Deck 22: Workcenter Scheduling

Question 1

What features of the appointment scheduling system were crucial in capturing "many grateful patients"?

Answer 1

To maintain a good doctor-patient relationship, it is important for both the parties to be punctual and abide by the schedule timings. When each of them sticks to the planned schedule, the waiting time is least and the system operates effectively. This helps to derive grateful patients who are satisfied by the service. The key features of this system are as follows:
1. As per the individual needs (new patient, regular checkup or important illness) proper time is allotted to each patient.
2. Specific timings are allotted instead of ambiguous or near about time. 3. Emergencies are allotted with sufficient time slots.

Question 2

What are the objectives of workcenter scheduling?

Answer 2

Work center scheduling is a process of setting time for the purpose of performing activities, allocating facilities and utilizing resources in the area of a company. The process is carried out where productive resources are organized and work is completed. Objective of work center scheduling are listed below:
• To meet the due dates : If work center scheduling is in place, all the activities would be completed in a timely manner.
• To reduce the setup time and cost: If the activities are arranged in a synchronized manner, less cost is incurred in allocating facilities and using the same. • To improve and enhance the labor and machine utilization : If the operation manager is clear about the work center scheduling, he/she would be able to assign labor at the right place and the right time.

Question 3

What is the term used for an information system that links, schedules, dispatches, tracks, monitors, and controls customer encounters with a service organization?

Answer 3

Service Execution System (SES) is the term used for an information system that links, schedules, dispatches, tracks, monitors and controls customer encounters with a service organization.
In case of manufacturing organization, same procedural system is used which is known as Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

Question 4

This is the currently used term for a system that schedules, dispatches, tracks, monitors, and controls production.

Question 5

What procedures were followed to keep the appointment system flexible enough to accommodate the emergency cases, and yet be able to keep up with the other patients' appointments?

Question 6

Distinguish between a workcenter, a GT cell, and an assembly line.

Question 7

What do we generally call an area in a business where productive resources are organized and work is completed?

Question 8

This is when work is assigned to workcenters based simply on when it is needed. Resources required to complete the work are not considered.

Question 9

How were the special cases such as latecomers and no-shows handled?

Question 10

What practical considerations are deterrents to using the SOT rule?

Question 11

What type of inventory are we trying to minimize as the result of workcenter scheduling?

Question 12

This is when detailed schedules are constructed that consider setup and run times required for each order.

Question 13

Prepare a schedule starting at 9 a.m. for the following patients of Dr. Schafer:
Johnny Appleseed, a splinter on his left thumb.
Mark Borino, a new patient.
Joyce Chang, a new patient.
Amar Gavhane, 102.5 degree (Fahrenheit) fever.
Sarah Goodsmith, an immunization.
Tonya Johnston, well-baby checkup.
JJ Lopez, a new patient.
Angel Ramirez, well-baby checkup.
Bobby Toolright, recheck on a sprained ankle.
Rebecca White, a new patient.
Doctor Schafer starts work promptly at 9 a.m. and enjoys taking a 15-minute coffee break around 10:15 or 10:30 a.m.
Apply the priority rule that maximizes scheduling efficiency. Indicate whether or not you see an exception to this priority rule that might arise. Round up any times listed in the case study (e.g., if the case study stipulates 5 or 10 minutes, then assume 10 minutes for the sake of this problem).

Question 14

What priority rule do you use in scheduling your study time for midterm examinations? If you have five exams to study for, how many alternative schedules exist?

Question 15

A key part of workcenter scheduling is job sequencing-deciding in what order jobs are scheduled to start/complete. What is the term for the simple rules used to aid this process using a single piece of data about the jobs?

Question 16

This is when work is scheduled from a point in time and out into the future, in essence telling the earliest the work can be completed.

Question 17

The SOT rule provides an optimal solution in a number of evaluation criteria. Should the manager of a bank use the SOT rule as a priority rule? Why?

Question 18

The following table gives the operation times and due dates for five jobs that are to be processed on a machine. Assign the jobs according to the shortest operation time and calculate the mean flow time.

Question 19

This is when work is scheduled in reverse from a future due date, to tell the time original work must be started.

Question 20

Why does batching cause so much trouble in workcenters?

Question 21

The MediQuick lab has three lab technicians available to process blood samples and three jobs that need to be assigned. Each technician can do only one job. The table below represents the lab's estimate (in dollars) of what it will cost for each job to be completed. Assign the technicians to the jobs to minimize costs.

Question 22

If we were to coin the phrase "dual constrained" relative to the resources being scheduled, we would probably be referring to what two resources?

Question 23

What job characteristics would lead you to schedule jobs according to "longest processing time first"?

Question 24

Christine has three cars that must be overhauled by her ace mechanic, Megan. Given the following data about the cars, use least slack per remaining operation to determine Megan's scheduling priority for each:

Question 25

For a single machine scheduling problem, what priority rule guarantees that the average (mean) flow time is minimized?

Question 26

Why is managing bottlenecks so important in workcenter scheduling?

Question 27

The following list of jobs in a critical department includes estimates of their required times:

a. Use the shortest operation time rule to schedule these jobs.
What is the schedule?
What is the mean flow time?
b. The boss does not like the schedule in part ( a ). Jobs E and G must be done first, for obvious reasons. (They are already late.) Reschedule and do the best you can while scheduling Jobs E and G first and second, respectively.
What is the new schedule?
What is the new mean flow time?

Question 28

Consider the following three jobs that need to be run on two machines in sequence: A(3 1), B(2 2), and C(1 3), where the run times on the first and second machine are given in parenthesis. In what order should the jobs be run to minimize the total time to complete all three jobs?

Question 29

Under what conditions is the assignment method appropriate?

Question 30

A manufacturing facility has five jobs to be scheduled into production. The following table gives the processing times plus the necessary wait times and other necessary delays for each of the jobs. Assume that today is April 3, that the facility will work every day between now and the due dates, and the jobs are due on the dates shown:

Determine two schedules, stating the order in which the jobs are to be done. Use the critical ratio priority rule for one. You may use any other rule for the second schedule as long as you state what it is.

Question 31

According to APICS, this is a system for utilizing data from the shop as well as data processing files to maintain and communicate status information on shop orders and workcenters.

Question 32

The chapter discusses the use of Gantt charts in shop floor control. You were introduced to Gantt charts in Chapter 4, "Project Management." Projects and workcenter processes are rather different in nature. Why is it that the same tool can be used in both projects and workcenters?

Question 33

The following table contains information regarding jobs that are to be scheduled through one machine:

a. What is the first-come, first-served (FCFS) schedule?
b. What is the shortest operating time (SOT) schedule?
c. What is the slack time remaining (STR) schedule?
d. What is the earliest due date (EDD) schedule?
e. What are the mean flow times for each of the schedules above?

Question 34

A resource that limits the output of a process by limiting capacity is called this.

Question 35

Why is it desired to have smooth, continuous flow on the shop floor?

Question 36

Bill Edstrom, managing partner at a biomedical consulting firm, has requested your expert advice in devising the best schedule for the following consulting projects, starting on February 2.

The consulting firm charges a flat rate of $4,000 per day. All four firms impose fines for lateness. Reardon Biotech charges a $500-per-day fi ne for each day that the completion of the consulting work is past the due date; Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and OSI Pharmaceuticals all charge a fine of $1,500 per day for each day late.
Prepare alternative schedules based on the following priority rules: SOT, FCFS, EDD, STR, and another rule-longest processing time (LPT), which orders jobs according to longest assigned first, second longest assigned second, and so on. For the sake of simplicity, assume that consulting work is performed seven days a week. Which rule provides Bill with the best schedule? Why?

Question 37

Data integrity is a big deal in industry. Why?

Question 38

Seven jobs must be processed in two operations: A and B. All seven jobs must go through A and B in that sequence-A first, then B. Determine the optimal order (shortest flow time to complete all the jobs) in which the jobs should be sequenced through the process using these times:

Question 39

Explain why scheduling personnel in a service operation can be challenging.

Question 40

Jobs A, B, C, D, and E must go through Processes I and II in that sequence (Process I first, then Process II). Use Johnson's rule to determine the optimal sequence in which to schedule the jobs to minimize the total required time.

Question 41

How might planning for a special customer affect the personnel schedule in a service?

Question 42

Joe is the production scheduler in a brand-new custom refinishing auto service shop located near the border. This system is capable of handling 10 cars per day. The sequence is customizing first, followed by repainting.

In what sequence should Joe schedule the cars to minimize the time needed to complete all the cars?

Question 43

Schedule the following six jobs through two machines in sequence to minimize the flow time using Johnson's rule:

Question 44

The following matrix shows the costs in thousands of dollars for assigning Individuals A, B, C, and D to Jobs 1, 2, 3, and 4. Solve the problem showing your final assignments in order to minimize cost. Assume that each job will be assigned to one individual.

Question 45

In a workcenter, six machinists were uniquely qualified to operate any one of the five machines in the shop. The workcenter had considerable backlog, and all five machines were kept busy at all times. The one machinist not operating a machine was usually occupied doing clerical or routine maintenance work. Given the value schedule below for each machinist on each of the five machines, develop the optimal assignments. Assume only one machinist will be assigned to each machine. ( Hint: Add a dummy column with zero cost values, and solve using the assignment method.)

Question 46

Joe has achieved a position of some power in the institution in which he currently resides and works. In fact, things have gone so well that he has decided to divide the day-to-day operations of his business activities among four trusted subordinates: Big Bob, Dirty Dave, Baby Face Nick, and Tricky Dick. The question is how he should do this in order to take advantage of his associates' unique skills and to minimize the costs from running all areas for the next year. The following matrix summarizes the costs that arise under each possible combination of men and areas:

Question 47

The following matrix contains the costs (in dollars) associated with assigning Jobs A, B, C, D, and E to Machines 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Assign jobs to machines to minimize costs.

Question 48

What is another common term for shop-floor control?

Question 49

Which graphical tool commonly used in project management is also very useful in shop-floor control?

Question 50

What shop-floor control document tells the supervisor which jobs are to be run, in what order, and how long each will take?

Question 51

What feature of manufacturing planning and control systems operates under the premise that the planned work input to a workcenter should never exceed the planned work output?

Question 52

A hotel has to schedule its receptionists according to hourly loads. Management has identified the number of receptionists needed to meet the hourly requirement, which changes from day to day. Assume each receptionist works a four-hour shift. Given the following staffing requirement in a certain day, use the first-hour principle to find the personnel schedule:

Question 53

The following wait staff members are needed at a restaurant. Use the first-hour principle to generate a personnel schedule. Assume a four-hour shift.

Question 54

Which simple scheduling concept can be applied to help schedule workers for a service operation with changing staffing requirements throughout the day?