An electronics firm produces electronic components, which it supplies to various electrical

manufacturers. Quality control records indicate that different employees produce different numbers of
defective items. The average number of defects produced by each employee for each of six
components is given in the following table:
Component Employee
A B C D E F
1 30 24 16 26 30 22
2 22 28 14 30 20 13
3 18 16 25 14 12 22
4 14 22 18 23 21 30
5 25 18 14 16 16 28
6 32 14 10 14 18 20
Determine the optimal assignment that will minimize the total average number of defects
produced by the firm per month.
Minimize Z = 30xA1 + 22xA2 + 18xA3 + 14xA4 + 25xA5 + 32xA6 + 24xB1 + 28xB2 +16xB3 + 22xB4 + 18xB5 +
14xB6 +16xC1 + 14xC2 + 25xC3 + 18xC4 + 14xC5 + 10xC6 + 26xD1 + 30xD2 + 14xD3 + 23xD4 + 16xD5 + 14xD6 +
30xE1 + 20xE2 + 12xE3 + 21xE4 + 16xE5 + 18xE6 + 22xF1 + 13xF2 + 22xF3 + 30xF4 + 28xF5 + 20xF6
Subject to:
xA1 + xB1 + xC1 + xD1 + xE1 + xF1 = 1
xA2 + xB2 + xC2 + xD2 + xE2 + xF2 = 1
xA3 + xB3 + xC3 + xD3 + xE3 + xF3 = 1
xA4 + xB4 + xC4 + xD4 + xE4 + xF4 = 1
xA5 + xB5 + xC5 + xD5 + xE5 + xF5 = 1
xA6 + xB6 + xC6 + xD6 + xE6 + xF6 = 1
xA1 + xA2 + xA3 + xA4 + xA5 + xA6 = 1
xB1 + xB2 + xB3 + xB4 + xB5 + xB6 = 1
xC1 + xC2 + xC3 + xC4 + xC5 + xC6 = 1
xD1 + xD2 + xD3 + xD4 + xD5 + xD6 = 1
xE1 + xE2 + xE3 + xE4 + xE5 + xE6 = 1
xF1 + xF2 + xF3 + xF4 + xF5 + xF6 = 1
xij ≥ 0
 Results:
1–C
2–F
3–E
4–A
5–D
6–B
Z = 85 defects

Component 1 will be assigned to Employee C; Component 2 to Employee F; Component 3 to

Employee E; Component 4 to Employee A; Component 5 to Employee D; Component 6 to Employee
B. 85 defects is the optimal assignment that will minimize the total average number of defects
produced by the firm per month.