Sample Collection -> Buffer ->Transportation-> Buffer ->Testing

A sample collection station where samples from potentially sick individuals are gathered in test tubes. There are 30 workers assigned to this station. For each worker, it takes 10 minutes to collect one sample.All workers are constantly collecting samples.Samples are then transported to the lab. Driving to the lab takes 45 minutes(one way). There is a single truck for this task with a limited capacity. In particular, the truck has 2 containers (specially designed to maintain the samples at body temperature), each of which has room for 2 trays of 96 samples. You can only transport full or empty containers. That is, every time the truck departs from the sample collection facility, it does so with either 192 or 384 (192 x 2) samples.The last step is testing the samples at the lab. In the lab, there are 2 testing stations that can work in parallel. Each station can test 1 tray of 96 samples at a time. The testing process takes a total of 2 hours per tray. Samples wait in a temperature-controlled buffer area when both testing stations are busy.

The goal is to maximize number of samples that can be tested in 24 hours. Ignore transfer times in between steps not mentioned here (e.g., no loading and unloading times).We first analyze the process assuming the truck leaves the collection facility as soon as a container is full. That is, it transports batches of exactly 192 samples in every trip.

1. Assuming the process starts empty at the beginning of the day. How long does it take for the first batch of 192 samples to complete the entire process?
2. What is the cycle time (per batch) of this process?
3. How many batches of 192 samples can be completed (from sample collection through testing) in 24 hours?
4. What is the total number of samples?
5. Can we increase the number of samples completed in 24 hours by transporting more than one full container?