Part B: Process with variation in task times. Pay attention to the blocking and starving and apply these to your explanations

$$ How do output, throughput time, and utilization rates compare to the process in Part A$?$ Why does the uncertainty in processing times have this effect?

Part C: Comparison of magnitude of variation; Impact of reduced $/$ increased variation on process measures

$$ Compared to the results in Part B$,$ how do increases or decreases in variation affect the line$$s output and each workstation$$s utilization? Why? The following table could help you summarize the results to organize your explanation

Part D: Length of the process $($line$)$; observe the impact of variation on process measures in a $4-$step line $($and compare to the $2-$step line in Part B$)$

$$ Compare the results for the two$-$workstation line from Part B to this four$-$workstation line. From the videos, note how they differ in terms of blocking and starving, as well as the resulting line output. How do the number of workstations impact $($a$)$ the relationship between variability and workstations$$ utilization, and $($b$)$ the relationship between variability and line output.

Part E: Effect of adding buffer between steps; buffer of $1,2,$ and $4$ units

$$ Based on these results, how do line output, throughput time, and workstations$$ utilization differ from those for the process in Part D $($which is otherwise the same$)$ when we add a one$-$unit buffer? Why?

$$ Based on these results from a $2$ buffer and $4$ buffer choices, what can you say about how buffer size affects line output and why? How much benefit is seen with the additional buffers? $($The tutorial provides the summary data.$)$

Two Workstation Process Two Workstation Process Two Workstation Process Two Workstation Process Four Workstation Process

Part A

No Variation Part B

Variation Part C$-1$

High Variation Part C $-2$

Low Variation Part D

Process Times $=1\mathrm{.}0$ Process Times $=[0\mathrm{.}5-1\mathrm{.}5]$ Process Times

$=[0\mathrm{.}0-2\mathrm{.}0]$ Process Times

$=[0\mathrm{.}75-1\mathrm{.}25]$ Process Times

$=[0\mathrm{.}5-1\mathrm{.}5]$

Cycle time $($mins$/$unit$)11\mathrm{.}161\mathrm{.}331\mathrm{.}081\mathrm{.}26$

Average Flow Time $($mins$/$unit$)22\mathrm{.}162\mathrm{.}322\mathrm{.}084\mathrm{.}60$

Flow rate $($units $/$ hour$)6051\mathrm{.}5245\mathrm{.}2255\mathrm{.}4847\mathrm{.}48$

Utilization $\%10086\mathrm{.}0273\mathrm{.}4192\mathrm{.}4379\mathrm{.}35$