CHAPTER 9

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

4. (a) The advantages of a product layout are:

n The use of special purpose equipment can make the overall process more efficient
n Individual workloads can usually be made to be relatively equivalent
n It usually results in low variable cost per unit
n It tends to keep material handling costs relatively low
n It reduces work-in-process inventories
n It makes training and supervision easier than with other layout strategies
(b) The disadvantages are:
n High volume is required because of the large investment needed to set-up the process
n Work stoppage at any point ties up the whole operation
n There is a lack of flexibility in handling a variety of products or production rates

5. (a) The advantages of a process layout are:

n It can simultaneously handle a wide variety of products or services, especially in terms
of “batches” or “job lots”
n It has considerable flexibility with respect to equipment and labor assignments
(b) The disadvantages of a process layout are:
n The use of general purpose rather than special purpose equipment tends to make the
overall process somewhat less efficient
n Orders take more time and money to move through the system because of the difficult
scheduling, setting up the process for a wide variety of orders, and considerable
material handling
n Labor skill requirements tend to be high because of the use of general purpose
equipment
n Work-in-process inventories tend to be high

6. The advantages of work cells are:

n Reduction in work-in-process inventory
n Reduction in required floor space
n Reduced raw material and finished goods inventory
n Reduced direct labor cost
n Heightened sense of employee participation
n Increased utilization of equipment and machinery
n Reduced investment in machinery and equipment
The disadvantages are:
n Similar to a product layout
n High volume is required because of the large investment needed to set-up the process
n There is a lack of flexibility in handling a variety of products or production rates
n Requires the use of group technology
n Requires a high level of training and flexibility on the part of employees
n Either considerable staff support or imaginative employees are needed for the initial
development of the work cells

17. A heuristic is a “rule of thumb” method of problem solving. Line balancing heuristics include:
longest task time, most following tasks, ranked positional weights, shortest task time, and least
number of following tasks.

END-OF-CHAPTER PROBLEMS

9.1 Interstation Activity Matrix

Pickup Pickup Verification

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 1

 Paperwork Advising Class of Status
and Forms Station Cards and Payment
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Paperwork/Forms (A) 0 450 550 50
Advising (B) 250 0 200 0
Class Cards (C) 0 0 0 750
Verification/Payment (D) 0 0 0 0

Interstation Distance Matrix-Original Layout

Pickup Pickup Verification
Paperwork Advising Class of Status
and Forms Station Cards and Payment
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Paperwork/Forms (A) 0 30 60 90
Advising (B) 30 0 30 60
Class Cards (C) 60 30 0 30
Verification/Payment (D) 90 60 30 0

Load ´ Distance
A  B: 450 ´ 30  13,500
A  C: 550 ´ 60  33,000
A  D: 50 ´ 90  4,500
B  A: 250 ´ 30  7,500
B  C: 200 ´ 30  6,000
C  D: 750 ´ 30  22,500
87,000

Initial layout:

A B C D

2 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 Interstation Distance Matrix-Improved Layout
Pickup Pickup Verification
Paperwork Advising Class of Status
and Forms Station Cards and Payment
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Paperwork/Forms (A) 0 30 30 60
Advising (B) 30 0 60 90
Class Cards (C) 30 60 0 30
Verification/Payment (D) 60 90 30 0

Load ´ Distance
A  B : EMBED 13,500
Equation
450 ´ 30 
A  C : EMBED 16,500
Equation
550 ´ 30 
A  D: EMBED 3,000
Equation
50 ´ 60 
B  A : EMBED 7,500
Equation
250 ´ 30 
B  C: EMBED 12,000
Equation
200 ´ 60 
C  D : EMBED 22,500
Equation
750 ´ 30 
75,000

Improved layout:

B A C D

9.2 This matrix includes movements in both directions:

M W D L G B
M – 125 75 0 50 60
W – 0 75 0 0
D – 0 150 20
L – 20 0
G – 0
B –

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 3

 Here are two optimal layouts:

Room 1 Room 2 Room 3

B M W

D G L

Room 4 Room 5 Room 6

or

Room 1 Room 2 Room 3

W M B

L G D

Room 4 Room 5 Room 6

Movement-Distance Calculations
M  W : 125 ´ 20  2,500
M  D: 75 ´ 40  3,000
M  G: 50 ´ 20  1,000
M  B: 60 ´ 20  1,200
W  L: 75 ´ 20  1,500
D  G : 150 ´ 20  3,000
D  B: 20 ´ 20  400
L  G: 20 ´ 20  400
13,000 = Minimum distance movement for both (symmetrical
layouts)

9.3 Current layout:

Entrance 1 Exam I 2 Exam II 3 X-ray 4

Lab, EKG 5 O.R. 6 R.R. 7 Casts 8

Patient movement = 6,700 feet

4 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 Improved layout:

Entrance 1 Exam I 2 Lab, EKG 5 O.R. 6

Exam II 3 X-ray 4 R.R. 7 Casts 8

Patient movement = 4,800 feet (shown in Figure 9.17 of text)

Improved layout:

Entrance 1 Exam I 2 Lab, EKG 5 O.R. 6

Exam II 3 X-ray 4 Casts 8 R.R. 7

Patient movement = 4,700 feet

More improved layout (with Exam rooms swapped):

Entrance 1 Exam II 3 Lab, EKG 5 O.R. 6

Exam I 2 X-ray 4 Casts 8 R.R. 7

Patient movement = 4,500 feet

Note that this final solution reflects “common sense,” or the result of one’s intuition. We
simply allocate the spaces in the order in which the tasks are usually performed. We usually start at
the “entrance,” proceed to an examination room; from the examination room, proceed for either x-
rays or lab tests, then (a) leave the facility, (b) go to get a cast put on, or (c) go for surgery.

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 5

9.4 Layout 1:

Refrig. Counter Sink Storage Stove

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Trip Matrix Distance Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 0 8 13 0 0 1 0 4 8 12 16
2 5 0 3 3 8 2 4 0 4 8 12
3 3 12 0 4 0 3 8 4 0 4 8
4 3 0 0 0 5 4 12 8 4 0 4
5 0 8 4 10 0 5 16 12 8 4 0

  Tij ´ Dij  600 with rooms fixed (504, if not fixed; 560, if the sink is fixed in one location)
Layout 2:

Sink Storage
(3) (4)

Refrig. Counter Stove

(1) (2) (5)

Trip Matrix Distance Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 0 8 13 0 0 1 0 7 8 12 14
2 5 0 3 3 8 2 7 0 5 6 7
3 3 12 0 4 0 3 8 5 0 4 9
4 3 0 0 0 5 4 12 6 4 0 6
5 0 8 4 10 0 5 14 7 9 6 0

  Tij ´ Dij  602 (if rooms are fixed; 566 if not; and 595 if sink is fixed at one location)
9.5 Layout 3:

Refrig. Counter Sink

(1) (2) (3)

Storage
(4)

Stove
(5)

Trip Matrix Distance Matrix

6 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 0 8 13 0 0 1 0 4 8 12 14
2 5 0 3 3 8 2 4 0 4 8 10
3 3 12 0 4 0 3 8 4 0 3 8
4 3 0 0 0 5 4 12 8 3 0 4
5 0 8 4 10 0 5 14 10 8 4 0

  Tij ´ Dij  564 (if rooms are fixed; 474 if unfixed)

9.6 (a) Layout 4:

Counter Sink Storage

(2) (3) (4)

Refrig. Stove
(1) (5)

Trip Matrix Distance Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 0 8 13 0 0 1 0 5 8 11 13
2 5 0 3 3 8 2 5 0 4 8 11
3 3 12 0 4 0 3 8 4 0 4 8
4 3 0 0 0 5 4 11 8 4 0 5
5 0 8 4 10 0 5 13 11 8 5 0

  Tij ´ Dij  609

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 7

 (b) Layout 5

Trip Matrix Distance Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
ref-1 0 8 13 0 0 ref-1 0 4 12 12 4
coun-2 5 0 3 3 8 coun-2 4 0 3 4 4
sink-3 3 12 0 4 0 sink-3 12 3 0 4 4
stor-4 3 0 0 0 5 stor-4 12 4 4 0 3
stov-5 0 8 4 10 0 stov-5 4 4 4 3 0

  Tij ´ Dij  478

Solution: Refrig in Room 3 (where sink was); Counter in Room 4 (where storage was); Sink
in Room 2 (where counter was); Storage in Room 1 (where Refrig was); Stove in Room 5 (no
change)

9.7 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task
A 1 —
B 1 —
C 4 A, B
D 1 B, C
E 2 D
F 4 E
13

400 minutes
(b) Cycle time   5 minutes unit
80 units
(c) Minimum number of stations 
 ti  13  2.6  3 stations
CT 5

(a) & Station 2 Station 4

(d)
(1) (1) (2) (4)
B D E F

Station 3
(1) (4)
A C
Station 1

13 minutes
(e) Efficiency   0.65  65%
4 stations ´ 5 minutes

Multiple layouts are possible.

8 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

9.8 Performance Time Task Must Follow
Task (in minutes) This Task
A 4 —
B 7 —
C 6 A, B
D 5 C
E 6 D
F 7 E
G 8 E
H 6 F, G
49

480 minutes
Cycle time   9.6 minutes
50 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti  49  51 .  6 stations
cycle time 9.6

Station 2
(7)
B

Station 1 Station 4 Station 5 Station 7 Station 8

(4) (5) (6) (7) (6)
A D E F H

(6) (8)
C G
Station 3 Station 6

49 minutes
Efficiency   0.638
8 stations ´ 9.6 minutes*

or

Efficiency = 63.8%
* Longest operation time

9.9 (a)
A B C E

D F

G H

(b) There are multiple alternatives. Here is one that does not violate any procedures.

Station Tasks
1 A, D

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 9

 2 B, G
3 C, F
4 H, E

(c) Each alternative has an overall efficiency of 92.5%.

9.10 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task
A 1 —
B 3 A
C 2 B
D 4 B
E 1 C, D
F 3 A
G 2 F
H 5 G
I 1 E, H
J 3 I
25

400 minutes
Cycle time   6.67 minutes unit
60 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti  25  3.75 or 4 workstations
cycle time 6.67

Note: Four stations with a 7-minute cycle time is possible. However, efficiency becomes

25
 89.3%
4´7

and production drops to 57 from the required 60 units. One five-station solution (there are multiple
answers) is:

Station 2 (2)
Station 5
C
(1) (3) (1) (1) (3)
A B E I J

(4)
D Station 3

(3) (2) (5)

Station 1
F G H

Station 4

Theoretical:

25 minutes
Efficiency   0.749  75%
5 stations ´ 6.67 minutes

10 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 Actual:

25 minutes
Efficiency   0.837  84%
5 stations ´ 6.00 minutes

9.11 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task
A 1 —
B 1 A
C 2 A
D 1 C
E 3 C
F 1 C
G 1 D, E, F
H 2 B
I 1 G, H
13

(1) Station 3 (2)

B H
(1)
A (1)
(1)
I
D
(2)
C
Station 2
(3) (1)
Station 1
E G

Station 5
(1)
F
Station 4

13 minutes
Efficiency   0.78
5 stations ´ 3.33 minutes

or Efficiency = 78%. Multiple layouts with this efficiency exist.

9.12 (a) Resolving Problem 9.11 with a production time of 300 minutes per day:

300 minutes
Cycle time   5 minutes unit
60 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti  13  2.6 or 3 workstations
cycle time 5

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 11

 (1) (2)
B H
(1)
A (1)
(1)
I
D
(2)
C
(3) (1)
Station 1
E G
Station 2
Station 3

(1)
F

13 minutes
Efficiency   0.867
3 stations ´ 5 minutes

or Efficiency = 86.7%. Multiple layouts with this efficiency exist.

(b) Resolving Problem 9.11 with a production time of 400 minutes per day:

400 minutes
Cycle time   6.67 minutes unit
60 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti  13  195 . or 2 workstations
cycle time 6.675

(1) (2)
B H
(1) Station 3
A (1) (1)
D I
(2)
Station 1 C
(3) Station 2 (1)
E G

(1)
F

13 minutes
Efficiency   0.649
3 stations ´ 6.67 minutes

or Efficiency = 64.9%. Multiple layouts with this efficiency exist.

operating time
9.13 Output 
CT
min. cycle time = 3 minutes (Activity E time)
400
output   133.33 or 133
3

9.14 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task

12 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 A 0.1 —
B 0.1 A
C 0.1 B
D 0.2 B
E 0.1 B
F 0.2 C, D, E
G 0.1 A
H 0.1 G
I 0.2 H
J 0.1 I
K 0.2 F
L 0.2 J, K
M 0.1 L
1.8

5 hours ´ 5 days ´ 60 minutes hours 1,500

Cycle time   = 0.5 minutes bottle
3,000 bottles 3,000

Minimum number of stations 

 ti 
18
.
 3.6 or 4 workstations
cycle time 0.5
(0.1) Station 3
E
Station 4
(0.1) (0.1) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.1)
A B D F K L M

(0.1)
(0.1) J
C
(0.2)
I
(0.1) (0.1)
Station 1 G H Station 2

18
. minutes
Efficiency   0.90
0.5 minutes ´ 4 stations

or

Efficiency = 90%

9.15 Resolving Problem 9.14 with double the original demand:

5 hours ´ 5 days ´ 60 minutes

Cycle time   0.25 minutes unit
6,000 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti  18 .
 7.2 or 8 workstations
cycle time 0.25

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 13

 Station 6
(0.1)
E
Station 9
(0.1) (0.1) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.1)
A B D F K L M
Station 1 Station 2 Station 7 Station 8 Station 10
(0.1) Station 5 (0.1)
C J
(0.2)
I
(0.1) (0.1)
Station 4
G H
Station 3

18
. minutes
Efficiency   0.72
0.25 minutes ´ 10 stations

or Efficiency = 72%. Multiple layouts exist with the same efficiency.

9.16 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task
A 5 —
B 3 A
C 4 B
D 3 B
E 6 C
F 1 C
G 4 D, E, F
H 2 G
28

Minimum number of stations 

 ti 
28
 4 workstations
cycle time 7

The work activities may be grouped, however, into no fewer than five workstations without
violating precedence requirements.

(4) (6)
C E
Station 4
Station 1
(5) (3) (1) (4) (2)
A B Station 3 F G H

Station 5
(3)
D
Station 2

14 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management

 28 28
Efficiency    0.80
5 ´ 7 35

or

Efficiency = 80%

Several other balances are also possible. One of them is to place A alone, tasks B and C together, D
and F together, E by itself, and G and H together.

9.17 Performance Time Task Must Follow

Task (in minutes) This Task
A 13 —
B 4 A
C 10 B
D 10 —
E 6 D
F 12 E
G 5 E
H 6 F, G
I 7 H
J 5 H
K 4 I, J
L 15 C, K
97

25,200 seconds
Cycle time   18 seconds unit
1,400 units

Minimum number of stations 

 ti 
97
 5.4 or 6 workstations
cycle time 18

Station 1 Station 6
(13) (4) (10) (15)
A B C L

(12) Station 4 (7)

F I

Station 2
(10) (6) (6) (4)
D E Station 3 H Station 5 K

(5) (5)
G J

Total idle time  11 seconds

97 seconds
Efficiency   0.898
6 stations ´ 18 seconds

Chapter 9: Layout Strategy 15

 or

Efficiency  89.8%

9.18 There are three alternatives:

Station Alternative 1 Tasks Alternative 2 Tasks Alternative 3 Tasks

1 A, B, F A, B A, F, G
2 C, D C, D H, B
3 E F, G C, D
4 G, H E E
5 I H, I I

Each alternative has an efficiency of 86.67%.

OT 480
CT  implies 3  , so output  160
Demand output

16 Instructor’s Solutions Manual t/a Operations Management