. none of the above
26.
Consolidating shipments will reduce which of the following costs? a. Pickup and delivery b. Terminal handling c. Billing and collecting d. All of the above e. None of the above
27.
TOTAL line-haul costs will vary directly with: a. the distance moved b. the weight moved c. the density of the goods d. a and b above e. b and c above
28.
The rate charged by a carrier will vary with: I.
the value of the goods
II. the density of the goods III. the color of the goods a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only
201 .
29.
To decrease shipping costs a shipper will: I.
increase the weight shipped
II. consolidate shipments III. use a common carrier rather than contract carrier a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only 30.
Which of the following statements is true? a. Goods are stored in a distribution warehouse for long periods of time b. A depository for documents is an example of a security warehouse c. Warehouses improve customer service d. a and b e. b and c
31.
Which of the following is NOT an important role of distribution centers? a. Transportation consolidation b. In-transit inventory c. Product mixing d. Break-bulk storage e. Customer service
32.
The market boundary is: a. a location beyond which a source cannot supply b. the line between two or more supply sources where the laid-down cost is the same c. an agreed-upon boundary beyond which competition will not sell d. the extent of a market area e. a legal limitation placed on the delivery of goods
33.
Which of the following is a basic role of packaging in distribution? I.
identify the product
II. contain and protect the product III. contribute to physical distribution efficiency IV. be an important part of the marketing program a. all the above b. I, II, and III only c. I, II, and IV only d. II, III, and IV only e. none of the above
202 .
34.
The consolidation of several units into larger units for fewer handlings is called: a. unitization b. consolidation c. cube utilization d. packaging e. materials handling
35.
Which of the following statements is true regarding materials handling in distribution systems? I.
One objective of materials handling is to increase cube utilization
II. Materials handling can increase the service level III. Gasoline powered industrial trucks are used indoors a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only 36.
Which of the following statements is best? a. Materials handling costs are relatively constant as warehouses are added but after a point will start to rise b. Inventory costs remain constant as the number of warehouses increase c. Packaging costs increase as the number of warehouses increase d. a and b are true e. a and c are true
37.
As more warehouses are added to a physical distribution system we can expect the cost of: a. TL and CL shipments to increase b. LCL and LTL shipments to decrease c. total transportation costs to decrease d. all of the above e. a and b above
38.
Which of the following is best? a. As more warehouses are added to a system, TL and CL shipment costs increase b. Pickup and delivery costs are reduced by consolidation c. Water transportation requires less energy per ton mile moved than any other mode d. All of the above are best e. None of the above is best
203 .
39.
Which of the following statements is true regarding goods in a reverse logistics system? a. Volumes are equal to the forward logistics system b. They travel through the same terminals as the forward logistics system c. The goods tend to be small in quantity d. Little product information is required e. All of the above are true
40.
Reverse logistics: a. calculates total delivery cost from customer to producer b. is the return of goods c. is easily automated d. is always done by a company’s carrier selection e. is best applied to small diverse markets
41.
Which management area does NOT normally have transportation responsibility? a. Logistics b. Purchasing c. Manufacturing d. Marketing e. All of the above normally have responsibility for transportation
42.
The distances in today’s supply chains produce: a. higher costs b. longer transit times c. higher costs and more disruptions d. all of the above
43.
Transportation efficiencies promote: a. competition b. decreased capacity c. KPIs d. slower services e. longer distances
44.
The LTL costs a product moving through a supply chain are $1 per mile and there is a warehouse 200 miles from Central supply. Truckload costs to the ware house are $50 and the warehouse handling and storage costs are $10. The cost to ship the product to the warehouse $50. The market boundary for this supply chain is: a. 260 miles b. 130 miles c. 125 miles d. 100 miles e. 50 miles
204 .
45.
Which of the following costs is NOT included in the total laid down cost of a product shipped through a regional warehouse? a. Product cost b. Warehouse cost c. TL to warehouse d. Warehousing cost e. Market boundary cost
46.
Fourth -party logistics (4PL) provides for all the activities of 3PL plus which of the following activities? a. Managing the full logistics operation for the customer b. Developing tracking software for all transportation c. Handling financial payments from customers to suppliers d. Scheduling supplier production based on customer needs
Answers
1
e
2
d
3
b
4
a
5
d
6
d
7
a
8
e
9
a
10
a
11
d
12
b
13
a
14
b
15
b
16
d
17
e
18
b
19
c
20
e
21
a
22
d
23
d
24
d
25
e
26
d
27
a
28
b
29
b
30
e
31
b
32
b
33
b
34
a
35
b
36
a
37
d
38
d
39
c
40
b
41
c
42
d
43
a
44
b
45
e
46
a
205 .
CHAPTER 15: PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 15.1
15.2
Volume (units)
Fixed cost
Variable cost
Total cost
Unit cost
$200.00
$10.00
100
$1,200.00
$12.00
$200.00
$7.00
1000
$7,200.00
$7.20
$50.00
$15.00
50
$800.00
$16.00
$800.00
$2.00
2000
$4800.00
$2.40
$500.00
$20.00
500
$10,500.00
$21.00
a. Fixed cost = $200.00 b. Variable cost = 5 ÷ 60 × $36.00 = $3.00 c. Total cost = $200.00 + $3.00 × 600 = $2000.00 Units cost = $2000 ÷ 600 = $3.33 d. Total cost = $200.00 + $3.00 × 1200 = $3800.00 Unit cost = $3200 ÷ 1200 = $3.17
15.3
Heat treat in-house Fixed cost
Purchase services
$29,000.00
$0.00
$10.00
$18.00
Variable cost a. CEP where: FCA + VCAx =
$29,000 + $10x = 0 + $18.00x $8x = $29,000 X = 3625 CEP is at 3625 units. b. 3,000 units is less than the CEP. Therefore purchase the services. 5,000 units is above the CEP. Therefore heat treat in-house. c. Unit cost for 3000 units = 0 + $18.00 = $18.00 Unit cost for 5,000 units = (29,000 + 5,000 × $10.00) ÷ 5000 = $15.80 15.4
Corner store:
Fixed cost
=
$0.00,
Cross Towne
Fixed cost
=
$4.20, variable cost = $0.89 per pound
$0.00 + $1.03x
=
$4.20 + $0.89x
$0.14x
=
$4.20
x
=
30 pounds
CEP:
variable cost = $1.03 per pound
It is worth the trip if you buy 30 pounds of bananas. However, if Cross Towne has other bargains it might be worthwhile for fewer bananas. 206 .
15.5 Buy
Process A
Process B
Setup
$40.00
$135.00
Tooling
$15.00
$20.00
Labor/unit
$4.30
$4.10
Material/unit
$2.00
$2.00
Purchase cost
$7.20
Total cost
$2,880.00
$2,575.00
$2,595.00
Unit cost
$7.20
$6.44
$6.49
Use Process A. Unit cost = $6.44 15.6
a.
CEP buying/semi.
$0 + $2.00x
= $5,000 + $1.30x
$0.70x
= $5,000
x b.
CEP semi/auto
= 7,142.8 units
$5,000 + $1.30x = $15,000 + $0.60x $0.70x
= $10,000
x c.
i.
5,000 units: Buy
ii.
6,000 units: Buy
= 14,285.7 units
iii. 8,000 units: Semiautomatic iv. 10,000 units: Semiautomatic d.
v.
20,000 units: Automatic
i.
Unit cost
=
$2.00
ii.
Unit cost
=
$2.00
iii. Unit cost
=
($5,000 + $1.30 × 8,000) ÷ 8,000
= $1.925
iv. Unit cost
=
($5,000 + $1.30 × 10,000) ÷ 10,000
= $1.80
v.
=
($15,000 + $0.60 × 25,000) ÷ 25,000 = $1.20
Unit cost
15.7 Reason
Number
Cumulative percent
Percent
Wrong selection
62,000.00
42.8
42.8
Wrong size
50,000.00
34.5
77.2
Order canceled
15,000.00
10.3
87.6
Wrong address
3,000.00
2.1
89.7
207 .
Other Total
15,000.00
10.3
145,000.00
100.00
100.00
15.8 Part
Number $
Percent
Cumulative percent
B
$11,200
53.8
53.8
A
$6,540
31.4
82.5
D
$1,440
6.9
92.1
C
$920
4.4
96.5
E
$710
3.4
100.00
Total
$18,940
100.0
15.9 The rate R is 30 units per hour, or 0.5 units per minute. With a throughput time of 40 minutes: I = RT I = 0.5(40) = 20 units in inventory 15.12 I = RT = (2 products per minute)x(30 minutes) = 60 products in process inventory 15.13 4 minutes per person means a rate of ¼ (0.25) persons per minute. I = RT 12 people = (0.25 people per minute) x T T = 48 minutes
CASE STUDY 15.1 TEACHING NOTES Cheryl Franklin, Production Manager
This case is a fairly simple look at the need for coordinated and concurrent product and process design. Most students will come to that conclusion. What makes this a bit more complex is that the solution needs to address both the current problem and the longer term approach. The long term approach point to the need for concurrent product and process design. It was a mistake to create demand for a product when clearly the design issues for the process, if not the product itself, had been settled. It is understandable for marketing’s push, however, given the nature of the competition described (the need for rapid market response and the short life cycles). The long term solution, then, should focus on the process of design in a generic sense. Concurrent design teams, for example, should be standardized and their work included in the strategic plan as well as sales and operations plans. This may help coordinate product launches, advertising campaigns, engineering activities, and operational resources. 208 .
In the short term, there may be little that can be done about the design problems given the potential short life cycles for toys. Perhaps the best they can hope for is to re-evaluate the glue choice, since a more satisfactory glue may be rapidly selected. In addition, they may want to add at least one more resource (inspector) in the quality are since that is clearly the spot in the process where the required cycle time for the product is currently not being met.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
The process of making something less complex or less difficult is called: a. standardization b. simplification c. specialization d. any of the above e. none of the above
2.
Which of the following statements regarding standardization is true? I.
All products made to a given specification will be interchangeable
II. A range of standard specifications can be established so that the range covers the majority of uses for the item III. Standardization results in a larger variety of parts a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I and III only d. I, II, and III e. none of the above 3.
The establishment of a common size for electric light sockets is an example of: a. simplification b. diversification c. standardization d. product focus e. none of the above
4.
The concentration of effort in a given field of endeavor is called: a. simplification b. concentration c. standardization d. all the above e. none of the above
5.
Specialization increases output and decreases costs by: a. enabling labor to develop speed and dexterity b. reducing setup time for each part c. allowing a company to make a wide variety of different products 209 .
d. a and b above only e. none of the above 6.
Which of the following is an advantage of product specialization? a. It allows a large variety of finished goods to be made b. It lets the firm pay only for the skills required c. It allows labor to develop speed and dexterity d. All the above e. b and c above
7.
Standardization can reduce costs by: a. reducing inventories b. increasing lot sizes c. allowing the use of general-purpose equipment d. all the above e. a and b only
8.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
Serving similar customers with similar demand characteristics is an example of
II. A company specializing in assembling cars is an example of process focus III. A focused factory specializes in a wide product mix a. I only b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. all the above 9.
Which of the following is an objective of product design? a. To design a product that will function as expected in the marketplace b. To design a product for minimum processing cost c. To design a product that will have minimum design costs d. All the above e. a and b only
10.
Tolerance is: a. an allowable deviation from the desired result b. specified by process designers c. another word for variation d. none of the above e. a and b above
11.
Which of the following are advantages of simultaneous engineering? I.
Time to market is reduced
II. Avoids the need for marketing and design to work together 210 .
III. Less communication is necessary a. I only b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. all the above 12.
Which of the following statements is/are true? a. Product design is a major factor in determining the cost of a product b. Product design is a major factor in the quality of a product c. Product design is a trial-and-error process d. a and b only e. All the above
13.
General-purpose equipment: a. is designed for maximum flexibility b. is used extensively in intermittent manufacturing c. is designed and used to produce one or a few specific parts d. both a and b are true e. none of the above are true
14.
Which of the following is a characteristic of special-purpose machinery? a. It can perform a variety of operations on a variety of work pieces b. Capital costs are low compared to general purpose machinery c. It generally produces better quality than general purpose machinery d. All the above e. None of the above
15.
In designing a process, which of the following needs to be considered? a. the volume to be produced b. the degree of customer involvement c. the desired quality level d. all the above e. none of the above
16.
Which of the following statements is true about flow manufacturing? I.
Work stations are located in the sequence needed to make the product
II. Work flows at a relatively constant rate III. They can produce a wide variety of different products IV. There is little buildup of inventory a. all the above b. I, II, and III are true c. I, II, and IV are true 211 .
d. II, III, and IV are true e. I, III, and IV are true 17.
Which of the following statements is best regarding intermittent manufacturing? I.
Goods are produced in lots or batches
II. General purpose machinery is mostly used III. Each work station must be flexible a. none of the above are true b. I, II, and III are true c. I, II, and IV are true d. II, III, and IV are true e. I, III, and IV are true 18.
In a particular process, the fixed costs are calculated at $40,000 and the variable costs at $1.50 per unit. If 10,000 units are to be produced, what is the average cost per unit? a. $1.50 b. $2.00 c. $4.00 d. $5.50 e. None of the above
19.
Which of the following are reasons a firm would buy a product rather than make it in its factory? a. Secrecy of design b. Utilizing idle workforce c. Providing known and competitive prices d. All the above e. a and b only
20.
Which of the following is/are characteristic(s) of line-flow manufacturing? a. Requires less work-in-process inventory than intermittent manufacturing b. Is suitable for high-volume items c. Makes extensive use of special-purpose machinery d. All the above e. None of the above
21.
What is the Cost Equalization Point for the two processes shown? Process A
Process B
Fixed cost
$30.00
$120.00
Variable cost
$3.00
$2.00
a. $90.00 b. 90 units c. 100 units 212 .
d. 120 units e. none of the above 22.
Intermittent manufacturing: a. is particularly suited to the production of low-volume items b. processes items in lots or batch c. generally uses general purpose machinery d. all the above e. none of the above
23.
The cost equalization point: a. is used to show the potential profit of a process b. shows the lot size where costs are minimized c. is used to select the lowest cost of two or more alternative processes d. is the point where unit cost of a process are at a minimum e. uses all the above
24.
Some purposes of continuous process improvement are: a. the reduction of worker fatigue and effort without reduction of levels of output b. the improvement of production processes and procedure c. the improvement of factory, department, and work-station layout to improve work flows d. improvement of levels of worker safety e. all the above
25.
In selecting a project for method study, which of the following factors should be considered? a. Human b. Economic c. Marketing d. All the above e. a and b only
26.
Which of the following steps in method study ensures all elements of a job are studied? a. Install b. Select c. Record d. Examine e. None of the above
27.
A disadvantage of intermittent manufacturing is: a. high inventories are required b. high flexibility is required
213 .
c. no flexibility exists d. work place utilization is minimized Answers
1
b
2
a
3
c
4
e
5
a
6
e
7
e
8
a
9
e
10
a
11
a
12
d
13
d
14
c
15
d
16
c
17
b
18
d
19
c
20
d
21
b
22
d
23
c
24
e
25
e
26
c
27
a
214 .
CHAPTER 16: LEAN PRODUCTION ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 16.1
a. New EOQ = $30,000 √ 10/5 = $42,426 b. Total average inventory before = 10 × c. Total average inventory after = 5 ×
16.2
$30,000 = $150,000 2
$42, 426 = $106,065 2
Reduction in average inventory = $150,000 – $106,065 = $43,935 Reduction in carrying cost = 0.18 × $43,935 = $7,903
16.3
a. Annual demand =2400 units Carrying Cost = $20 per unit/year Setup Cost = $100/setup Run Cost = $3.00/unit After setup reduction, the setup cost = $20/setup
EOQ =
2 AS ic
2(2400)(100) = 155 20
b. S = $20 2(2400)20 = 69 20
EOQ =
c. Total cost = Setup cost + carrying cost + run cost Before:
After: 16.4
Setup
Carrying
$100.00 $20.00
Run
Total Cost
Unit Cost
$1550.00 $465.00
$2115.00
$13.65
$690.00
$917.000
$13.29
$207.00
A: 500/100 = 5 B: 400/100 = 4 C: 300/100 = 3 12 Since there is no common denominator for 5, 4 and 3, the minimum sequence will be 12 as follows: ABC, ABC,
ABC,
ABA.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Model A
800
800
800
800
800
16.5
215 .
Model B
600
600
600
600
600
Model C
200
200
200
200
200
Total
1600
1600
1600
1600
1600
16.6a. Available capacity for each department = (8hrs-1hr) / day × five days = 35 hrs per week
Let X = the number of benches produced Capacity in number of benches for the cut and sand department 2 * 5 min * X + 2 * X = 35 * 60 minutes per hour X
= 175 benches per week
Capacity in number of benches for the assembly and paint department (8 + 5 minutes) * X
= 35 * 60 minutes per hour
X
= 161.5 benches per week
Maximum capacity per week is 161.5 benches. 16.6b. Hours per week cut and sand = 5 hrs (setup) +161.5 * (2 * 5 + 2) / 60 = 37 hours 18 minutes Hours per week assembly and paint = 5 hrs (setup) + 161.5 * 13/60 = 35 hrs per week 16.6c
The assembly and paint employee has almost one hour per day of excess capacity. If he could use this time to help setup and teardown the cut and sand department then the overall capacity would increase.
16.7
Available capacity
= 80 hours per week
Let x
= number of W’s to produce
TimeB + TimeC
= 80 hours
2 + 0.12x + 2 + 0.18 (2x)
= 80 hours
.48x
= 76
x
= 166
Produce 166 W’s a week. 16.8
Available capacity
= 120 hours per week
Let x
= number of Ss to produce
TimeT + TimeU
= 120 hours
7 + 0.1(3x) + 8 + 0.2 (2x) = 120 hours .7x
= 105
x
= 150
Produce 150 S’s a week. Or: 3 x 150 = 450 T’s and 2 x 150 = 300 U’s per week
CASE STUDY 16.1 TEACHING NOTES Maxnef Manufacturing
This case was purposely developed with no opportunity for quantitative analysis. The primary purpose is to allow students to discuss and understand the comprehensive, integrative approach that must be taken for a successful Lean Production or JIT implementation—with no quantitative 216 .
analysis to distract them. As is often the case, many companies “jump on the bandwagon” toward any attractive new approach without really understanding how it really works or how it will impact their operations. The company was making many of the classic implementation mistakes—and it should be noted that there are still many companies making similar mistakes. It is recognized that there are differences between JIT and Lean Production, but many of the concepts and implementation approaches are shared, and this case should provide a look at some of the mistakes and provide an opportunity to discuss them. In addition, it might be worthwhile to allow students to discuss what is really different about a Lean Production implementation versus JIT. What students need to do in this case is to pick out the classic symptoms of mistakes being made, and use these to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach. This case has generated lots of fruitful discussion when used in the past, and several students report that it helps them understand the comprehensive nature of JIT and Lean Production much more effectively. Included here is a summary of some of the key issues, taken from the discussions in the case (in the order they appeared in the case):
•
Purchase orders are costing a lot more in total, indicating they failed to work with supplier to decrease the order costs prior to reducing supplier order size.
•
Similarly, the transportation costs are going up. Students should recognize this is to be expected with JIT. The only way it can be justified is if the total JIT implementation causes an overall reduction in TOTAL SYSTEM cost.
•
Schedule changes are a real problem and therefore increasing expediting costs. Students should be ready to discuss the importance of schedule stability in a JIT or Lean environment, as well as some of the techniques used to obtain relatively stable schedules. Where schedules cannot be stabilized, students should be in a position to question the wisdom of a full JIT implementation.
•
Suppliers are keeping extra finished goods inventory to deal with the uncertainty. In the past this was (and sometimes still is) a common practice when companies did a poor job of implementing a comprehensive JIT program. Students should be able to discuss the concept of the impact on the total supply chain resulting from this practice, and should therefore question this approach as a wise one.
•
Related to the expected increase in transportation costs are the additional impact on shipping, receiving, and truck bays. As with general transportation, some of these costs may be expected to increase, given the trade-off for overall system cost reductions.
•
They (Sofia, in particular) mention the inefficiency of the big downtime for setups with the smaller lot sizes. It appears they did little or nothing to deal with setup times before starting JIT. Students should recognize this as a big mistake.
•
It also appears they did little (or are doing little) in the way of preventive maintenance. Equipment downtime is a problem that students should also be expected to discuss as an impact, as well as another area where some costs can increase in order to achieve total system cost reductions.
•
Workers are being paid on a piece rate, and supervisors are being evaluated on productivity and efficiency (calculated in the traditional way). The underlying implication is to maximize output, which can be counter to the objectives of a JIT program. This point provides a great opportunity to discuss alternative approaches to evaluating and compensating both direct laborers and supervisory personnel.
217 .
•
There is mention of a significant number of engineering design changes. Since JIT using Kanban is a reactive system, engineering changes can be a real problem. If these changes are necessary (in other words, do not represent a poor initial design activity), then students should discuss alternatives to handle engineering design changes in a Kanban system—or question whether Kanban should even be used. This also presents the opportunity to discuss the use of an MRP system to help plan production, while the Kanban system is used to execute the plan.
•
Quality is also causing them some problems. They apparently still have problems with rejects and scrap. Students should discuss the important role of a comprehensive quality (such as a Six Sigma or a Total Quality) program as a major part of a good Lean or JIT implementation.
•
The program is obviously adversely affecting customers. Students should discuss how the program should either benefit customer (better quality, lower costs, better delivery) or at worst have no noticeable impact on the customers.
As mentioned, while each of these points can be discussed individually, at that point students should be challenged to put them together into a comprehensive program for implementation. This should be prioritized and time-phased. The later part of the assignment question brings up another issue you may wish to discuss— namely, are there environments for which JIT may not be appropriate? At this point students should not only be able to answer that question with a yes, but also should be able to discuss representative environments for which it may be true.
CASE STUDY 16.2 TEACHING NOTES Catskill Metal Products
This case allows the opportunity to both recognize the pros and cons and implications of a pure pull system as well as a pure push system, and assuming they are both understood the student should be able to use parts of each into a hybrid system that will address the problem presented in Catskill Metal Products Students may come up with several different alternatives, and each should be viewed as an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons to ensure that students really end up with a good understanding of the various approaches and implications implied by push and pull systems. You may wish to add to the basic assignment to have the students do some “pro and con” brainstorming with respect to their solutions prior to and class discussion. Here is one reasonable hybrid approach as an example: It is probably not a good idea to completely disrupt a pull Lean Production environment merely because there is a change in the demand environment. The only issue that appears to be causing the problem is a sudden and perhaps growing demand for some design flexibility, as demonstrated by the need for design changes. As indicated in the case text, a pure pull system does not deal well with change or uncertainty since it tends to be almost totally reactive. As long as the demand stays relatively stable in both volume and overall design the pull system is a great way to produce (assuming that it was implemented correctly, as was implied in the case). What needs to be developed is a way to deal with the design change imperative while leaving the rest of the system as intact as possible. Dealing with the design changes requires thinking about both the suppliers and the internal production system. 218 .
Dealing first with the internal production, there is an implicit assumption that they still have some sort of MRP-type of system in place, especially since many pure pull systems still have great use for MRP logic for planning capacity, master scheduling, planning equipment maintenance, and sometimes for dealing with long lead-time supplier components. That system can be utilized to handle the problem. Specifically, once a new design is completed by engineering, the new design can be implemented into a future bill of materials with a new part number. Lead time to produce the first production run for the new design can then be estimated (taking into account production run times, supplier lead times if new or changed design supplier parts are implied, as well as any change in tooling or other machine setup issues). The look-ahead feature of MRP can then be used to determine when to inject the new design Kanbans into the system and when to remove the old design Kanbans from the system. The MRP system can also be used to determine when the last of the old design will be used so that Kanbans can be withdrawn from the system to minimize obsolete inventory (assuming the customers will be willing to take the old design until the new one is up and running). This same approach can be done with suppliers, although there may need to be negotiations with suppliers on product cost, assuming that design change pressures on them will not be cost free. If the relationship with the suppliers is particularly strong, those suppliers may be willing to assist with the design for the purchased components. A valid question that can be used here is a simple “Who knows more about how a certain part is made and can be made better than someone who makes it every day?” Also important is to stress to the suppliers that as designs stabilize, Catskill and the supplier should be continually aware of the need to improve processes. If Catskill has implemented cost shaving sharing (where the two companies work to reduce costs and then both share in the savings), the suppliers will quite likely be very willing to work together. If students aren’t aware of how that could work, a simple example may help: Suppose a part supplied by a supplier currently costs $10.00. Now, by working together on process improvement, they are able to remove $0.40 from the cost. Sharing may mean that the company now pays $9.80 for the part (a $0.20 cost reduction). The part is now costing the supplier $9.60 to make (the $0.40 total cost reduction) but since they now sell it to the company for $9.80 they make an additional $0.20 profit. They both “win”.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements is best regarding JIT? I.
It is a philosophy that relates to the way in which a manufacturing company organizes and operates its business
II. It is a set of techniques to make manufacturing more productive III. It is concerned with adding value to the product a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only
219 .
2.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
Value starts in the marketplace
II. Cost and value are the same thing III. Counting and storing add value to the product a. I and II b. I and III c. II and III d. I only e. III only 3.
If a company standardizes on the components that are used in different models it will: a. reduce waste b. reduce the variety of options offered to the customer c. reduce the length of production runs d. require the use of general-purpose machinery
4.
The ideal product is one that: I.
meets or exceeds the needs of the customer
II. makes the best use of material III. can be manufactured at least cost a. all the above b. I and II only c. II and III only d. I only 5.
Overproduction causes waste by: a. consuming unneeded raw materials and labor b. creating excess inventory c. causing confusion and hiding problems d. a and b e. all the above
6.
Which of the following are advantages of reducing inventory? I.
Engineering changes can be made sooner
II. Quality can be improved III. Less space is needed in manufacturing IV. Lead time will be shorter a. all the above b. I, II, and III only c. I, II, and IV only d. II, III, and IV only e. III and IV only 220 .
7.
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of work cells? a. Queue and lead time are reduced b. Production activity control is simplified c. Need for floor space is reduced d. Immediate feedback e. Maximum machine utilization
8.
Which of the following contribute to machine flexibility? a. Small general-purpose machinery b. Mobility of machines c. Automated high-capacity machines d. a and b above e. b and c above
9.
Reduced setup has which of the following advantages? I.
Reduced lot sizes
II. Reduce lead time and queue III. Improved quality a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. I only 10.
Which of the following statements is best about quality? I.
Quality can be inspected into a product
II. Poor quality has no effect on work flow III. The process must be capable of producing the required quality consistently IV. Machinery must be maintained in excellent condition a. all the above b. I and II only c. II and III only d. III and IV only e. I and IV only 11.
Which of the following concepts is needed to achieve uninterrupted material flow? a. Uniform plant loading b. Pull system c. Valid schedules d. All the above are needed e. a and b only are needed
221 .
12.
Linearity in a JIT environment means: a. produce small lot sizes b. plan level schedules c. each day achieve the plan, no more or less d. eliminate all idle time e. statistical process control
13.
The buyer expects that a supplier will provide each of the following EXCEPT: a. the quality needed at all times b. information on competitors c. frequent deliveries d. improved quality and cost
14.
Employee involvement in a JIT environment means: I.
operators must take responsibility for improving the process
II. management must take more of a leadership role III. staff must be trainers and assist line people a. all the above b. I and II only c. I and III only d. II and III only e. none of the above 15.
Which of the following statements is best? I.
JIT and manufacturing planning and control cannot work together
II. The JIT philosophy simplifies and reduces manufacturing planning and control problems III. JIT requires a very good planning and control system a. all the above are true b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. none of the above 16.
JIT will influence master production scheduling by: a. reducing time fences and making the MPS more responsive to customer demand b. making it possible to use daily time buckets c. making the MPS more unstable d. a and b only e. b and c only
222 .
17.
JIT practices will change the material requirements planning process by: a. reducing the number of levels in the bill of material b. making the bill of material more complex c. increasing the need for offsetting d. increasing the need for netting e. eliminating the need for MRP
18.
Which of the following is a benefit to the purchaser in supplier partnerships? a. Frequent deliveries on a just-in-time basis b. Better quality c. Improved performance and cost d. All the above e. a and b above only
19.
A pull system is developed to provide which of the following? a. An alternative to a classic MRP system b. To provide only what is needed and when it is needed c. Can only be used when demand is constant and known d. Can only be used when demand is unknown e. None of the above
20.
The primary purpose for establishing small-group improvement activities among production employees is: a. direct labor efficiency improvement b. improved scheduling c. morale improvement d. product improvement e. work methods improvement
21.
Bills of material used for MRP planning in a JIT environment are likely to have which of the following characteristics? a. Fewer “phantom” or “blow-through” assemblies b. Increased complexity with regard to options c. Weekly time buckets d. No need for where-used references e. Fewer levels in product structures
22.
Each of the following contributes to machine flexibility EXCEPT: a. ease of maintenance b. mobility c. variable speed d. multipurpose e. quick setup 223 .
23.
The principle of cellular manufacturing is also known as: a. work cell layout b. clustered flow c. functional organization d. pull systems e. continuous flow
24.
Which of the following represents the best reason for using hybrid systems in a lean production environment? a. They utilize the best benefits from ERP and traditional “pull” production systems b. They can capture production costs earlier in the production process c. They can minimize production of scrap or other quality problems d. They can allow for maximum standardization of work rules in the process
Answers
1
a
2
d
3
a
4
a
5
e
6
a
7
e
8
d
9
a
10
d
11
d
12
c
13
b
14
a
15
d
16
d
17
a
18
d
19
b
20
c
21
e
22
a
23
e
24
a
224 .
CHAPTER 17: TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 17.1
Number of standard deviations within tolerance = .001 ÷ .00033 = 3.03 Sigma is approximately 3. Therefore approximately 99.7% of shafts will be within tolerance.
17.2
Number of standard deviations within tolerance = .0004 ÷ .00033 = 1.2 Sigma is approximately 1. Therefore approximately 68.3% of shafts will be within tolerance.
17.3
CP =
USL – LSL 5.06 – 4.94 = = 1.18 6σ 6(0.017)
The CP is greater than one but less than 1.33; therefore the process is marginally capable. 17.4
CP =
(USL – LSL) 6 × .02
(.06 – ( − .06 ) ) = 1.0 6 × .02
The CP is equal to one and the process is marginally capable 17.5
CP =
USL – LSL .765 – .735 = = 0.71 6σ 6(.007)
The CP is less than one and the process is not capable 17.6
CP =
USL – LSL .765 – .735 = 1.43 6σ 6(.0035)
The CP is greater than 1.33 and the process is capable 17.7
a. Process centered on 0.75 Cpk = =
( USL – Mean ) 3σ
or
( Mean – LSL ) 3σ
765 – .75 .75 – .735 or 3 × .0035 3 × .0035
= 1.43 or 1.43 Since Cpk is greater than 1.33, the process is capable. b. Process centered on 0.74 Cpk =
.765 – .74 74 – .735 = 2.38 or = 48 3 × .0035 3 × .0035
Since the lower Cpk is the lesser of the upper and lower Cpk’s and is less than 1, the process is not capable. Note that as a quick test the Cp is equal to the average of the upper Cpk and the lower Cpk
225 .
17.8
Cpk =
a.
10.1 – 9.95 9.95 – 9.9 = 2.5 or = = .83 3 × .02 3 × .02
Since the lower Cpk is less than 1, the process is not capable. a.
Cpk =
10.1 – 9.98 9.98 – 9.9 = 2 or = = 1.33 3 × .02 3 × .02
Since the lower Cpk is greater than 1.33, the process is capable. b.
Cpk =
10.1 – 10.04 10.04 – 9.9 = 1 or = = 2.33 3 × .02 3 × .02
Since the lower Cpk is between 1 and 1.33, the process is marginally capable.. 17.9
For this question students will have unique answers. You can refer to Figure 16.16. Their answers should show where improvements are needed and the interaction of features. 16.10 The standard deviation of the measures is 0.866 Cp =
24.5 − 23.5 = 0.192 less than 1, therefore not capable 6(.866)
CASE STUDY 17.1 TEACHING NOTES Accent Oak Furniture Company
1. There are many problems reported in the installation department’s monthly report. The purpose of Pareto Analysis is to sort the information and identify the significant problems and perhaps gain some insight into their causes. The data should be sorted by crew and by type of comment. The significant problem that should be revealed is the fit of the spindles with the banister. One of the crews will certainly have a higher incidence of over-budget jobs and the students should investigate this to see if there is any significance to the data. Since some crews are busier than others, it may be of benefit to remove this factor by analyzing percent over budget rather than just dollar amount over budget. Also Pareto Analysis should be performed in percent but, you may find that percent of percent over-budget is confusing to some. This assignment can be done by hand with a calculator but only requires rudimentary spreadsheet skills to perform the analysis and plot the information. Figure Sol 17-1 Pareto Analysis by Crew Total
Actual
Amount
% of
Cumulative %
Crew#
Budget
Amount
Over Budget
Over Budget
Over Budget
2
3790
5528
1738
29.0%
29.0%
4
6260
7843
1583
26.4%
55.5%
3
5800
7240
1440
24.0%
79.5%
1
3750
4397
647
10.8%
90.3%
226 .
5
5400
5981
581
Total
25000
30989
5989
9.7%
100.0%
Analysis of the amount over budget actually reveals a typo in the chart for the amount reported for ‘Actual’ for Split Spindles. It should read $865 and not $1,854. This is shown in the error in the total amount which, with the error included now totals $30,989. The amount shown in the text ($1,854) is used in all the calculations. This job at 114% over budget should catch the eye of someone analyzing the data. Figure Sol 17-1 Pareto Analysis by Crew
Pareto Analysis by Crew does not show a significant cause of the problems since all the crews are fairly close to each other. The three highest ranking over budget crews are within five percent of each other. Table Sol 17-2 Pareto Analysis by Type of Comment
Only overcharged jobs are analyzed
Type of
Total
Actual
Amount
% Over
Cumulative %
Defect
Budget
Amount
Over Budget
Budget
Over Budget
Loose Spindles
10345
12908
2563
41.3%
41.3%
Split Spindles
850
1854
1004
16.2%
57.4%
Loose Bannister
2250
3200
950
15.3%
72.7%
Spindle Shims
1800
2254
454
7.3%
80.0%
Drawing Problems
1200
1650
450
7.2%
87.3%
227 .
Cracked Handrail
975
1320
345
5.6%
92.8%
Customer Changes
4300
4527
227
3.7%
96.5%
Rough Handrail
980
1200
220
3.5%
100.0%
22700
28913
6213
Total
Note that fit problems between the banister and the spindles accounted for 80 percent of the defects. (loose and split spindles, loose banister and spindles shims). This leads to the next analysis, spindle and hole dimensions. 2. Histograms for the spindle and the hole dimensions show a bimodal distribution for the spindles. When the plot of spindle dimensions is compared with the hole dimensions there appears to be a misalignment of the size of the holes and the dimensions of the spindles but this is a technical question best raised by the operators and designers. The bimodal distribution for the spindles is no-doubt caused by the two machine operation and it is assumed that if one machine’s output fits correctly, then the other machine’s output does not. The variation in the size of the spindles needs to be reduced. The graphs below are not grouped and the frequency of each size is plotted individually. Grouping the data would produce similar results but could add confusion to this simply demonstration.
228 .
3. Ms. Guzman’s memos to the two team leaders (lead hands) in both the spindle and the banister departments should suggest that the two of them get together and discuss the settings for their machines. At first glance it looks like they should decide which machine is giving the most desirable output and adjust the other machine accordingly. Ideally the spindles should be turned on one machine which will keep the variation lower. Correcting the problem using one machine or two will involve checking machine settings and training the operators. Ms. Guzman’s memo to Jamari Smythe should be brief and summarize the problem. He should also indicate the timing of improvements, action plans for sorting the current inventory and perhaps the financial impact of the changes. Other general observations are:
The spindle machines are working within specification but slightly on the low side. The use of a go-nogo gauge doesn’t seem to be giving them sufficient control. Crew reporting could give more specifics. The range of the spindle specification seems quite large compared to the distribution of the size of the holes and should be reviewed. The technique of forcing a tapered spindle into a straight hole is quite forgiving (robust) in practice and widely popular with early furniture makers.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1.
Which of the following statements is best? a. The basic quality level of a product is specified by senior management b. Manufacturing is responsible for meeting at least the minimum specifications of the product c. The product designer builds the quality level into the product by design and specification d. All the above are true e. a and b are true
229 .
2.
Which of the following is NOT a basic concept of total quality management? a. Customer focus b. Competitive supplier bidding c. Continuous process improvement d. Performance measures e. Involvement of the total workforce
3.
Which of the following statements regarding TQM is true? I.
TQM is organization wide and everyone’s responsibility
II. Customer focus is not a requirement of TQM III. Only junior management is involved in TQM a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and II only e. all the above 4.
Giving people the authority to make decisions and take action in their work areas is called which of the following? a. Teamwork b. Organizational skills c. Empowerment d. Any of the above e. None of the above
5.
Which of the following statements is best regarding performance measures? I.
They are not necessary for performance improvement
II. They should be appropriate and useful III. They should be simple and easy for users to understand a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. all the above 6.
The cost of failure to control quality includes which of the following? a. Scrap, rework and spoilage b. Warranty charges c. Returned materials d. All the above e. None of the above
230 .
7.
The costs of controlling quality include which of the following? a. Prevention and appraisal costs b. Prevention and process control costs c. Appraisal and process control costs d. Any of the above e. None of the above
8.
Which of the following is/are included in the cost of preventing poor quality? a. Operator training b. Final inspection c. Warranty charges d. All the above are included in the costs of preventing poor quality e. None of the above is included in the costs of preventing poor quality
9.
Which of the following statements is true regarding process variation? I.
All variation is due to chance
II. Chance variation is inherent in the process III. Assignable variation is due to a specific cause a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. I only e. II only 10.
Chance variation in a process can be caused by which of the following? a. People b. Machinery c. Materials d. All the above e. None of the above
11.
Which of the following can be used to describe the spread of the pattern of variability? a. Arithmetic mean b. Average c. Range d. Upper control limit e. None of the above
12.
Which of the following statements is true if the standard deviation of a process is .02 and the average is 1? a. about 68.3% of the output will be within 1± .02 b. the specification limits are ± .02 c. the upper control limit is 1.02 231 .
d. all the above are true e. none of the above is true 13.
The permissible limits of deviation from perfection is called which of the following? a. Spread b. Tolerance c. Control limits d. Process capability
14.
Which of the following statements is true? I.
The capability of a process is related to the product specification limits
II. Quality does not depend on the process used III. Defects can only be produced by a shift in the mean a. I only b. I and III only c. I and III only d. all the above e. none of the above 15.
Which of the following statements is best if a process has a capability index (Cp) of 0.83? a. The process is capable b. The process is not capable c. Cannot tell whether the process is capable or not from the information d. The product specifications are adequate
16.
Which of the following statements is best if a process has a Cpk of between 1 and 1.33? a. The process is not capable b. The process is marginal c. The process is capable d. None of the above is true
17.
The purpose of process control is to: a. make sure the process does not stop b. self-correct the process c. to show when there is a high probability of an assignable cause for defect d. to help designers develop the steps to automate a process e. all the above
18.
Which of the following statements is true regarding control charts? I.
Specification limits are the same as control limits
II. If there is no assignable cause of variation the process is in control III. A shift in the mean or average will show up on the X portion of the X and R chart
232 .
a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. all the above e. none of the above 19.
Which of the following statements is true regarding sample inspection? a. Acceptance sampling requires 100% inspection b. One reason to sample inspect is because of human error c. The sample should be taken from the last parts produced because there is less chance of error d. There is no risk to either the consumer or producer
20.
Which of the following statements is correct regarding acceptance sampling? a. Sample inspection is 100% accurate b. The consumer’s risk is that a lot with less than the acceptable number of defects will be accepted c. The producer’s risk is that a batch with more than the acceptable number of defects will be rejected d. The cost of the sampling plan must be balanced against the consumer’s risk and the producer’s risk e. Lots are accepted when the consumer’s risk equals the producer’s risk
21.
Under which of the following conditions is acceptance sampling appropriate? a. Testing of the product is destructive b. Time is available for 100% inspection c. The sample can be taken from the top of the batch d. The batch to be sampled is small e. Sampling is a natural part of the process
22.
Which of the following statements is true concerning ISO 9000 standards? I.
They are intended to prevent nonconformities during all stages of inspection
II. There is only one ISO 9000 standard and it only applies to manufacturing III. ISO 9000 requires third party registration a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and II only e. all of the above 23.
ISO 9000:2000 is designed as: a. a complete set of documentation to run any business b. a process approach to management c. a 12 step process 233 .
d. a method of sampling to prevent defects in any process e. a set of technical standards to establish inspection limits 24.
Which of the following statements is true concerning benchmarking? a. It seeks improvement by analyzing the internal process b. It studies only organizations in the same industry c. It studies the “best in class” organizations d. It is a process for determining performance measures for the shop floor
25.
A House of Quality is used to: a. Organize a company into departments focusing on quality b. Structure the engineering team c. Translate customer needs into design specifications d. Calculate specifications for desired cost reductions e. Calculate capability of a process to meet customer specifications
26.
The voice of the customer is: a. The response heard from market promotions b. An expression for customer wants c. The communication method used for network marketing d. A measure of capability of a process
27.
QFD is an acronym for: a. Quality Function Deployment b. Quality For Design c. Quality Forms Development d. Quality through Frequent Delivery e. Queen For a Day
28.
Six Sigma is a strategy designed to: a. reduce defects b. measure the capability of the quality function c. calculate productivity d. increase the total output of processes e. none of the above
29.
Six Sigma: a. is only applicable if a process is repetitive b. is an offshoot of the 5-S program c. is an award sponsored by the Malcolm Baldridge Foundation d. is about more than measurement of parts production e. a and b above only
234 .
30.
The Top Six Sigma project managers are known as: a. Black Belts b. White Hats c. Best-In-Class d. World Class e. Biero
31.
The specification for the cut length of a board is 12 inches ± .5 inches. A sample of boards showed an average length of 11.8 inches and a standard deviation of .1 inches. The Cp for this process is: a. 5 b. 2 c. 2.33 d. 1.67 e. 1
32.
A process has been sampled and it is found to have a Cpk on the upper side of 2.4 and a Cpk on the lower side of 1.4. The Cp for this process would be: a. 2 b. 1.9 c. 3.8 d. 4.8 e. The value of the process mean is needed to solve this problem
33.
The specification for the cut length of a board is 12 inches ± .5 inches. A sample of boards showed an average length of 11.8 inches and a standard deviation of .1 inches. The Cpk for this process is: a. 7 b. 3 c. 2.33 d. 1 e. .42
34.
Which of the following quality processes is part of QFD? a. House of quality b. Statistical Process Control c. Lean d. ISO:9000:2010 e. Quality for delivery
35.
Which of the common quality decision making techniques compares products to the competition? a. Fishbone diagrams b. Six Sigma 235 .
c. Quality Function Deployment d. Statistical Process Control e. Product sampling inspection Answers
1
e
2
b
3
a
4
c
5
c
6
d
7
a
8
a
9
c
10
d
11
c
12
a
13
b
14
a
15
b
16
b
17
c
18
c
19
b
20
d
21
a
22
c
23
b
24
c
25
c
26
b
27
a
28
a
29
d
30
a
31
d
32
b
33
d
34
a
35
c
236 .
An important note on the end-of-chapter questions: While it is possible to use these questions for an assignment for students to answer, they are primarily designed for students to use as self-study. If the student can answer a question after studying the chapter, then the topic of the question was likely understood and retained from the book, a lecture, or both. If not, it is suggested that the student return to that topic in the chapter and review. You may wish to emphasize that answers to these questions may be important both in understanding further material in later chapters as well as topics for possible course or certification exam questions. In either case, the information given in this Instructor’s manual will, for most of these questions, provide the specific page(s) on which the answer can easily be found, as the answer to the question in most cases comes directly from the indicated page(s) in the book. For the few questions for which a specific answer cannot be easily found directly in the book, specific suggested answers will be given. Some questions are more “openended” or application-based, in that they will ask for “opinions” or “examples”. In those cases, answers will likely vary from student to student, and are evaluated at the discretion of the instructor. These can also be used to generate discussion among the participants, as some of the answers may be dependent on the type of industry or business.
Chapter 1 1. Page 1
2. Page 1
3. Pages 1,2
5. Pages 3, 4
6. Pages 5, 10
9. Page 7
10. Page 7
11. Page 7
12. Page 7
13. Page 10
14. Page 10
15. Page 11
16. Page 11
17. Page 5
18. Answers may vary
7. Page 6
4. Page 2 8. Page 6
19. The primary strategies are make-to-stock and assemble-to-order. The make-tostock approach typically produces the fastest delivery lead time, while the assemble-toorder allows better flexibility to produce more to customer preference 20. Answers may vary
Chapter 2 1. Page 16
2. Page 16
3a. Pages 18,19
3b. Page 20
3c. Page 20
3d. Page 21
3e. Page 21
3f. Page 21
3g. Pages 22, 23
4. Page 20
7. Pages 24,25
8. Pages 25,26
9. Page 25
11. Pages 27,28
12. Pages 27, 28
13. Page 28
14. Pages 29-31
15. Page 31
18. Page 31 21. Pages 33,34
19. Pages 33,34 22. Page 35
5. Pages 25,26
6. Pages 22,23
16. Pages 31-34
10. Page 28
17. Page 31
20. Pages 33,34 23. Pages 32,33
24. Page 24 (“open-ended” portions of responses will vary) 25. Pages 19, 24
(“open-ended” portions of responses will vary)
26. Page 19 (“open-ended” portions of responses will vary) 27. Page 19 (“open-ended” portions of responses will vary) 28. Page 19 29. Page 27
30. Pages 22,23
Chapter 3 1. Page 45
2. Page 46
3. Page 48
4. Page 48
5. Page 48
6. Page 49
7. Page 49
8 a,b,c. Page 51
9. Page 52
10. Page 53
11. Page 53
12. Pages 54,55
13. Pages 57,58
14. Page 53
15. Pages 57-59
16. Both the make-to-order and the assemble-to-order environments. In both those environments only components and subassemblies tend to be generated in the MPS, and therefore they need a FAS to compile everything into the final customer required configuration. 17. Page 58
Chapter 4 1. Page 71
2. Page 71
3. Page 71
4. Page 72
5. Page 72
6. Page 72
7. Page 73
8. Page 73
9. Page73,74
10. Page 74
11. Page 74
12 (a through f). Pages 74 – 78
13. Page 75
14. Page 79
15. Pages 78,79
16. Page 81
17. Page 81
18. Page 82
19. Page 83
20. Page 85
21. Page 85
22. Pages 86 – 88
23. Page 91
24. “Open-ended” question - responses will vary
25. Pages 90,91
26. Pages 91,92
27. Page 92
28. Page 92
29. Page 82 30. Possible problems are many, including planning too much, too little, obtaining wrong components, component shortages, timing problems 31. To prepare for change, components impacted will need to be planned (bills of material, item masters, etc.) The components that will become obsolete need to be run through MRP to determine when they will be run out of inventory, establishing the timing for the new replacement component (if necessary, some of the old components may need to be scrapped – if the change is for a safety need, for example). The replacement part numbers need to be numbered differently, of course.
Chapter 5 1. Pages 113, 114
2. Page 114
3. Page 114
5. Pages 115, 116
6. Pages 115,116
8. Pages 116, 117
9 a,b. MRP
9 c. Page 118
10. Page 117
11. Page 118
12. Pages 118,119
13. Pages 119, 120
14. Page 121
15. Pages 121, 122
16. Page 123
17. Page 123
18. Page 125
4. Pages 114,115
7. Page 116 9 d. Routing
19. Page 125
20. Most production environments experience constant pressures and changes – processing times, schedule changes, equipment breakdown, and so forth. Feedback on such changes and activities are needed to properly adjust the schedules as needed for maximum effectiveness. 21. Pages 119, 120
22. Page 120
23. Page 126
Chapter 6 1. Page 134
2. Page 135
3. Page136,137
4.Page 136
5. Pages 137,138
6. Pages 137,138
7. Page 138
8. Pages 138,139
9. Page 139
12. Pages 142,143
13. Pages 143,144
14. Page 144
15. Page 145
16. Page 145
17. Page 146
18. Page 147
19. Pages 151,152
20. Page 152
21. Pages 152,153
22. Page 154
23. Pages 155,156
10. Page 140
24. Critical ratio = 1.2, ahead of schedule
25. Answers may vary
26. Page 157
27. a. late 27. b. due immediately
27. c. behind schedule
27. d. ahead of schedule
29. Page 157
30. Answers may vary
11. Page 141
28. Answers may vary
31. Page 149
Chapter 7 1. Page 169 3. Pages 170-172
2. Page 169 – answers to second part will vary 4. Pages 172, 173
5. Page 173
6. Page 175 – complete answers subjective, may vary 7. Page 175 – complete answers subjective, may vary 8. Page 174, answers on example organizations and demonstrated agility will vary 9. Page 175
10. Pages 176
11. Page 177
12. Page 178
Chapter 8 1. Page 191
2. Page 191
3. Page 192
4. Pages 192,193
5. Page 193
6. Page 193
7. Pages 194,195
8. Pages 195,196
9. Page 197
10. Pages 195,196
11. Pages 196,187
12. Page 197
13. Page 197
14. Page 198
15. Page 202
16. Page 205
17. Pages 205,206
18. Page 207
19. Answers will vary
2. Page 214
3. Page 214
5. Pages 216-218
6. Page 217
7. Pages 218, 219
8. Page 219
9. Page 220
10. Pages 221-223
11. Pages 224, 225
Chapter 9 1. Pages 214,215 4. Page 216
13. Page 227 16. Pages 229, 230
14. Page 227
12. Page 224
15. Page 229
17. Page 231,232
18. Page 232,233
19. Page 233 20. It means that the individual forecast quantities are frequently far different that the actual demand, but that over the time period calculated the overall average forecast is the same as the average demand
Chapter 10 1. Page 245
2. Page 245
3. Page 245
4. Page 246
5. Page 246
6. Page 247
7. Page 247
8. Pages 247,248
9. Pages 249,250
10. Page 251
12. Page 252
13. Pages 252,253
15. Page 255
16. Page 255
18. Pages 258,259 21. Page 258
14. Pages 253,254 17. Pages 256,257
19. Page 259 22. Page 258
11. Page 251
20. Answers will vary
Chapter 11 1. Page 269
2. Page 269
3. Page 258, 269
4. Page 269
5. Page 270
6. Page 271
7. Page 271
8. Page 271
9. Pages 273,274
10. Page 275
11. Pages 277,278
12. Page 279
13. Answers will vary
Chapter 12 1. Pages 71,288
2. Pages 288, 289
3. Page 289
4. Page 290
5. Page 292
6. Pages 293,294
7. Page 297
8. Page 297
9. Page 297
10. Page 298
11. Page 299
12. Page 299
13. Page 300
14. Page 301
15. Page 301
16. Page 302
17. Pages 302, 303
18. Page 304
19. Answers will vary
20. Page 303
21. Page 303
Chapter 13 1. Page 316
2. Page 317, specific answers will vary
3. Page 318
4. Page 319
5. Page 320
7. Page 322
6. Pages 321,322
8. Pages 322,323
9. Page 323
10. Page 324
11. Pages 324,325
12. Page 325
13. Page 326
14. Pages 326,327
15. Page 326
16. Pages 327-329
17. Pages 327-329
18. Page 329
20. Page 330 – specific answers may vary 22. Page 329
19. Page 330 21. Page 330
23. Page 329
24. Page 329
2. Page 341
3. Page 341,342
25. Page 321
26. Page 331
Chapter 14 1. Page 340
4. Page 342 - Individual answers may vary 5. Page 342 – Individual answers may vary 6. Page 343 9. Page 344, 346
7. Page 343,344
8. Page 344
10. Page 346
11. Page 347
12. Page 347
13. Page 347,348
14. Page 348
15. Page 348
16. Page 349
17. Page 350
18. Page 351
19. Pages 352,353
20. Page 353
21. Page 353
22. Pages 355,356
23. Page 356
24. Page 357
25. Page 358
26. Page 359
27. Page 360
28. Page 360
29. Page 362
30. Pages 363,364
31. Pages 354,355
33. Pages 354,355
34. Page 342
32. Page 354 35. Page 345
36. Individual answers will vary
Chapter 15 1. Page 373
2. Pages 374,375
5. Page 376
6. Page 375
9. Pages 377,378 12. Page 379
3. Page 375
4. Page 374
7. Pages 375-377
8. Page 376
10. Pages 377,378 13. Page 379
11. Page 377 14. Page 380
15. Page 380
16. Page 381
19. Page 383
20. Pages 383,384
23. Page 386
24. Page 387
25. Page 388
26. Pages 388,389
27. Page 390
28. Page 390
29. Page 391
30. Page 392,393
31. Pages 390-393 34. Page 394
17. Page 381
21. Page 384
32. Page 393 35. Page 395
18. Page 382 22. Page 385
33. Page 394
36. Page 396
37. Page 395
38. Page 396 Answers to the second part may vary 39. Page 394
40. Answers will vary
Chapter 16 1. Page 406
2. Page 405
5. Page 406
6. Pages 406,407
8. Pages 406,407
3. Page 405
4. Page 406
7. Page 406
9. Page 407
10. Pages 408,409
11. Page 409
12. Page 410
13. Pages 410,411
14. Page 411
15. Page 411
16. Page 412
17. Page 412
18. Page 412
19. Page 412
20. Page 414
21. Page 414
22. Page 415
23. Page 417
24. Page 417
25. Page 418
26. Page 419
27. Page 419
28. Pages 421-423
29. Pages 422,423
30. Page 429
31. Page 429
32. Page 429
33. Page 430
34. Page 425, Specific answers will vary
35. Page 426
36. Page 427, Specific answers will vary
37. Page 427
38. Page 431
39. Page 431
40. Page 416,417 41. Specific answers will vary. This question was designed to “force” consideration of the overall goals of Lean production in the context of various planning and specifically control systems. The answers may vary, but the answer to the “why or why not” question should indicate the extent of learning with respect to the various options.
Chapter 17 1. Page 440
2. Page 440
3. Pages 441, 442
4. Page 442
5. Page 442
6. Page 443
8. Page 443, 444
7. Page 444
9. Pages 444, 445
10. Page 446 Specific answers to the last part of the question will vary 11. Page 447
12. Page 448
13. Page 448
14. Page 448
15. Page 449
16. Page 449
17. Pages 449, 450
18. Page 449
19. Pages 450 451
20. Page 453
21. Page 453
22. Page 453, 454
23. Pages 454,455
24. Page 455
25. Pages 456, 457
26. Page 456
27. Page 457
28. Page 460
29. Pages 463, 463
30. Page 464
31. Page 463
32. Page 463