Question 1
A factory has 3 production lines: Line 1, Line 2, Line 3. Three products require the following operations:
**Product X:**
- Cut: 30 min on Line 1
- Assemble: 45 min on Line 3
- Package: 15 min on Line 3
**Product Y:**
- Cut: 20 min on Line 1
- Assemble: 60 min on Line 2
- Package: 20 min on Line 1
**Product Z:**
- Cut: 40 min on Line 1
- Assemble: 30 min on Line 1
- Package: 25 min on Line 1
All products must be completed (all 3 operations each). Multiple operations can run in parallel on different lines. Which production line is the bottleneck, and what is its total load (in minutes)?
Step-by-step solution (Bottleneck Analysis):
1. Calculate total load per production line:
- Line 1: 165 minutes
- Line 2: 60 minutes
- Line 3: 60 minutes
2. Identify bottleneck: The line with maximum load = Line 1
3. Bottleneck load: 165 minutes
Answer: Line 1 (165 minutes)
Key Strategy: The bottleneck determines maximum throughput; optimize the bottleneck first for overall efficiency.
1. Calculate total load per production line:
- Line 1: 165 minutes
- Line 2: 60 minutes
- Line 3: 60 minutes
2. Identify bottleneck: The line with maximum load = Line 1
3. Bottleneck load: 165 minutes
Answer: Line 1 (165 minutes)
Key Strategy: The bottleneck determines maximum throughput; optimize the bottleneck first for overall efficiency.