$4$

Case Study Assignment $1-$Facility Layout

X Solar Inc. was established in $2015$ and operates as a medium$-$scale industry in Sydney, Nova Scotia, producing solar panels that are exported to various countries. Details of the current solar panel assembly line are provided in Tables $1$ and $2.$ The assembly line operates for one $8-$hour shift each day, achieving a production rate of $40$ units daily.

Table $1$: Operations, time, and precedence relations

Operation

Time $($sec$)$

Precedence relation

$209$

$211$

$269$

$574$

$1,2,3$

$83$

$1,2,3,4$

$290$

$1,3,4,5$

$226$

$3,4,5,6$

$43$

$3,4,5,6,7$

$74$

$28$

$5$

$81$

$10$

$58$

$10,11$

$1,3,6,7,8$

$40$

$1,3,6,7,8,9$

$69$

$1,3,6,7,8,9,13,14$

$76$

$1,15$

DZD$$uoo

$5$

$1,2$

$241$

$1,17$

$18$

$9$Eg$6$I

$18$

$18,19,20$

$120$

$18,20,21$

$22$

$8$E$/$

$22,23$

$24$

$110$

$16,25$

$26$

Page $3$ of $4$

Workstation

Operation

Time

$1,2,3$

$689$ sec $(11\mathrm{.}48$ min$)$

$4,5$

$657$ sec $(10\mathrm{.}95$ min$)$

$6,7,8,9$

$633$ sec $(10\mathrm{.}55$ min$)$

$10,11,12,13,14,15,16$

$359$ sec $(5\mathrm{.}98$ min$)$

V

$17,18,19$

$265$ sec $(4\mathrm{.}42$ min$)$

$360$ sec $(6$ min$)$

Table $2$: Current Assembly Line

VI

$20,21,22,23,24,25,26$

Draw the precedence diagram for these operations $(1$ point$).$

$$Calculate the cycle time and compare it with the actual cycle time in the current assembly line $(1$ point$).$

$$Calculate the efficiency of the current assembly line $(1$ point$).$

$$The company aims to balance the assembly line and boost efficiency. As an operations manager, you are responsible for balancing this assembly line using the algorithm you have learned in class. Once the line is balanced, you will calculate the efficiency of the production line and determine the percentage change compared to the current line $(5$ points$).$

$$Finally$,$ with the company operating $300$ days per year, you need to calculate the expected annual production for both the current and the balanced assembly lines.

Reflect on the potential impacts of these changes on production efficiency and output $(2$ points$).$