Bronson Machining, Inc., manufactures driveway security fences and gates. It wants to develop an input-output control report for its welding work center for 5 weeks (weeks 6/6 through 7/4). The planned input is 280 standard hours per week. The actual input is close to this figure, varying between 250 and 285. Output is scheduled at 320 standard hours, which is the assumed capacity. A backlog exists in the work center.

APPROACH

Bronson uses schedule information to createFigure15.2, which monitors the workload-capacity relationship at the work center.

SOLUTION

The deviations between scheduled input and actual output are shown inFigure15.2. Actual output (270 hours) is substantially less than planned. Therefore, neither the input plan nor the output plan is being achieved.

INSIGHT

The backlog of work in this work center has actually increased by 5 hours by week 6/27. This increases work-in-process inventory, complicating the scheduling task and indicating the need for manager action.

LEARNING EXERCISE

If actual output for the week of 6/27 was 275 (instead of 270), what changes?