Consider a workstation with $11$ machines $($in parallel$),$ each requiring one hour of process time per job with c$2=5.$ Each machine costs $$10,000.$ Orders for jobs arrive at a rate of $10$

e

per hour with c$2=1$ and must be filled. Management has specified a maximum allowable a

average response time $($i$.$e$.,$ time a job spends at the station$)$ of $2$ hours. Currently it is just over $3$ hours $($check it$).$

Analyze the following options for reducing average response time.

$($a$)$ Perform more preventive maintenance so that mr and m f are reduced, but mr $/$m f

remains the same. This costs $$8,000$ and does not improve the average process time

but does reduce ce$2$ to one.

$($b$)$ Addanothermachinetotheworkstationatacostof$$10,000.$Thenewmachineis

identical to existing machines, so t $=1$ and c$2=5.$ ee

$($c$)$ ModifytheexistingmachinestomakethemfasterwithoutchangingtheSCV,atacost of $$8,500.$ The modified machines would have t $=0\mathrm{.}96$ and c$2=5.$

What is the best option?