ch 6

What are some external factors which might influence process layout design?

- Ability to design a safe environment for employees and customers - Noise levels at the various locations - Size and location or restrooms

Sometimes a small percentage if Idle Time is better than a perfectly balanced assembly line, i.e., zero idle time. Why might this be the case?

- Allows some margin for new workers not yet up to speed - Variability in worker task completion times - Absenteeism and worker fatigue, boredom

Choose the words below which best describe the work in repetitive processing

- Assembly line - Technology-intensive - Standardized goods or services

What are examples of Information Technology used in Operations?

- Bar codes and radio frequency tags on goods for identification and tracking - E-commerce, email, and the internet

In designing service layouts, the two key factors are what?

- Degree of customer contact - Degree of customization

Adopting new process technology can have downsides as well as upsides. When weighing the benefits and risks, what are three broad areas of consideration?

- Economic - Integration - Human

Three basic reasons layout decisions are important for operations system design:

- Facilities are substantial investment - Mistakes have long-term effects - Layouts have major impact on efficiency

What are the outputs to process selection and capacity planning?

- Facilities/equipment - Layout -Work Design

What are some examples of negative consequences of an unbalanced line?

- Idle time at faster workstations - waiting for the bottleneck - Morale problems due to unequal work among employees

Select all correct statements regarding Muther Grids for designing process layouts

- Includes a rating for Undesirable Adjacency - Reads like a mileage chart between cities - Ranks the importance of the closeness of one department to another - Can include a subordinate rating of 1-6 for notations regarding the basis of primary rating

Consider an automatic car wash with an unbalanced line. What are the obstacles to balancing? Car Wash Line -> scrubbing (2 minutes), rinsing (4 minutes), drying (2 minutes)

- It may not make sense to subdivide rinsing - Scrubbing and drying cannot be bundles out of sequence

What are examples of negative consequences of an unbalanced line?

- Morale problems due to unequal work among employees - Idle time at faster workstations - waiting for the bottleneck

Before tasks are assigned to workstations what must be known?

- Task order of precedence - Cycle time - Heuristic rules

What words best describe the work in repetitive processing?

- Technology-intensive - Standardized goods or services - Assembly line

What are the various building factors which may influence process layout design?

- Type of flooring (e.g., "reinforced") - Availability of windows for either desired light or darkness - Location of entrance, exit and docks

Which of the following statements about fixed-position layouts is/are correct?

- Used for project process type, such as construction projects - Lack of storage space can present problems - Administrative costs of coordinating activities can be significant

Steps of line balancing in order

1. Assign tasks one at a time to the line, starting at the first workstation 2. Calculate which tasks will fit the workstation being loaded 3. Apply heuristic rules if multiple tasks are possible 4. Use the tie-breaker rule if necessary

If a line is balanced with 80 percent efficiency, the "balance delay" will be: A. 20 percent. B. 80 percent. C. 100 percent. D. unknown, since balance delay is not related to efficiency. E. depends on the next operation.

A. 20 percent.

Which closeness rating reflects the highest importance for two departments being close to each other? A. A B. E C. I D. U E. X

A. A

Which one of these is a tool used to tell a machine the details of the operations to be performed? A. CNC B. CIM C. CAD D. CAM E. automation

A. CNC

Which of these items would be most likely to be made with a fixed-position layout? A. a Boeing 777 jet aircraft B. applesauce C. a computer chip D. toothpaste E. all of these

A. a Boeing 777 jet aircraft

The substitution of machinery that has sensing and control devices for human labor is best described by the term: A. automation. B. feedback control. C. computer-aided manufacturing. D. computer-integrated manufacturing. E. flexible manufacturing system.

A. automation

A product-focused, single-piece flow, pull production system would be called a: A. cellular layout. B. job shop. C. assembly line. D. nonrepetitive process. E. continuous flow.

A. cellular layout.

The type of processing system which is used for highly standardized products is: A. continuous. B. intermittent. C. project. D. batch. E. unit.

A. continuous

Which one of the following is not considered an important factor in service layout design? A. cost minimization and product flow B. frequency of orders C. customer attitude and image D. intensity of contact with the customer E. customer preferences with regard to variety

A. cost minimization and product flow

The maximum allowable cycle time is computed as: A. daily operating time divided by the desired output. B. desired output divided by the daily operating time. C. daily operating time divided by the product of the desired output and the sum of job times. D. the product of desired output and the sum of job times divided by daily operating time. E. 1.00 minus station time.

A. daily operating time divided by the desired output.

Process choice is _________ driven. A. demand B. operations C. marketing D. process E. capacity

A. demand

What is it about repetitive processes that make them appropriate for products in the maturity phase of their life cycle? A. efficiency B. general-purpose technology C. possible variety D. low risk E. flexibility

A. efficiency

Computer-integrated manufacturing integrates ______________ with manufacturing. A. information from across the organization B. demand forecasts C. marketing strategy D. human resources E. inventory levels

A. information from across the organization

The minimum possible cycle time in a product layout is determined by the: A. longest task time. B. shortest task time. C. average task time. D. total task time. E. per-unit setup time.

A. longest task time.

An example of automated services is: A. online banking. B. build your own pizza. C. haircuts. D. massage parlors. E. financial advising.

A. online banking.

Which term is most closely associated with cellular manufacturing? A. part families B. assembly line C. robotics D. CAD E. CAM

A. part families

The type of layout which features departments or other functional groupings in which similar activities are performed is: A. process. B. product. C. fixed-position. D. mass. E. unit.

A. process.

Which of the following process types would be most likely to be used in the maturity phase of a product's life cycle? A. repetitive B. intermittent C. project D. batch E. job shop

A. repetitive

Line Balancing

Assigning tasks to workstations so all have approximately equal processing times to achieve a synchronized flow on the line

The key questions in the process selection task are: (I) How will the product/service be priced? (II) How much variety will be imposed on the process? (III) What is the target market for the product/service? (IV) At what volume will the process need to operate? A. I and III B. II and IV C. II and III D. I and IV E. III and IV

B. II and IV

Which phrase most closely describes flexible manufacturing systems? A. a variation of CAD B. a more fully automated version of cellular manufacturing C. manufacturing resource planning D. a process layout with a manufacturing overlay E. an approach that allows workers to begin work at a time of their choosing

B. a more fully automated version of cellular manufacturing

The grouping of equipment by the operations needed to perform similar work for part families is: A. product layout. B. cellular manufacturing layout. C. functional layout. D. fixed-position layout. E. process layout.

B. cellular manufacturing layout.

In an environment in which demand is both substantial and stable, __________ technology tends to be the best choice. A. batch production B. fixed automation C. project production D. programmable automation E. flexible automation

B. fixed automation

Although they do not guarantee optimal solutions, ______________ are useful in finding reasonable solutions when the number of possible options is overwhelming. A. cellular layouts B. heuristics C. logistics D. CAM E. CAD

B. heuristics

Which type of processing system tends to produce the most product variety? A. assembly B. job shop C. batch D. continuous E. project

B. job shop

Daily capacity of a product layout is determined by: A. cycle time divided by operating time. B. operating time divided by cycle time. C. operating time divided by total task time. D. total task time divided by cycle time. E. cycle time divided by total task time.

B. operating time divided by cycle time.

Cellular layout is a term associated with: A. wireless telecommunication. B. part families. C. functional (or process) layouts. D. assembly lines. E. job shops.

B. part families

A service organization (for example, a hospital) is likely to use a(n) ________ layout because of variability in customer processing requirements. A. project B. process C. flow D. assembly E. nonrepetitive

B. process

A production line is to be designed for a job with three tasks. The task times are .3 minutes, 1.4 minutes, and .7 minutes. The minimum cycle time in minutes is: A. .3. B. .7. C. 1.4. D. 2.4. E. .8.

C. 1.4.

Key aspects of the process selection challenge include _________ and __________. A. information technology; marketing strategy B. process flexibility; marketing strategy C. capital intensity; process flexibility D. marketing strategy; operations strategy E. capacity planning; marketing strategy

C. capital intensity; process flexibility

The main issue in the design of process layouts for service operations concerns the relative positioning of: A. workstations. B. processing components. C. departments. D. entrances, loading docks, etc. E. manufacturing cells.

C. departments.

The type of layout in which workers, materials, and equipment are moved to the product as needed is: A. process. B. product. C. fixed-position. D. batch. E. mass.

C. fixed-position.

What is it about job shops that make them appropriate for products in the introductory phase of their life cycle? A. efficiency B. technology C. flexibility D. high volume capacity E. rigidity

C. flexibility

In a product layout, the task of deciding how to assign work to specific stations is referred to as: A. process balancing. B. task allocation. C. line balancing. D. work allocation. E. station balancing.

C. line balancing.

The process of assigning tasks to workstations in such a way that the workstations have approximately equal time requirements is called: A. fair employment practices. B. idle time analysis. C. line balancing. D. cycle time optimization. E. capacity cycling.

C. line balancing.

A common goal in designing process layouts is: A. minimizing the number of workers. B. minimizing idle time. C. minimizing transportation costs. D. maximizing workstation productive time. E. maximizing transportation distances.

C. minimizing transportation costs.

Laser technology used in surgical procedures is an example of technological advances in: A. product. B. facility layout. C. process. D. information. E. reverse engineering.

C. process.

In which type of operation are you likely to see, at most, only minor variations in the product or service being produced using the same process and the same equipment? A. a project B. a job shop C. repetitive production D. batch processing E. intermittent production

C. repetitive production

Job shops tend to be __________ while continuous processes tend to be __________. A. in services; in manufacturing B. short-term and capital intensive; long-term and labor intensive C. small scale and flexible; large-scale and inflexible D. standardized; customized E. low cost-per-unit; high cost-per-unit

C. small scale and flexible; large-scale and inflexible

Layout design has many objectives, one of which is: A. reduce bottlenecks. B. move materials and workers simultaneously. C. use workers and space efficiently. D. hold material handling costs to 27 percent or less. E. install computer terminals every 500 feet.

C. use workers and space efficiently.

What parallel operations management activity is performed concurrently with process selection, the decisions for which are strategic, long-lasting and difficult to change after implementation?

Capacity planning

A Muther Grid may be more useful than From-To Charts for assigning department locations because of what?

Covers multiple dimensions of adjacency and ranks the importance of closeness

What term is is not associated with product layouts?

Customization

In the use of closeness ratings for process layouts, the code U means the closeness between two departments is: A. (U)nknown. B. (U)nusually important. C. of (U)sual importance. D. (U)nimportant. E. (U)ndesirable.

D. (U)nimportant.

A production line is to be designed for a job with three tasks. The task times are .4 minutes, 1.2 minutes, and .5 minutes. The maximum cycle time in minutes is: A. .3. B. .7. C. 1.4. D. 2.1. E. .8.

D. 2.1.

Heuristic rules are used primarily in which of these types of layouts? (I) Product (II) Process (III) Fixed-position A. I B. II C. I and III D. I and II E. II and III

D. I and II

The advantages of automation include: (I) reduced output variability. (II) reduced variable costs. (III) machines don't strike or file grievances. (IV) machines are always less expensive than human labor. A. I and IV B. II and III C. I, II, and III D. I and III E. II and IV

D. I and III

Layout planning is required because of: (I) efficient operations. (II) accidents or safety hazards. (III) new products or services. (IV) morale problems. A. I and II B. II and IV C. I and III D. II, III, and IV E. I, II, III, and IV

D. II, III, and IV

Which closeness rating reflects indifference on the nearness or lack of nearness of two departments? A. A B. E C. I D. U E. X

D. U

Heuristic rules are usually applied when: A. an optimum is necessary. B. a computer program is unavailable. C. a problem has a small number of alternatives. D. a problem has a large number of alternatives. E. other approaches have failed.

D. a problem has a large number of alternatives.

Which one of the following is not common to product layouts? A. a high rate of output B. specialization of labor C. low unit costs D. ability to adjust to changes in demand E. special-purpose technology

D. ability to adjust to changes in demand

In which type of processing system would gasoline be produced from crude oil? A. job shop B. batch C. assembly D. continuous E. project

D. continuous

An operations strategy for process selection should recognize that: A. process selection seldom requires technical expertise. B. engineering "white elephants" are uncommon. C. there is little need to manage technology. D. flexibility is not always the best choice. E. most technical skills can be contracted out to consultants.

D. flexibility is not always the best choice.

Which of the following is not a primary concern for process selection? A. variety in products/services B. flexibility of equipment C. volume of output D. pricing strategy E. changeover costs

D. pricing strategy

As compared to rigid automation, the benefits of flexible manufacturing systems include: A. reduced labor requirements. B. higher efficiency. C. larger batch sizes. D. significantly lower fixed costs. E. significantly lower variable costs.

D. significantly lower fixed costs.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of layout decisions in system design? A. substantial investment of both money and effort B. long-term commitment C. significant impact on short-term efficiency D. usually well received by operative personnel E. can affect supplier or customer processes

D. usually well received by operative personnel

Which closeness rating reflects the highest importance for two departments being close to each other? A. A B. E C. I D. U E. X

D.u

Flexible processing systems are needed when what condition is present?

Demand variety or uncertaintly

A manager wants to know the range of output in units per day for a given product given the individual task times. How does she calculate the range?

Divide operating time per day by the cycle time - first maximum cycle time, them minimum cycle time

Which of the following is not an approach that companies use to achieve a smooth flow of production? A. line balancing heuristics B. parallel workstations C. dynamic line balancing (cross-training workers) D. mixed model line E. Companies use all of these.

E. Companies use all of these.

When new products or services are being planned, process selection occurs as a matter of course. Process selection also comes into play as a result of: (I) technological changes. (II) competitive pressures. (III) fundamental changes in demand patterns. A. I only B. II only C. III only D. I and II but not III E. I, II, and III

E. I, II, and III

Which closeness rating reflects the undesirability of having two departments located near each other? A. A B. E C. I D. U E. X

E. X

A group of machines including supervisory computer control, automatic material handling, and possibly robots is called: A. computer-aided design. B. a manufacturing cell. C. computer-aided manufacturing. D. computer-integrated manufacturing. E. a flexible manufacturing system.

E. a flexible manufacturing system.

Which of the following is not an information requirement for the design of a process layout? A. a list of departments or work centers B. a projection of work flows between the work centers C. the distance between locations D. the cost per unit of distance to move loads E. a list of product cycle times for every product manufactured

E. a list of product cycle times for every product manufactured

An advantage of a U-shaped production line is that: A. it is less compact. B. communication is reduced among employees. C. workers are specialists. D. work assignments are more rigid. E. it is more efficient than a traditional product layout.

E. it is more efficient than a traditional product layout.

The estimation of costs is generally most difficult when the ___________ process has been chosen. A. project B. repetitive C. continuous D. batch E. job shop

E. job shop

Which of the following process types would be most likely to be used in the introductory phase of a product's life cycle? A. continuous B. intermittent C. project D. batch E. job shop

E. job shop

Which of the following is not true about process layouts when they are compared to product layouts? A. higher in-process inventories B. lower span of supervision C. lower rates of output D. more involved cost accounting E. lower unit costs

E. lower unit costs

Product profiling links key product or service requirements to: A. market conditions. B. order sizes. C. pricing strategies. D. schedule changes. E. process capabilities.

E. process capabilities.

Computer-aided manufacturing refers to the use of computers in: A. product design. B. decision making. C. data analysis. D. quality control. E. process control.

E. process control

Which of the following is not a process commonly considered in making products or delivering services? A. continuous B. batch C. repetitive D. job shop E. subcontracting

E. subcontracting

Efficiency in line balancing can best be described by which of the following statements?

Efficiency = 100% - Percent Idle Time

Process (Functional) layouts - Equipment is arranged in sequence order of processing so the product can flow smoothly down the line

False - Assembly lines are used in product layouts, not process layouts

Cycle time is the time it takes to perform each task on the assembly line

False - Not necessarily. Cycle time is the time at each workstation - multiple tasks might be performed at a workstation

For landscaping a home, which layout type would be used?

Fixed-position layout

Process

Intermittent Processing

Fixed-position layout

Item being worked on remains stationary and worker, materials and equipment move as needed

In service layout design, if customer contact and customization are both high, the process type and layout type are what?

Job Shop/Functional layout

A job Shop process type is chosen when a ____ volume of high-variety goods are produced with a relatively high degree of flexibility in operation

Low

Fixed-Position

Projects

Product

Repetitive Processing

What does the maximum cycle time equal to?

The longest individual task time

The main issue in designing process layouts concerns what?

The relative locations of the departments

The maximum cycle time is equivalent to what?

The sum of all task times

An advantage of process layouts is their ability to satisfy a variety of processing requirements

True

Challenging process layout designs concern customization factors

True

Cycle time is a determinant of the number of workstations

True

Cycle time is the maximum time allowed at each workstation before the work moves on

True

Flexible systems are often more costly and less efficient than non-flexible systems

True

If the maximum cycle time is used, the number of workstations is 1

True

Maximum cycle time is the sum of all task times

True

Process (Functional) Layouts are common in service environments

True

Process (Functional) layouts - Equipment is arranged by type rather than by processing sequence

True

Process (Functional) layouts often use higher skilled labor than product layouts do

True

The main driver of process selection is customer demand - to indicate the variety and volume to be produced

True

The number of workstations is a function of the desired output rate

True

To calculate the number of workstations, the desired cycle time must be known (divide the sum of all task times by the cycle time)

True

When considering department re-arrangement a cost-benefit analysis should be perfomed

True

What does not apply to cellular layouts?

Useful in Repetitive processes

The repetitive process type, sometime referred to as "Assembly," is selected when relatively ____ volume of more standardized goods or services is desired and thus a relatively ____ flexibility os tolerated

high, low