Operations Management: An Integrated Approach, 5th Edition

Problems

1. Jason Carter works for a producer of soaps that come in packages of 6 each. His job is to fill the packages with soap, and he is expected to process 30 packages an hour. The facility where Jason works uses a kanban production system in which each container holds 5 packages of soap. It takes 20 minutes to receive the packages he needs from the previous workstation. How many kanbans are needed for the filling process?

2. A manufacturer of thermostats uses a kanban system to control the flow of materials. The packaging center processes 10 thermostats an hour and receives completed thermostats every 30 minutes. Containers hold 5 thermostats each.

• (a) How many kanbans are needed for the packaging center?
• (b) If management decides to keep two thermostats as safety stock, how many kanbans will be needed?

A production cell at Canderberry Candle facility operates 5 hours per day and uses a pull method to supply wicks to the assembly line. The wicks are used at a rate of 300 per day. Each container holds 20 wicks and usually waits 20 minutes in the production cell. Management wants a safety stock of 10 percent. How many containers should be used at the Canderberry Candle facility for purposes of pull production?

4. Carlos Gonzales is production manager at an assembly plant that manufactures cordless telephones. The company is planning to install a pull system. The process is being planned to have a usage rate of 50 pieces per hour. Each container is designed to hold 10 pieces. ...