bozhan_tif_ch07
Chapter 7 Process Choice and Layout Decisions in Manufacturing and Services TRUE/FALSE
1.No manufacturing process can be best at everything.
Answer: True
Reference: Introduction
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: manufacturing, process
2. A product-based layout arranges resources sequentially according to the steps required to
make a product.
Answer: True
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: product, layout, product-based
3.Cycle time is the sum of all of the task times.
Answer: False
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: product, layout, cycle, time
AACSB: Analytic Skills
4. A job shop manufacturing process is better suited to make a variety of products than a
continuous flow process.
Answer: True
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: continuous, job shop, process
5. A batch process is less flexible than an assembly line and less efficient that a job shop.
Answer: False
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: batch, process, assembly line, job shop
6. A cellular layout is another name for a functional layout.
Answer: False
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: cellular, cell, functional, layout
7. A customer service function at an insurance firm that handles claims based on the first letter
of the customer’s last name is an example of applying group technology to a service
operation.
Answer: False
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: cellular, cell, group technology
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
8.The product-process matrix illustrates that low volume, one-of-a-kind products are ideally
suited to a job shop process.
Answer: True
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: product, process, layout, job shop
9.Make-to-stock products are probably produced using a production line.
Answer: True
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: make-to-stock, MTS, customization, production line
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
10.Products that use standard components, but the final configuration of those components is
customer-specific are called make-to-order products.
Answer: True
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: make-to-order, MTO, customization
11.Activities that take place prior to the point of customization are called upstream activities.
Answer: True
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: customization, upstream
12.According to the law of variability, converting from an assemble-to-order to a make-to-order
production process should increase productivity of the manufacturing processes.
Answer: False
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: assemble, make, order, variability, law of variability, productivity
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
13.In a service process, the greater the emphasis on intangible activities is the more critical is the
training and retention of skilled employees and the development and maintenance of the firm’s knowledge assets.
Answer: True
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, process, intangible
14.As the degree of service customization decreases, managers have more opportunity to focus
on cost and productivity.
Answer: True
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, process, customization
15.The back room refers to the part of the service process where the customer is not visible to
the other customers waiting for service.
Answer: False
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, processes, back, room, back room
16.The three dimensions of service positioning are the service package, the degree of
customization and the amount of customer contact.
Answer: True
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, process, package, customization, contact
17.Takt time is the upper limit on the elapsed time between completions of successive items on a
production line.
Answer: True
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: takt, cycle, time
AACSB: Analytic Skills
18.A manager deciding where 6 departments could be located in a six room office building has
over 500 possible arrangements.
Answer: True
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: functional, layout, location
AACSB: Analytic Skills
MULTIPLE CHOICE
19.A manufacturing process decision affects:
a.the type of workforce needed.
b.the type of equipment needed.
c.the type of products that can be made.
d.All of the above are correct.
Answer: d
Reference: Introduction
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: manufacturing, process, decision, workforce, equipment, product
20.Highly automated batch processes that can reduce the cost of making similar groups of
products are:
a.functional layouts.
b.flexible manufacturing systems.
c.make-to-stock.
d.adjacent processes.
Answer: b
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: batch, processes, FMS, flexible, manufacturing
21.The time between completions of successive units on a production line is called:
a.cycle time.
b.takt time.
c.elapsed time.
d.work tim
e.
Answer: a
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: production line, cycle
22.An advantage of a production line process is:
a.the volume of output needed to justify the investment.
b.the degree of flexibility of the process.
c.the per unit cost of items produced on the line.
d.the range of output typically produced on such a process.
Answer: c
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: production line, cost, flexibility
23.The manufacturing process used to make a wide variety of highly customized products in
quantities as small as one is a:
a.production line.
b.continuous flow process.
c.job shop.
d.fixed position
Answer: c
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: production line, cost, flexibility
24.A sporting apparel manufacturer that produces t-shirts to commemorate significant athletic
achievements for proud students and alumni probably uses:
a. a fixed position layout.
b.batch manufacturing.
c. a continuous flow process.
d. a production lin
e.
Answer: b
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: production line, cost, flexibility
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
25.Products that are customized only at the very end of the manufacturing process are known as:
a.make-to-stock.
b.assemble-to-order.
c.make-to-order.
d.engineer-to-order.
Answer: b
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: assemble-to-order, order, finish, ATO
26.Products that use standard components but the final configuration of those components is
customer-specific are known as:
a.make-to-stock.
b.assemble-to-order.
c.make-to-order.
d.engineer-to-order.
Answer: c
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: make-to-order, order, make, MTO
27.Assemble-to-order occurs upstream from:
a.design.
b.material sourcing.
c.fabrication.
d.finishing.
Answer: d
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: assemble-to-order, order, assemble, ATO, finishing
28.The greater the emphasis on intangible activities, the more management’s attention will be
directed to:
a.buildings and property.
b.training employees.
c.truck fleets.
d.material costs.
Answer: b
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: intangible, service
29.The point where the customer interfaces directly with the service organization is:
a.the front room.
b.the back room.
c.onstage.
d.the floor.
Answer: a
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: front, room, customer, service
30.A legal service in a corporate acquisition probably scores:
a.low on customization and high on physical activities.
b.high on customer contact and low on intangible activities.
c.high on customization and high on intangible activities.
d.low on customer contact and low on intangible activities.
Answer: c
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, process, positioning, customization, intangible
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
31.Champion Cooling has just signed a contract to assemble window air conditioners for another
company. The list of tasks, including time requirements and immediate predecessors, follows.
Initially, the plan was to make 300 units in an eight hour day but as the summer months
approach, Champion Cooling finds themselves far behind in total production. They wish to reconfigure their production line in order to produce maximum output. What should their
b. 6
c.7
d.10
Answer: d
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: line balance, takt, time
AACSB: Analytic Skills
32.The process design team at a manufacturer has broken an assembly process into eight basic
steps, each with a required time, and predecessor as shown in the table. They work a 7 hour
b.65 seconds
c.52 seconds
d.25 seconds
Answer: a
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: line, balance, takt, time
AACSB: Analytic Skills
33.The process design team at a manufacturer has broken an assembly process into eight basic
steps, each with a required time, and predecessor as shown in the table. There are 8
productive hours available in a day and the manufacturer wishes to produce 400 units. What
b.three stations
c.four stations
d.five stations
Answer: d
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: line, balance, station
AACSB: Analytic Skills
34.The process design team at a manufacturer has broken an assembly process into eight basic
steps, each with a required time, and predecessor as shown in the table. There are 7.5
productive hours available in a day and the manufacturer wishes to produce 400 units.
Balance the line by assigning tasks to workstations to fill up as much takt time as possible.
Break ties by assigning the longest task first. What tasks should be assigned at the third
b. D
c.C, E, and G
d. F
Answer: a
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: line, balance, station
AACSB: Analytic Skills
35.The table depicts an assembly line that has been balanced with a takt time of 2 minutes. What
b.10%
c.15%
d.Cannot be determined from the information provided.
Answer: b
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: line, balance, takt, efficiency delay
AACSB: Analytic Skills
36.These three tables show the floor layout of 5 departments in an office building, the average
number of daily trips between each pair of offices, and the distance between each pair of
b.$2300.00
c.$3037.50
d.$4785.50
Answer: c
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: functional, layout, distance
AACSB: Analytic Skills
FILL IN THE BLANK
37.A(n) __________ is a highly automated batch process that can reduce the cost of making
groups of similar products.
Answer: flexible manufacturing system, FMS
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: flexible, manufacturing, system, FMS
38.__________ gets its name from the fact that items are moved through the different
manufacturing steps in groups.
Answer: Batch manufacturing
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: batch, manufacturing, process
39.A cellular layout is essentially the opposite of a(n) __________ layout.
Answer: functional
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: cellular, layout, functional
40.The product process matrix uses a scale of __________ and __________.
Answer: volume, standardization
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: product, process, matrix
41.__________ products involve no customization but __________ products are completely
customized.
Answer: Make-to-stock, engineer-to-order
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: engineer, make, order, stock
42.__________ are products that are customized only at the very end of the manufacturing
process.
Answer: Assemble-to-order
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: assemble-to-order, ATO
43.According to the law of variability, the __________ the random variability either demanded
of the process or inherent in the process itself or in the items processed, the __________ productive the process is.
Answer: greater, less; lower, more
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: law, variability, productivity
44.The __________ includes all value-added physical and intangible activities that a service
organization provides to the customer.
Answer: service package
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: service package, intangible, value-added
45.As the degree of customer contact decreases, more of the service package is provided by the
__________.
Answer: back room
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service, back room, back, room
46.The maximum allowable cycle time for a production line is the __________.
Answer: takt time
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: layout, cycle, takt, time
ESSAY
47.Why are process decisions important?
Answer: Process decisions are important because they tend to be expensive and far-
reaching. A process choice dictates the type and size of the workforce and the type of
equipment that is needed. Different processes have different strengths and weaknesses.
Reference: Introduction
Difficulty: Easy
Keywords: process, decision
48. Sketch the product-process matrix and discuss the placement of each process choice.
Answer: The product process matrix relates output volume and degree of customization and shows which process technologies have the greatest chance for success in each combination of volume and customization. A job shop is best suited to make low volumes of highly customized (low standardization) products and a production line is best for generating large volumes of highly standardized products. Positions off of the diagonal represent limited chances of company survival and are generally thought to
Reference: Manufacturing Processes Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: process, product, matrix
P
r
o
c e s s C h o i c
e
49.What is a cellular layout and what are its advantages?
Answer: A cellular layout is a type of layout typically used in group technology settings;
resources are physically arranged according to the dominant flow of activities for the
product family. Group technology is achieved when clusters of machines and or
personnel are dedicated to the production of products (or service of customers) that are
similar. A cellular layout reduces transportation and congestion on the production floor.
Reference: Manufacturing Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: cell, cellular, group technology
50.What are the four levels of customization and at what place does each occur in the supply
chain?
Answer: The four levels ranked from least to greatest customization are make-to-stock,
assemble-to-order, make-to-order, and engineer-to-order. Make-to-stock products have
no customization and are typically produced in large enough volumes to warrant keeping
a finished goods inventory. Assemble-to-order products are customized at the very end of
the manufacturing process. Make-to-order products use standard components, but the
final configuration of those components is customer specific. Engineer-to-order products are designed and produced from the start to meet customer requirements. Engineer-to-
order products are customized upstream from design. Make-to-order products are
customized downstream from material sourcing and upstream from fabrication.
Assemble-to-order products are customized downstream from fabrication and upstream
from assembly. The text indicates that make-to-stock products are customized
downstream from assembly and upstream from distribution, although this customization may be only in the order quantity.
Reference: Product Customization within the Supply Chain
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: product, customization, make, engineer, assemble, stock, order
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
51.Define the term service package and describe management’s focus for each activity.
Answer: A service package includes all the value-added physical and intangible
activities that a service organization provides to the customer. For some service
operations, the primary sources of value are physical (or tangible) activities. In this case, manageme nt’s attention must be directed towards capital expenditures, material costs and other tangible assets. For some service operations, the service package consists primarily of intangible activities. If this is the case, management should focus on training and
retention of skilled employees.
Reference: Service Processes
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: service package, physical, intangible
52. A manufacturer needs to produce 300 coffee pots per 8 hour day. The discrete tasks required
to produce a coffee pot have been identified, timed in seconds, and ordered as indicated in the table. Sketch the precedence diagram and then assign tasks to workstations on the production line to achieve the required level of output. Break ties by assigning the longest task first.
The takt time for 300 units in 8 hours is
8 hr/day 60 min/hr 60 sec/min
takt time 96 sec/unit 300 units
??=
=
100%100%100%75 100%100%84.375%
480IT
Efficiency delay PI TI Efficiency delay ?
?=-=-?
? ??
???
=-= ???
∑ Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: production line, balance, takt, cycle AACSB: Analytic Skills
53. What is the optimal location for these departments in the floor plan depicted if the
transportation cost is $2 per foot and the departments have a daily number of trips between
Answer:
Multiple answers are possible; for example, a mirror image of DBEAC yields an identical {}{}{}{} $22020'4010'6030'8010' 1030'3010'5010' 040'1520' 520' $9800
Total C ost Trips D istance
$2/ft departm ent A $2/ft departm ent B $2/ft departm ent C $2/ft departm ent D =
??=?+?+?+?+?+?+?+?+?+?=
Reference: Layout Decision Models
Difficulty: Difficult
Keywords: process, layout, department, assignment AACSB: Analytic Skills