Question: You are managing a precast concrete panel facility that operates 2 4 hours per day and are about to device on how many crews to
You are managing a precast concrete panel facility that operates hours per day and are about to device on how many crews to hire and how many precast forms to purchase. To do so you want to study the impact of the number of crews and number of forms on several aspects of the operation.Facility OperationsYou own a batch plant that produces one batch at a time. A batch consists of the materials necessary to build one panel. The time required by the plant to produce one batch is uniformly distributed between min and min. When a batch has been produced it is kept in the output buffer space, which must be cleared before the plant can start producing another batch.One crew is needed to mix one batch and place it into its form. The time required is uniformly distributed between min and min. The output buffer of the plant is considered cleared as soon as the crew starts mixing. After mixing and placing, the panel undergoes an initial setting that takes min. Mixing, placing, and initial setting take place in a specific area of the facility that can only accommodate panels. In order to free up this limited space as soon as possible, the facility has an automated system that moves the panels to a form pulling area immediately after the initial setting.One crew is needed to pull one panel out of its form in min. Form pulling is done separately for each panel. After a form is pulled from a panel it is ready for cleaning and the panel is taken to a steam curing tunnel. Neither of these activities need to be performed immediately after a form has been pulled. One crew is needed for form cleaning. The time required for form cleaning is uniformly distributed between min and min. Forms are reused once they have been cleaned.Your facility has a steam curing tunnel that can accommodate panels. A panel is loaded into the tunnel with a crane. After at least hours of steam curing the panel is unloaded from the tunnel with the same crane and is placed onto a truck that takes the panel to the storage yard. The time required for loading or for unloading a panel is uniformly distributed between min and min. The time required for a truck to take a panel to the storage yard and to return is uniformly distributed between min and min. You own trucks. Any of the crews can perform any activity that requires a crew.Performance MeasuresFor deciding on how many crews to hire and how many precast forms to purchase you want to have to have a clear picture of their impact on the following aspects of the operation:Panel production per hour day.Percent of idle time for the crews.Percent of time that forms are clean but not being used.Average amount of time between the end of initial setting of a panel and being loaded into the steam curing tunnelFor the simulation models of Part assume that you have a continuous hour operation and disregard the effect of breaks, maintenance, and repair.Part You have already decided that the number of crews will range from to and that the number of forms will be either or For every possible combination of the numbers of crews and forms, determine the performance measured by simulating the production of panels after which the facility continues to produce Prepare a simulation model and experiment with it to determine the number of crews and number of forms that you use and explain your decision. Show calculations for all combinations. Submit a drawing of the Activity Cycle Diagram, performance metrics in tabular format, optimal numbers of crews and forms, and a written discussion of your approach and results.COMPLETE ONLY CYCLE DIAGRAM SHOWING LINKS AND QUES
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