OBJECTIVE$($S$)$ : $1.$ To construct a flow process chart of a process

$2.$ To develop an improved method of the current process

THEORY :

A flow process chart is a device for recording a process in a compact manner, as a means of better understanding and improving it$.$ Details on the chart must be obtained from direct observation. A high standard of neatness and accuracy should be maintained in preparing charts.

PROCEDURE :

Construct a flow process chart $($using the template$)$ for the set of activities given below. Devise an improved method $($and layout, if necessary$)$ and construct the resulting improved flow process chart. In your report, discuss your improvements and the approximate magnitude of the productivity improvement.

PRESENT SCENARIO :

A large mail$-$order catalog company found that there were $23,981$ wrongly addressed customer packages, a number consider excessive. Their objective is to cut down the incidence of wrong addresses on mailing labels and improve upon the process of handling incorrectly addressed packages. The current sequence of work activities with processing times $($in minutes$)$ are:

$1)$ wrongly addressed package remains on delivery truck and returns to delivery office service center $($variable$)$

$2)$ package carried $15$ ft from delivery truck into delivery office service center $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$3)$ await shuttle truck until $25$ packages have collected $(5\mathrm{.}0)$

$4)$ loaded on hand cart $(0\mathrm{.}1)$

$5)$ pushed $20$ ft to shuttle truck $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$6)$ hand cart stationed near shuttle truck while, $(0\mathrm{.}1)$

$7)$ packages individually stacked in shuttle truck $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$8)$ driven $1$ mile to main warehouse and office complex $(3\mathrm{.}0)$

$9)$ shuttle trucked parked at receiving dock $(0\mathrm{.}5)$

$10)$ packages unloaded onto another hand cart sitting on receiving dock $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$11)$ once all packages are unloaded, they are pushed $60$ ft to the freight elevators $(1\mathrm{.}0)$

$12)$ wait for elevator $(1\mathrm{.}0)$

$13)$ push hand cart $8$ ft onto elevator $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$14)$ go to $5$th floor $($where mailing office is located$)(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$15)$ push cart off elevator $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$16)$ roll $50$ ft$.$ to mailing office $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$17)$ await 'special problems' clerk $(3\mathrm{.}0)$

$18)$ a package is individually removed $(0\mathrm{.}1)$

$19)$ address rechecked with telephone book and city directory for obvious wrong address error $($rare$)(1\mathrm{.}5)$

$20)$ address then checked with order form pulled up on computer terminal $(0\mathrm{.}5)$

$21)($if address incorrect on order form, address checked with phone call to credit card company based on the charge authorization$)($variable$)$

$22)$ correct address found, duplicate mailing label made $($and computer records updated$)(1\mathrm{.}0)$

$23)$ package placed on out$-$going hand cart $(0\mathrm{.}1)$

$24)$ await pick$-$up until cart is nominally full $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$25)$ roll $50$ ft$.$ to elevator $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$26)$ await elevator $(0\mathrm{.}5)$

$27)$ pushed onto elevator $(8$ ft$)(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$28)$ go to ground floor $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$29)$ rolled $80$ ft off elevator to dock $(1\mathrm{.}5)$

$30)$ await shuttle truck $(5\mathrm{.}0)$

$31)$ loaded individually into truck $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$32)$ driven one mile back to delivery office service center $(3\mathrm{.}0)$

$33)$ there re$-$labeled packages enter main flow of sorting according to delivery route $(2\mathrm{.}0)$

$34)$ loaded onto hand truck $(1\mathrm{.}0)$

$35)$ rolled $20$ ft to delivery truck where hand truck sits as packages $(0\mathrm{.}2)$

$36)$ loaded individually on delivery truck for delivery to customers $(2\mathrm{.}0)$