TechValley Inc. management has decided to automate the warehouse operation in one of their large warehouses in London by installing a computer$-$controlled order$-$picking system, along with a conveyor system for moving its equipment from storage to the warehouse shipping area.

The director of management has been named the project manager in charge of the warehouse automation system project. After consulting with members of the engineering staff and warehouse management personnel, the director compiled a list of activities associated with the project. The executives of TechValley want to know the earliest time to complete the project. They also want to know whether some of the activities could be crashed, and the project can be completed even earlier with an extra minimum cost.

The times $($in weeks$)$ have also been provided for each activity including the crashing time and cost as given below.

Activity

Description Immediate Predecessor

Time $($weeks$)$

A Determine equipment needs $-6$

B Obtain vendor proposals $-9$

C Select vendor A$,$ B $4$

D Order system C $12$

E Design new warehouse layout C $10$

F Design warehouse E $6$

G Design computer interface C $8$

H Interface computer D$,$ F$,$ G $6$

I Install system D$,$ F $7$

J Train system operators H $4$

K Test system I, J $4$

Activity Immediate Predecessor Time $($weeks$)$ Cost $($in $)$

Normal Crash Normal Crash

A $-641,0001,900$

B $-971,0001,800$

C A$,$ B $421,5002,700$

D C $1282,0003,200$

E C $1075,0008,000$

F E $643,0004,100$

G C $858,00010,250$

H D$,$ F$,$ G $645,0006,400$

I D$,$ F $7410,00012,400$

J H $434,0004,400$

K I, J $435,0005,500$

Managerial report:

Develop a report that presents the activity schedule and expected project completion time for the warehouse expansion project. Include a project network in the report. In addition, take into consideration the following issues:

$$ Construction of the network diagram.

$$ Performance of an event$-$based analysis, i$.$e$.,$ obtaining earliest event times $($TE$)$ and latest event times $($TL$),$ inserting them appropriately into the diagram and, hence, obtaining the critical path and project duration showing all formula and calculations.

$$ Performance of an activity$-$based analysis, i$.$e$.,$ obtaining total float $($TF$)$ and free float $($FF$),$ showing the values $($TF and FF$)$ in a table and, obtaining the critical path and project duration showing all formula and calculations.

$$ The executive of the company established a required $38-$week completion time for the project. Can this completion time be achieved? What recommendations do you have if the $38-$week completion time is required?

$$ Using the completion times and the crashing information, determine the activity crashing decisions and revised activity schedule for the warehouse expansion project showing all formula and calculations.

$$ A critical appraisal.