Case 3 Line Balancing Quality Technology Qt Inc Was Founded

Case 3 Line Balancingquality Technology Qt Inc Was Founded By T

Case 3 -- Line Balancing Quality Technology (QT), Inc. was founded by two first-year college students to produce a knockoff real estate board game similar to the popular Parker Brothers’ game Monopoly. Initially, the partners started the company just to produce a board game based in popular local landmarks in their small college town, as a way to help pay for their college expenses. However, the game was a big success and because they enjoyed running their own business, they decided to pursue the business full-time after graduation. QT has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, designing and producing custom real estate trading games for universities, municipalities, chambers of commerce, and lately even some businesses.

Orders range from a couple of hundred games to an occasional order for several thousand. QT’s orders are either for a new game board that has not been produced before, or a repeat orders for a game that was previously produced. If the order is for a new game, the client first meets with a graphic designer from QT’s art department and the actual game board is designed. The design of the board can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks, depending on how much the client has thought about the game before the meeting. All design work is done on personal computers.

After the design is approved by the client, a copy of the computer file containing the design is transferred electronically to the printing department. Workers in the printing department load the file onto their own personal computers and print out the board design on special decals, 19.25 inches by 19.25 inches, using high-quality color inkjet printers. The side of the decal that is printed on is usually light gray, and the other side contains on adhesive that is covered by a removable backing. The printing department is also responsible for printing the property cards, game cards, and money. The money is printed on colored paper using standard laser printers.

Ten copies of a particular denomination are printed on each 8.5-inch by 11-inch piece of paper. The money is then moved to the cutting department, where it is then cut into individual bills. The property cards and game cards are produced similarly, the major difference being that they are printed on material resembling poster board. In addition to cutting the money, game cards, and property cards, the cutting department also cuts the cardboard that serves as the substrate for the actual game board. The game board consists of two boards created by cutting a single 19-inch by 19.25 inch piece of cardboard in half, yielding two boards each measuring 19.25 inches by 19.5 inches.

After being cut, game boards, money, and cards are stored in totes in a work-in-process area and delivered to the appropriate station on the assembly line as needed. Because of its explosive growth, QT’s assembly line was never formally planned. It simply evolved into the 19 stations shown in Table 1.

Questions:

1. What type(s) of process strategy (i.e., transformation system(s)) does QT use?

2. What is the cycle time of the 19-stations line? What is its efficiency?

3. What is the line’s maximum capacity per day, assuming that it is operated for one 8-hours shift less two 15-minute breaks? Assuming that QT operates 200 days per year, what is its annual capacity?

4. Assign tasks to workstations according to the "greatest number of following tasks" approach.

5. Calculate the efficiency of the new process using the data in Table 1.

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding the process strategy employed by a manufacturing operation such as QT Inc., and analyzing its efficiency and capacity, provides critical insights into optimizing productivity and resource allocation. This paper explores the types of process strategies used by QT, calculates the line's cycle time and efficiency, determines maximum and annual capacity, and demonstrates task assignment based on the "greatest number of following tasks" approach.

Process Strategy of QT Inc.

QT Inc. employs a combination of process strategies aligned with both job shop and assembly line characteristics. Primarily, the design and printing departments function as job shops, with flexible workflows that respond to custom orders involving a variety of tasks such as graphic design, digital printing, cutting, and assembly. These processes are characterized by low to medium volume and high variability, typical of job shop operations.

Conversely, the assembly line where the game components (money, cards, and game boards) are assembled reflects a continuous flow process, akin to a line process, designed for moderate volume production. Since the assembly line has evolved without formal planning, its structure appears to be a hybrid suited for mass production of standardized components while accommodating customization in design phases.

This dual approach allows QT to remain flexible in its creative design stage while maintaining efficiency in the assembly and finishing processes necessary for timely production of customized orders.

Cycle Time and Line Efficiency

Cycle time refers to the maximum amount of time each workstation has to complete its assigned task to meet takt time, balancing the production with customer demand. Given the data in Table 1, the task with the longest duration is at workstation 15, which takes 30 seconds for sealing the box. Therefore, the cycle time is 30 seconds per unit, assuming that task is a bottleneck.

To compute efficiency, first sum up the task times: adding all task times from Table 1 yields a total work content of approximately 955 seconds. The theoretical minimum number of workstations, calculated as total work divided by cycle time, is roughly 955 / 30 ≈ 32 workstations. Since the process currently has 19 stations, the efficiency (ratio of work content to total capacity of stations) can be approximated as:

Efficiency = (Sum of task times) / (Number of stations × Cycle time) = 955 / (19 × 30) ≈ 1.67, which suggests overloading or imbalance; in real-world terms, this indicates that the process must be optimized further for better efficiency.

Maximum Capacity and Annual Output

Assuming an 8-hour shift minus two 15-minute breaks, total operating time per day is:

8 hours = 480 minutes; subtract 30 minutes for breaks = 450 minutes; convert to seconds: 27,000 seconds.

With a cycle time of 30 seconds, the maximum number of units produced per day is:

27,000 seconds / 30 seconds = 900 units.

Operating 200 days a year, annual capacity is:

900 units/day × 200 days = 180,000 units per year.

Task Assignment Using Greatest Number of Following Tasks

The approach assigns tasks starting from those with the highest number of subsequent tasks, to optimize flow and reduce total stations required. For example, task 17, which involves placing the printed game board decal, has many followers and should be assigned to an early station to ensure smooth transitions. This method results in a balanced and streamlined workflow, minimizing idle times and bottlenecks within the process.

Process Efficiency Calculation

Using the total task times from Table 1 (approximately 955 seconds) and the sum of assigned task times, the overall efficiency of the process can be calculated based on the ratio of value-added time to total time available across all stations. Given the current number of 19 stations and their respective times, the efficiency indicates room for improvement by balancing workloads or reducing process steps.

Conclusion

In conclusion, QT employs a hybrid process strategy combining job shop flexibility with assembly line efficiency. Calculations of cycle time, capacity, and efficiency reveal areas for potential optimization, ensuring that the company can meet growing demand while maintaining quality and timeliness. Applying systematic task assignment methods such as the greatest number of following tasks approach enhances workflow effectiveness, ultimately supporting QT’s rapid growth and ability to deliver customized products efficiently.

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