Question 1

A disadvantage of product-oriented layout is that A) there is a lack of flexibility in handling a variety of products or production rates B) high volume is required because of the large investment needed to set up the process C) work stoppage at any one point halts the whole operation D) All of the above are disadvantages of product-oriented layouts. E) None of the above is a disadvantage of product-oriented layouts.

Accepted Answer

All three options listed in choices A, B, and C are drawbacks of product-oriented layouts. The lack of flexibility and capability to handle varying products or production rates may make it difficult to adapt to changing market demands. Additionally, high volume requirements due to the significant investment in building the layout may not be feasible for all businesses. Finally, work stoppage at any point in the process can disrupt the entire operation and result in delays and additional costs.

Question 2

A production line is to be designed for a product whose completion requires 21 minutes of work. The factory works 400 minutes per day. Can an assembly line with five workstations make 100 units per day?
A) yes, with exactly 100 minutes to spare
B) no, but four workstations would be sufficient
C) no, it will fall short even with a perfectly balanced line
D) yes, but the line's efficiency is very low
E) cannot be determined from the information given

Accepted Answer

To determine whether an assembly line with five workstations can make 100 units per day, we need to calculate the theoretical maximum output of the line and compare it to the required output.

The theoretical maximum output of an assembly line with five workstations can be calculated using the following formula:

Maximum Output = (Available Time / Cycle Time) * Efficiency

In this case, the Available Time is 400 minutes per day and the Cycle Time is the time required to complete one unit, which is 21 minutes. The Efficiency is the percentage of time that the workstation is actually working, which we'll assume is 100% for a perfectly balanced line.

Maximum Output = (400 / 21) * 100% * 5
Maximum Output = 952.38 units per day

Therefore, the theoretical maximum output of the line is 952.38 units per day, which is not enough to make 100 units per day.

So, the correct choice is C: no, it will fall short even with a perfectly balanced line.

Question 3

Which of the following is a common heuristic for assembly line balancing?
A) debits near the windows, credits near the door
B) manufacturers locate near materials, retailers locate near customers
C) earliest due date first
D) ranked positional weight
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Ranked positional weight is a common heuristic used in assembly line balancing to prioritize tasks based on their position in the assembly process and their downstream dependencies.

Question 4

In assembly line balancing, the theoretical minimum number of workstations is
A) the ratio of the sum of all task times to cycle time
B) always (when a fraction) rounded upward to the next larger integer value
C) not always possible to reach when tasks are actually assigned to stations
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

The theoretical minimum number of workstations in assembly line balancing is indeed calculated by dividing the sum of all task times by the cycle time (A), and this number is always rounded up to the next larger integer value because you cannot have a fraction of a workstation (B). Additionally, due to constraints such as task sequencing and other operational limitations, it might not always be possible to achieve this theoretical minimum when assigning tasks to stations (C). Therefore, all of the statements A, B, and C are correct, making D the correct choice.

Question 5

The central problem in product-oriented layout planning is
A) minimizing material handling within workstations
B) minimizing labor movement between workstations
C) equalizing the space allocated to the different workstations
D) maximizing equipment utilization
E) minimizing the imbalance in the work loads among workstations

Accepted Answer

The central problem in product-oriented layout planning is minimizing the imbalance in the workloads among workstations to ensure a smooth and efficient flow of production.

Question 6

A production line is to be designed for a job with four tasks. The task times are 2.4 minutes, 1.4 minutes, 0.9 minutes, and 1.7 minutes. After line balancing, the largest possible assigned cycle time is ________ and the smallest possible assigned cycle time is ________ minutes.
A) 1.8; 1.4
B) 1.6; 0.9
C) 6.4; 2.4
D) 2.4; 0.9
E) none of these

Accepted Answer

The answer of A production line is to be designed...

Question 7

Which of these layouts is most suitable for processing sugar from sugar beets or sugar cane?
A) process-oriented layout
B) fixed-position layout
C) warehouse layout
D) product-oriented layout
E) work cell layout

Accepted Answer

A product-oriented layout would be the most suitable for processing sugar from sugar beets or sugar cane as it involves arranging the equipment to facilitate the processing flow of a particular product, which is necessary for the production of sugar from these sources.

Question 8

An assembly line consists of 21 tasks grouped into 5 workstations. The sum of the 21 task times is 85 minutes. The largest assigned cycle time is 20 minutes. The efficiency of this line is
A) 4.2 percent
B) 17 percent
C) 85 percent
D) 100 percent
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Efficiency = total task time / (number of workstations * cycle time) 
Total task time = 85 minutes 
Number of workstations = 5 
Cycle time = 20 minutes (largest assigned cycle time)

Efficiency = 85 / (5 * 20) = 85 / 100 = 85%

Question 9

The main advantage of a product-oriented layout is typically
A) high customer exposure rates
B) employability of highly skilled labor
C) high flexibility
D) low capital cost
E) low variable cost per unit

Accepted Answer

A product-oriented layout, often used in mass production, focuses on organizing the production process around the product. This setup allows for specialized equipment and processes to be used more efficiently, leading to lower variable costs per unit due to economies of scale and streamlined operations.

Question 10

Daily capacity of a product layout is determined by
A) operating time divided by cycle time
B) cycle time divided by operating time
C) operating time divided by total task time
D) total task time divided by cycle time
E) cycle time divided by total task time

Accepted Answer

The daily capacity of a product layout is determined by operating time divided by cycle time. This calculation gives the number of units that can be produced in a day based on the length of time the production line is operating and the time it takes to complete one cycle of production.

Question 11

Cycle time is computed as
A) desired output divided by the daily operating time
B) daily operating time divided by the product of desired output and the sum of job times
C) the product of desired output and the sum of job times divided by daily operating time
D) daily operating time divided by the scheduled output
E) 1.00 minus station time

Accepted Answer

Cycle time is calculated as the daily operating time divided by the scheduled output, which is how long each operation in the process takes to complete in order to meet the desired production output.

Question 12

A production line is to be designed to make 500 El-More dolls per day. Each doll requires 11 activities totaling 16 minutes of work. The factory operates 750 minutes per day. The required cycle time for this assembly line is
A) one-half minute
B) one and one-half minutes
C) two minutes
D) 5,500 minutes
E) cannot be determined from the information given

Accepted Answer

The required cycle time is calculated by dividing the total available production time by the desired output. Here, $ \frac{750 \text{ minutes}}{500 \text{ dolls}} = 1.5 \text{ minutes per doll} $, which means the correct answer is one and one-half minutes.

Question 13

In a product-oriented layout, the process of deciding how to assign tasks to workstations is referred to as
A) station balancing
B) process balancing
C) task allocation
D) line balancing
E) work allocation

Accepted Answer

In a product-oriented layout, the process of deciding how to assign tasks to workstations is referred to as line balancing. This involves analyzing tasks and assigning them to workstations in a way that allows work to flow smoothly and evenly throughout the assembly line. The goal of line balancing is to minimize idle time and maximize efficiency, with the aim of producing more products in less time.

Question 14

The assumptions necessary for a successful product layout include all of the following except A) adequate volume for high equipment utilization B) standardized product C) volatile product demand D) All of the above are appropriate assumptions. E) None of the above is an appropriate assumption.

Accepted Answer

Volatile product demand is not an appropriate assumption for a successful product layout as it can lead to underutilization of equipment and inefficiencies in production. Adequate volume for high equipment utilization and standardized product are appropriate assumptions for a successful product layout. Therefore, option D is incorrect as it includes all assumptions, and option E is also incorrect as all assumptions except C are appropriate.

Question 15

Which of the following is true regarding fabrication lines? A) They are the same thing as assembly lines. B) They are the same thing as focused factories. C) They are a special type of process-oriented layout. D) Balancing their assembly line is more technological than worker oriented. E) None of the above is true.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true regarding...

Question 16

Four hundred and eighty minutes of production time are available per day. Scheduled production is 120 units per day. What is the required cycle time?
A) 4 minutes
B) 5 minutes
C) 6 minutes
D) 7 minutes
E) 8 minutes

Accepted Answer

The answer of Four hundred and eighty minutes of production...

Question 17

Four hundred and eighty minutes of production time are available per day. The schedule calls for the production of 80 units per day. Each unit of the product requires 30 minutes of work. What is the theoretical minimum number of workstations?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
E) 6

Accepted Answer

The answer of Four hundred and eighty minutes of production...

Question 18

If a layout problem is solved by use of "heuristics," this means that
A) there was no other way to solve the problem
B) no computer software was available
C) the problem has only a few alternatives to evaluate
D) no optimum solution exists
E) a "satisfactory" solution is acceptable

Accepted Answer

Heuristics are typically used when a problem is too complex or when there are too many variables to consider to find an optimal solution. Instead, heuristic approaches focus on finding a "good enough" or satisfactory solution that meets the goals of the problem.

Question 19

Which of the following is not a heuristic rule for assigning tasks to workstations in a product layout?
A) longest tasks first
B) in order of most number of following tasks
C) median tasks first
D) shortest tasks first
E) in accordance with positional weight

Accepted Answer

The heuristic rules for assigning tasks in a product layout include longest tasks first, in order of the most number of following tasks, shortest tasks first, and in accordance with positional weight. The median tasks first is not a commonly used heuristic rule.

Question 20

In assembly line balancing, cycle time (the ratio of available production time to scheduled production) is the
A) minimum time that a product is allowed at each workstation
B) maximum time that a product is allowed at each workstation
C) inverse of the minimum number of workstations needed
D) sum of all the task times divided by the maximum number of workstations
E) equivalent of the maximum task time among all tasks

Accepted Answer

Cycle time in assembly line balancing is the maximum time that a product is allowed at each workstation to meet production goals. It sets the pace at which the assembly line operates to ensure that production meets demand within the available time.

Quiz 11: Layout Strategies

A disadvantage of product-oriented layout is that

A production line is to be designed for a product whose completion requires 21 minutes of work. The factory works 400 minutes per day. Can an assembly line with five workstations make 100 units per day?

Which of the following is a common heuristic for assembly line balancing?

In assembly line balancing, the theoretical minimum number of workstations is

The central problem in product-oriented layout planning is

A production line is to be designed for a job with four tasks. The task times are 2.4 minutes, 1.4 minutes, 0.9 minutes, and 1.7 minutes. After line balancing, the largest possible assigned cycle time is and the smallest possible assigned cycle time is minutes.

Which of these layouts is most suitable for processing sugar from sugar beets or sugar cane?

An assembly line consists of 21 tasks grouped into 5 workstations. The sum of the 21 task times is 85 minutes. The largest assigned cycle time is 20 minutes. The efficiency of this line is

The main advantage of a product-oriented layout is typically

Daily capacity of a product layout is determined by

Cycle time is computed as

A production line is to be designed to make 500 El-More dolls per day. Each doll requires 11 activities totaling 16 minutes of work. The factory operates 750 minutes per day. The required cycle time for this assembly line is

In a product-oriented layout, the process of deciding how to assign tasks to workstations is referred to as

The assumptions necessary for a successful product layout include all of the following except

Which of the following is true regarding fabrication lines?

Four hundred and eighty minutes of production time are available per day. Scheduled production is 120 units per day. What is the required cycle time?

Four hundred and eighty minutes of production time are available per day. The schedule calls for the production of 80 units per day. Each unit of the product requires 30 minutes of work. What is the theoretical minimum number of workstations?

If a layout problem is solved by use of "heuristics," this means that

Which of the following is not a heuristic rule for assigning tasks to workstations in a product layout?

In assembly line balancing, cycle time (the ratio of available production time to scheduled production) is the