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Xcaliber manufactures high-end flatware. ne of the crucial processes in flatware

ID: 2435128 • Letter: X

Question

Xcaliber manufactures high-end flatware. ne of the crucial processes in flatware production is polishing. The company normally operates three polishing machines to maintain pace with the upstream and downstream production operations. However, one of the polishing machines broke yesterday, and managment has been informed that the machine will not be back in operation until repairs are completed in three weeks. Two machines cannot keep pace with the volume of product flowing to the polishing operation. You have been hired as a consultant to improve the throughput of the polishing operation. Discuss the tactics you would recommend Xcaliber to employ for handling the capacity limitation.

Explanation / Answer

Tactics to handle capacity limitation:

As the two machines cannot keep the pace with the volume of products flowing to the polishing operation, and the third machine is not available. The concern has to employ the following tactics to improve the throughput of the polishing operation;

-Scheduling the production time in an effective way if there is idle time available

-Out sourcing / subcontracting the polishing operation for the remaining units (this is for the volume of units usually polished by the third machine in the past)

-Grab a machine by the way of leasing for the three week period for polishing.

-Overtime work on the available machines

-Decreasing the production volume if the leasing and outsourcing is not profitable.