The Corrupting Influence of Variability - Diagnostics and Improvements

5 important questions on The Corrupting Influence of Variability - Diagnostics and Improvements

Process batch time  is driven by process batch size. Give the two basic means for reducing (sequential or simultaneous)process batch size.

1. Batching optimization to better balance batch time with queue time due to high utilization.

2. Setup reduction to allow smaller batch sizes without increasing utilization.

Which two ways are there to increase throughput?

Increasing the bottle neck rate or increasing bottleneck utilization.

When does it make sense to increase the effective rate of non-bottleneck stations instead of that of the bottleneck, in order to increase throughput?

 

I.e. when increasing the bottleneck rate is practically infeasible, or simply when this costs too much money (or when increasing non-bottleneck rates is much cheaper).

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The book lists 8 components of cycle times, but only lists improvement options for four of them.

Why didn't they include improvement options for seemingly important CT components such as process and setup times? Can you think of ways to improve process or setup times yourself?

They didn't include improvement options for these because they are generally only a small fraction of total cycle time (for inefficient lines). If you regard more efficient lines, improving things like process and move times become more and more important.

Improving average setup times: setup time reduction 'programs' such as SMED.

Improving average effective proces times: improving availability (i.e. by training repairmen to repair faster in order to decrease MTTR), upgrading the machine to one with lower natural process time or process time variability, etc.

If cycle times would be normally distributed for a certain product family in a make to order system, and you would offer customers a lead time equal to:  .

1: What service level would  represent?

2: What service level would  represent?

1: 97,7%

2: 50,0%

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