14. Sofa Styles Inc. (SS) makes custom sofas to order, receiving detailed customer order information via a network of retailers. Once a customer picks the style of his/her sofa with additional specifications such as its size, fabric and finishing, the retailer emails the orders to SS Inc. The most popular soda is the Veronica sofa which SS Inc. manufactures with the following process. First, Greg checks the order for consistency and prepares instructions for the subsequent operations. When the process operates at capacity, Gregs utilization is 40%. Once Greg is done, the order moves to both Eddy and Lance who can work on their respective tasks in parallel. Eddy builds the correct sized frame and spray paints the frame using SSs instant Dry technology. After the painting operation, he fills the frame with synthetic stuffing and covers it with light canvas. When the process operates at capacity, Eddys utilization is 100%. When the frame is ready, Eddy passes it onto final assembly and finishing (FAT). Lance is in charge of fabric preparation. Lance selects and cuts the fabric to the right sofa size. When the process operates at capacity, he is busy 60% of the time. Once the fabric is ready, Lance passes them onto Miguel, who makes cushions from half of the cut fabric. Miguel requires 60 minutes for his task and his utilization is 50% when the process operates at capacity. When done, Miguel passes the prepared cushions and the remaining fabric to final assembly and finishing. At final assembly and finishing, there is one worker named Tyler, who performs this step. Tyler picks the frame of the sofa, covers it with the remaining fabric and installs its cushions. Finally, the finishing touches are given before the sofa is sent to logistics department for delivery. When operating at capacity, Tylers utilization is 40%. [Utilization = Process Capacity/Resource Capacity]

a. What are the activity times (in minutes) for all the activities of the Veronica Sofa production process? Show your calculations.

b. What is the Theoretical Flow Time and the Capacity of the Veronica production process? Show your calculations. Theoretical Flow Time is ___________________ minutes. Process Capacity is______

c.Lance and Greg have the following argument. Lance claims that it is possible to simultaneously increase the capacity and reduce the theoretical flow time of the production process, simply by reducing the activity time of a single (carefully selected) activity while keeping the process otherwise unchanged. Greg, however, claims that it is not possible. Who is right and why? Explain. Circle one: Greg is right Lance is right

d. One morning, Miguel falls sick and Greg takes on Miguels job (A4) in addition to his own job. What is the new process capacity? New process capacity is _______________ sofas per hour.

Process Flow Chart A=Activity, R=Resource A2: Build and Paint Frame R: Eddy A1: Check order, prepare instructions R: Greg A5: Final Assembly & Finishing R: Tyler A3: Cut Fabric to sofa size A4: Make Cushions R: Miguel R: Lance Time (min) Activity A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 Process Flow Chart A=Activity, R=Resource A2: Build and Paint Frame R: Eddy A1: Check order, prepare instructions R: Greg A5: Final Assembly & Finishing R: Tyler A3: Cut Fabric to sofa size A4: Make Cushions R: Miguel R: Lance Time (min) Activity A1 A2 A3 A4 A5