Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

1. United Technologies procures a large number of O-rings every month. Product s

ID: 425933 • Letter: 1

Question

1.    United Technologies procures a large number of O-rings every month. Product specifications are rigorous: ULS= 16.2 oz. and LLS=15.8 oz.  The firm obtained the following information about three possible suppliers:

Supplier

Cost per unit

Delivery lead time (weeks)

Maximum quantity delivered per week

Process average (oz.)

Process standard deviation (sigma)

Armand & Co.

$154

2

700

16.01

.12 oz.

Bertrand, Inc.

$128

1

1,000

15.97

.05 oz.

Copland, Corp.

$132.50

3

1,500

16.15

.03 oz.

a)    Calculate the production capability each supplier.

b)    Which supplier would you select?

Supplier

Cost per unit

Delivery lead time (weeks)

Maximum quantity delivered per week

Process average (oz.)

Process standard deviation (sigma)

Armand & Co.

$154

2

700

16.01

.12 oz.

Bertrand, Inc.

$128

1

1,000

15.97

.05 oz.

Copland, Corp.

$132.50

3

1,500

16.15

.03 oz.

Explanation / Answer

Though the term “Production capability” has not been explicitly defined, we will assume Process capability Index, Cpk representing Production capability.

Process capability Index

= Minimum ( (ULS – Process average ) / 3 x Process standard deviation , ( Process average – LLS) / 3 x Process standard deviation )

Production capability , Cpk for Armand & Co

= Minimum ( ( 16.2 – 16.01) / 3 x 0.12 , ( 16.01 – 15.8) / 3 x 0.12 )

= Minimum ( 0.527, 0.583 )

= 0.527

Production capability , Cpk for Bertrand Inc

= Minimum ( ( 16.2 – 15.97 ) / 3 x 0.05 , ( 15.97 – 15.8)/ 3 x 0.05 )

= Minimum ( 1.533, 1.133)

= 1.133

Production capability , Cpk for Copland Corp

= Minimum ( ( 16.2 – 16.15) / 3 x 0.03 , ( 16.15 – 15.8) / 3 x 0.03 )

= Minimum ( 0.555, 3.888)

= 0.555

Out of above , since Cpk for Bertrand Inc is highest ( as well as same is > 1 which is a necessity for a process to be capable of meeting six sigma limit ) , we would choose Bertrand Inc