Question 1

Solving a load-distance problem for a process-oriented layout requires that:
A)the difficulty of movement be the same for all possible paths.
B)pickup and setdown costs vary from department to department.
C)the cost to move a load be the same for all possible paths.
D)takt time be less than 1.
E)Proplanner software examines all possible department configurations.

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

Which type of layout features departments or other functional groupings in which similar activities are performed?
A)process-oriented
B)product-oriented
C)fixed-position
D)mass production
E)unit production

Accepted Answer

A process-oriented layout groups together departments or functional groupings based on the activities or processes being performed. This type of layout is common in service industries such as hospitals and banks, where activities can be grouped based on function (such as lab work or loan processing).

Question 3

One of the major advantages of process-oriented layouts is:
A)high equipment utilization.
B)large work-in-process inventories.
C)flexibility in equipment and labor assignment.
D)smooth and continuous flow of work.
E)small work-in-process inventories.

Accepted Answer

Process-oriented layouts are highly flexible in terms of equipment and labor assignment, allowing for the handling of varied products and adjustments to changes in product design or demand.

Question 4

An airport is trying to balance where to place the three subgroups (local (A),regional (B),and national (C))for an airline.The distance between terminals and the number of trips that travelers make between subgroups for flight connections per day are listed.Find the assignment that minimizes the distance travelers must walk.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An airport is trying to balance where...

Question 5

The main issue in designing process-oriented layouts concerns the relative positioning of:
A)safety devices.
B)departments or work centers.
C)raw materials.
D)entrances,loading docks,etc.
E)supervisors to their employees.

Accepted Answer

Process-oriented layouts focus on the efficient flow of materials and products through departments or work centers. The relative positioning of departments or work centers is therefore the main issue in designing these layouts. Safety devices, raw materials, entrances, loading docks, and supervisors' positions are also important considerations, but they are typically secondary to the layout of the work centers themselves.

Question 6

The disadvantages of process-oriented layout come from:
A)the use of special purpose equipment.
B)machine maintenance,which tends to seriously degrade the capacity of the entire system.
C)the use of specialized material handling equipment.
D)the need for stable demand.
E)the flexibility of general-purpose equipment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The disadvantages of process-oriented layout come from:
A)the...

Question 7

Departments A,B,C,and D need to be assigned to four rooms 1,2,3,and 4.These rooms are arranged in a row,in that order,with 20 meters between each.The departmental work flows are contained in the table below.
(a)What is the material handling total of assigning A-1,B-2,C-3,D-4?
(b)What is the material handling total of assigning A-1,B-3,C-4,D-2?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Departments A,B,C,and D need to be assigned...

Question 8

The major problem addressed by the process-oriented layout strategy is:
A)the movement of material to the limited storage areas around the site.
B)how to design a continuous flow process.
C)the provision of low-cost storage with low-cost material handling.
D)minimizing difficulties caused by material flow varying with each product.
E)balancing product flow from one work station to the next.

Accepted Answer

The process-oriented layout strategy focuses on minimizing difficulties caused by material flow varying with each product. This layout strategy is commonly used in industries that produce customized or varied products, which may require different processes or equipment at each stage of production. Therefore, this strategy focuses on flexibility and adaptability to accommodate the changing needs of each product, rather than on continuity or low-cost storage.

Question 9

A process layout problem consists of 4 departments,each of which can be assigned to one of four rooms.The number of different solutions to this problem is ________,although all of them may not have different material handling costs.
A)1
B)4
C)16
D)24
E)unknown

Accepted Answer

The number of different solutions is the number of permutations of 4 departments, which is 4! (4 factorial), equal to 24.

Question 10

The work cell layout,a special arrangement of machinery and personnel to focus on the production of a single product or group of related products,is for manufacturing applications and has no relevance to services.

Accepted Answer

The work cell layout is also applicable in service industries, such as healthcare, retail, and hospitality, where it is used to improve process flow and efficiency.

Question 11

The typical goal used when developing a process-oriented layout strategy is to:
A)minimize the distance between adjacent departments.
B)minimize the material handling costs.
C)maximize the number of different tasks that can be performed by an individual machine.
D)minimize the level of operator skill necessary.
E)maximize job specialization.

Accepted Answer

The key goal of a process-oriented layout strategy is to minimize material handling costs. This is achieved by arranging the workstations in a way that minimizes the distance that materials and products must travel between them. This reduces the time and effort required for transportation, which in turn lowers costs and improves efficiency. Minimizing the distance between adjacent departments (A) or maximizing the number of different tasks that can be performed by an individual machine (C) may not necessarily be compatible with the goal of minimizing material handling costs. Minimizing the level of operator skill necessary (D) or maximizing job specialization (E) may also be important goals, but they are not the primary focus of a process-oriented layout strategy.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an information requirement for solving a load-distance problem to design a process layout?
A)a list of departments or work centers
B)a projection of work flows between the work centers
C)the distance between locations
D)a list of product cycle times
E)the cost per unit of distance to move loads

Accepted Answer

While cycle times may be useful in other aspects of process design or improvement, they are not directly relevant to solving a load-distance problem. The other information requirements (departments/work centers, work flows, distances, and cost per unit of distance) are all essential to determining an optimal process layout that minimizes material handling and transport costs.

Question 13

There are three work centers (A,B,and C)behind the financial aid counter at a nearby university.They can each fit into any of three office spaces (1,2,and 3)off the corridor behind the desk.There is no student contact in these areas,only workers.The distance 1-2 is 20 feet,2-3 is 30 feet,and 1-3 is 50 feet.The matrix of work (trips per day)at the three centers are shown in the following table.Remember that each trip must be a round-trip (from 1 to 2 and back,for example).
  
(a)How many possible assignments are there? List them.
(b)Calculate the total distance traveled in each of these assignments.
(c)Which assignment minimizes distance traveled?

Accepted Answer

The answer of There are three work centers (A,B,and C)behind...

Question 14

A big advantage of a process-oriented layout is:
A)its flexibility in equipment and labor assignments.
B)its low cost.
C)the simplified scheduling problem presented by this layout strategy.
D)the ability to employ low-skilled labor.
E)its high equipment utilization.

Accepted Answer

A process-oriented layout allows for flexibility in equipment and labor assignments because it is designed based on the flow of the process rather than specific product requirements. This means that equipment and labor can be easily reassigned and adapted to changes in demand or production needs.

Question 15

Explain how a load-distance model helps solve problems in process layout.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how a load-distance model helps solve...

Question 16

The work cell improves layouts by reducing both floor space and direct labor cost.

Accepted Answer

The work cell is designed to efficiently combine multiple operations into one workstation, reducing the need for excess floor space and decreasing the amount of direct labor required. This results in cost savings for the business.

Question 17

A focused work center is well suited to the production of a large family of products requiring similar processing,even if their demands are not very stable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A focused work center is well suited...

Question 18

An insurance claims processing center has six work centers,any of which can be placed into any of six physical departmental locations.Call the centers 1,2,3,4,5,and 6,and the departments A,B,C,D,E,and F.The current set of assignments is A-3,B-1,C-6,D-2,E-4,and F-5.
The (symmetric)matrix of departmental distances,in meters is shown below.
  The matrix of work flow (estimated trips per day)is among centers is shown below.
  The firm estimates that each trip costs approximately $4.What is the cost of the current assignment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An insurance claims processing center has six...

Question 19

The most common tactic followed in process-layout planning is to arrange departments or work centers so they:
A)minimize the cost of skilled labor.
B)maximize the machine utilization.
C)are equally allocated within the available space.
D)minimize the costs of material handling.
E)produce a perfectly balanced assembly line.

Accepted Answer

The most common tactic in process-layout planning is to minimize the costs of material handling. This means arranging the departments or work centers in a way that reduces the movement of materials between them, minimizing time and effort needed for transportation, and decreasing the risk of damage or loss. This approach can result in more efficient and cost-effective operations.

Question 20

________ layouts deal with low-volume,high-variety production with like machines and equipment grouped together.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ layouts deal with low-volume,high-variety production with...

Quiz 9: Layout Strategies

Solving a load-distance problem for a process-oriented layout requires that:

Which type of layout features departments or other functional groupings in which similar activities are performed?

One of the major advantages of process-oriented layouts is:

The main issue in designing process-oriented layouts concerns the relative positioning of:

The disadvantages of process-oriented layout come from:

The major problem addressed by the process-oriented layout strategy is:

A process layout problem consists of 4 departments,each of which can be assigned to one of four rooms.The number of different solutions to this problem is ________,although all of them may not have different material handling costs.

The work cell layout,a special arrangement of machinery and personnel to focus on the production of a single product or group of related products,is for manufacturing applications and has no relevance to services.

The typical goal used when developing a process-oriented layout strategy is to:

Which of the following is NOT an information requirement for solving a load-distance problem to design a process layout?

A big advantage of a process-oriented layout is:

Explain how a load-distance model helps solve problems in process layout.

The work cell improves layouts by reducing both floor space and direct labor cost.

A focused work center is well suited to the production of a large family of products requiring similar processing,even if their demands are not very stable.

The most common tactic followed in process-layout planning is to arrange departments or work centers so they:

________ layouts deal with low-volume,high-variety production with like machines and equipment grouped together.