Question 1

Master production scheduling answers the question: Which department is going to do what work?

Accepted Answer

Master production scheduling (MPS) primarily focuses on what is going to be produced, in what quantities, and when, rather than specifying which department will perform the work.

Question 2

Statement A: Bottlenecks are not caused by the mismatching of machinery and people working in job shops.Statement B: Bottlenecks are caused by mismatching process flow rates in the flow shop.Statements A and B are evidently correct and not contradictory.

Accepted Answer

Both statements are discussing different causes of bottlenecks. Statement A is discussing job shops where machinery and people may operate on different schedules causing delays, while statement B is discussing flow shops where certain steps in the process may have slower flow rates causing a backup in production. Therefore, both statements can be correct and not contradictory.

Question 3

In terms of processing times,FIFO is often a random sequence-without regard to SPT.This is true when any length job is as likely to enter the shop first as any other.

Accepted Answer

FIFO (First-In, First-Out) scheduling is a method of sequencing tasks or jobs based on the order in which they were received, with the earliest tasks processed first. If any length job is as likely to enter the shop first as any other, the order in which they are processed will be random and not based on the shortest processing time (SPT). Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 4

Loading assigns work at the facilities and specifies the order in which jobs should be done.

Accepted Answer

Loading refers to the process of assigning jobs to work or production centers in a manufacturing process, but it does not specify the order in which jobs should be done. Sequencing is the process that determines the order of work.

Question 5

Sequencing answers the question: What is the order in which the work will be done?

Accepted Answer

Sequencing is a process of determining the order in which work will be done.

Question 6

Gantt layout charts provide work schedule control and they are a great help in determining the best work sequences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gantt layout charts provide work schedule control...

Question 7

In the V process,work begins upstream at the tributaries and flows downstream to the trunk,encountering various bottlenecks along the way.

Accepted Answer

The V process, also known as the V-model or V-cycle, is a software development methodology where development starts with requirements gathering and design and progresses into implementation, testing, and maintenance. The process flows from left to right, with each step building upon the previous one, culminating in the final product. Therefore, work does flow downstream from the tributaries to the trunk, encountering bottlenecks at various points along the way.

Question 8

The theory of constraints was not developed to deal rationally with bottleneck-based finite production scheduling.

Accepted Answer

The theory of constraints was specifically developed to help identify and manage bottlenecks in production and projects, thereby improving flow and throughput in systems with finite capacity.

Question 9

The final step of production scheduling assigns actual jobs to designated facilities with unambiguous stipulations that they be completed at specific times.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The final step of production scheduling involves assigning actual jobs to specific facilities and setting deadlines for completion.

Question 10

The costs of not making the best possible assignments of a set of jobs to facilities and vice verse are opportunity costs.

Accepted Answer

Opportunity cost is the cost of the next best alternative forgone, and in the case of job assignment to facilities, the cost of not making the best possible assignments would be the opportunity cost.

Question 11

The average amount of time it takes to complete each job in the group is the mean flow time.

Accepted Answer

True. The mean flow time is calculated by dividing the total time spent by all jobs in the group by the number of jobs in the group. It represents the average amount of time it takes for a job to go through the entire process, from start to finish.

Question 12

To reduce wastefulness of queues,the OPT system (optimum production technique,aka optimized production technology,aka the theory of constraints) recommends feeding the bottleneck.

Accepted Answer

The OPT system recommends feeding the bottleneck in order to reduce wastefulness of queues. By doing so, the bottleneck becomes more efficient and the overall production process improves.

Question 13

When sequencing models are used,it is assumed that (tᵢ) includes: 1.job set-up time,2.work processing or operations times,and 3.waiting times.

Accepted Answer

Sequencing models primarily focus on job set-up times and work processing or operations times, but they do not explicitly include waiting times as part of the sequence decision variables. Waiting times result from the sequencing but are not a direct input into the sequencing model.

Question 14

To create standard hours it is not necessary to assume that strict proportionality exists between the productivity rates of the machines.

Accepted Answer

Standard hours are based on the assumption of strict proportionality, meaning that the productivity rates of machines or processes are consistent and predictable, allowing for the calculation of standard times for tasks based on these rates.

Question 15

FIFO is an appealing sequencing policy because it seems to be the fairest rule to follow.Sometimes-to emphasize the fair treatment sense-it is called "first-come,first-serve" (FCFS).

Accepted Answer

The statement is true.

Question 16

Total flow time is the cumulative time required to complete a group of jobs.

Accepted Answer

This is correct. Total flow time is the sum of all the individual job completion times in a group of jobs.

Question 17

Time buffers are the same as stock buffers: They both specify the amount of work that the bottleneck can keep doing if any of its other suppliers are shut off.

Accepted Answer

Time buffers are used in project management to provide extra time to mitigate potential delays, while stock buffers in manufacturing involve keeping extra inventory to ensure production can continue if supply is interrupted. They serve different purposes in managing time and inventory risks, respectively.

Question 18

Profit opportunity cost is the cost of assigning a job to a facility that results in not having the best possible profit.The opportunity cost is the difference between best and actual.

Accepted Answer

Profit opportunity cost is the cost of selecting an option that is not the most profitable. The opportunity cost of this decision is the difference between the actual profit and the maximum profit that could have been achieved. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 19

The bottleneck is the slowest machine in the line.It sets the pace of the process.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The bottleneck machine can limit the productivity of the whole process since it determines the speed at which products are produced or services are provided.

Question 20

Time reserves are maintained by means of the communication links that the managers of finite scheduling call ropes.

Accepted Answer

Time reserves are indeed maintained by means of the communication links that the managers of finite scheduling call ropes. These ropes are used to manage the amount of time allotted to each task in the schedule and to ensure that there is enough time available for unforeseen events or delays. The term "ropes" in this context refers to the metaphorical ropes that are used to tie down a ship in order to keep it secure and steady in rough seas. In the same way, ropes are used in finite scheduling to keep the schedule on track and to prevent it from drifting off course.

Quiz 16: Production Scheduling for Manufacturing and Service Operations