4. Design product layout (Line Balancing) Green Grass, Inc., a manufacturer of l

Question

4. Design product layout (Line Balancing) Green Grass, Inc., a manufacturer of lawn and garden equipment designing an assembly line to produce a new fertilizer spreader, the big Broadcaster. Using the information in Table T5 on the p process, Work Element Immediate Time (sec) Predecessor(s) Description A Bolt leg frame to hopper B Insert impeller shaft C Attach axle D Attach agitator E Attach drive wheel F Attach free wheel G Mount lower post H Attach controls I Mount nameplate None 30 50 40 25 15 20 18 Total 244 D, E F, G Table T5: Production process (5 marks) i) Construct a precedence diagram for the Big Broadcaster. i) Assuming an eight-hour workday, compute the cycle time needed to (4 marks) obtain an output of 400 units per day ,, “? (4 marks)o ii) Determine the minimum number of workstations required. iv) Assign tasks to workstations using this rule: Assign tasks according to greatest number of following tasks. In case of a tie, use the tiebreaker of assigning the task with the longest processing time first. (12 marks)

Explanation / Answer

The precedence diagram of activities as follows :

                                                                                      A

                                          B

                                            C

                  D

                        E

                   F

                    G

                                       H

                                         I

Total available time in a working day = 8 hour = 8 x 60 x 60 seconds = 28800 seconds

Output per day = 400 units

Therefore , cycle time = 28800 / 400 seconds per unit = 72 seconds

Total duration of all work elements ( A to I )

= 40 + 30 + 50 + 40 + 6 + 25 + 15 + 20 + 18 seconds

= 244 seconds

Minimum number of workstations required

= Total duration of all work elements / cycle time

= 244/ 72

= 3.38( 4 rounded to next higher whole number

MINIMUM NUMBER OF WORKSTATION REQUIRED = 4

Assignment of tasks to various workstations ( as per prescribed rule ) will be done in such a way so that total duration of tasks against any workstation shall not exceed cycle time of 72 seconds

Accordingly , assignment of work elements to various workstations as follows :

WORKSTATION

WORK ELEMENTS

Total duration ( seconds)

I

A, B

40 + 30 = 70

II

C, G

50 + 15 = 65

III

D,E,H

40 + 6 + 20 = 66

IV

F, I

25 + 18 = 43

                                                                                      A

                                          B

                                            C

                  D

                        E

                   F

                    G

                                       H

                                         I

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