Question
The new computer-controlled conveyor belt is an exciting project that moves and positions items on the conveyor belt within 1 millimeter. The project will produce
The new computer-controlled conveyor belt is an exciting project that moves and positions items on the conveyor belt within 1 millimeter. The project will produce a new system for future installations, and for replacement of those in the field, at a low cost. The computer-controlled conveyor belt has the potential to be a critical unit in 30 percent of the systems installed in factories. The new system is also easier to update with future technologies. Table 1 has been developed for you to use in completing the project exercises.
Table 1 Conveyor Belt Project; WBS
Hardware | Hardware specifications Hardware design Hardware documentation Prototypes Order circuit boards Assemble preproduction models |
Operating system | Kernel specifications Drivers Disk drivers Serial I/O drivers Memory management Operating system documentation Network interface |
Utilities | Utilities specifications Routine utilities Complex utilities Utilities documentation Shell |
System integration | Architectural decisions Integration first phase System hard/software test Project documentation Integration acceptance testing |
The project begins January 4, 2010.
The following holidays are observed: January 1, Memorial Day (last Monday in May), July 4th, Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November), December 25 and 26.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday then Friday will be given as an extra day off, and if it falls on a Sunday, then Monday will be given as a day off.
The project teams work eight-hour days, Monday through Friday.
Part 1
-Develop the WBS outline using the software available to you. When is the project estimated to be completed? How long will the project take?
-What is the critical path(s) for the project?
-Which activity has the greatest amount of slack?
Include the following printouts:
A Gantt chart.
A network diagram highlighting the critical path.
A schedule table reporting. ES, LS, EF, LF, and slack for each activity.
Table 2 Conveyor Belt Project; Schedule
Activity | Description | Resource (one team each) | Duration (days) | Preceding Activity |
1 | Architectural decisions | Design | 25 | — |
2 | Hardware specifications | Development, design | 50 | 1 |
3 | Kernel specifications | Design | 20 | 1 |
4 | Utilities specifications | Development, design | 15 | 1 |
5 | Hardware design | Design, development | 70 | 2 |
6 | Disk drivers | Assembly, development | 100 | 3 |
7 | Memory management | Development | 90 | 3 |
8 | Operating system documentation | Design, documentation | 25 | 3 |
9 | Routine utilities | Development | 60 | 4 |
10 | Complex utilities | Development | 80 | 4 |
11 | Utilities documentation | Documentation, design | 20 | 4 |
12 | Hardware documentation | Documentation, design | 30 | 5 |
13 | Integration first phase | Assembly, development | 50 | 6,7,8,9,10,11,12 |
14 | Prototypes | Assembly, development | 80 | 13 |
15 | Serial I/O drivers | Development | 130 | 13 |
16 | System hard/software test | Assembly | 25 | 14,15 |
17 | Order circuit boards | Purchasing | 5 | 16 |
18 | Network interface | Development | 90 | 16 |
19 | Shell | Development | 60 | 16 |
20 | Project documentation | Documentation, development | 50 | 16 |
21 | Assemble preproduction models | Assembly, development | 30 | 17F-S, lag 50 days |
22 | Integrated acceptance testing | Assembly, development | 60 | 18,19,20,21 |
Part 2
Remember the old saying, “A project plan is not a schedule until resources are committed.” All information is found in Tables 2 and 3.
Table 3 Organization Resources
Name | Group | Cost ($/hr) |
Design | R&D (2 teams) | $100 |
Development | R&D (2 teams) | 70 |
Documentation | R&D (1 team) | 60 |
Assembly/test | R&D (1 team) | 70 |
Purchasing | Procurement (1 team) | 40 |
Part 2-A
Prepare a memo that addresses the following questions (SHOW YOUR CALCULATION USING MS PROJECT):
-Which if any of the resources are overallocated?
-Assume that the project is time constrained and try to resolve any overallocation problems by leveling within slack. What happens?
-Assume the project is resource constrained and resolve any overallocation problems by leveling outside of slack. What happens? What are the managerial implications?
Include a Gantt chart with the schedule table after leveling outside of slack.
Part 2-B
When you show the resource-constrained network to top management, they are visibly shaken. After some explanation and negotiation, they make the following compromise with you:
The project must be completed no later than February 2, 2012
You may assigned two additional teams of your chose.
If this does not suffice, you may hire other teams from the outside. The outside team would cost $50 more per hour than your inside teams.
You have to stay within the 530 days. If you need more than two internal teams units, then hire as few external teams as necessary. Select the cheapest possibility! Change as few activities as possible. It is recommended you keep work packages, which require cooperation of several organizational units inside your company. You decide how best to do this.
Once you have obtained a schedule that meets the time constraints, prepare a memo that addresses the following questions:
-What changes did you make and why?
-How long will the project take?
-How much will the project cost?
-Include a Gantt chart with a schedule table presenting the new schedule.
-Include a monthly cash flow and a cost table for the project.
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