Capacity Analysis and Resource Utilization

1. Bottleneck of a processing line

1 point possible (ungraded)
In any processing line with unlimited resources and unlimited demand, what is the
utilization of the bottleneck station?

75%
50%
10%
100%
0%

2. Resource utilization
1 point possible (ungraded)
According to the lecture, how do we the calculate resource utilization?

Utilization = Flow rate * Resource capacity

Utilization = Resource capacity/Flow rate
Utilization = Flow rate/Resource capacity

3. Flow rate
2 points possible (ungraded)
In a processing line we have a process capacity of 10 units/hour and a demand rate
of 8 units/hour. Which one do we use as the flow rate when calculating the utilization
of a processs in this line?

Process capacity
Demand rate
When calculating the utilization of a process in a processing line, under which
circumstances can the process capacity be used as flow rate? (Choose one answer
only.)

When the demand rate is lower than the process capacity.

Process capacity is never used as flow rate.
When the demand rate is higher than the process capacity.
Process capacity is always used as flow rate.

4. Mirror Production
4 points possible (ungraded)
In a processing center, there is a worker-paced line for creating mirrors from plain
panes of glass. It contains 4 steps: First, the glass has to be cut into the requested
shape. Then it is soaked in a silver-nitrate solution, where the actual transformation
into a mirror happens. The pane then has to dry and is finally packed up for further
transport.

The processing times are:

Cut: 8 min/pane
Soak: 6 min/pane
Dry: 10 min/pane
Pack: 5 min/pane

Please answer the questions below. (Note: We assume unlimited resources and
unlimited demand)

Note- Before you start, it is helpful to make yourself a table listing the resources and
the processing times and the capacities for each.

What is the flow unit in this case?

All the raw material

A glass pane
A pack of glass panes
A worker

What is the capacity of the SOAK process in panes/hour? (BE CAREFUL: The
capacity is in panes/hour, and the processing times are in minutes. 60 min = 1 hour)

6 panes/hour
1/6 panes/hour
10 panes/hour
1 panes/hour

What is the process capacity in this example? (Hint: the process capacity is equal to
the bottleneck capacity, since we have unlimited input and unlimited demand)

6 panes/hour
7.5 panes/hour
10 panes/hour
12 panes/hour
Find the resource utilization of the PACK process.

80%
50%
60%
100%