Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Production line balancing is a crucial aspect of operations management, aiming to distribute tasks evenly across workstations to maximize efficiency and minimize idle time. In the food industry, particularly in fast-food establishments like pizzerias, effective line balancing directly impacts order fulfillment rates and customer satisfaction. This question requires us to apply these principles to a specific scenario – producing and delivering 120 pizzas per night. We will analyze the pizza-making process, estimate task times, and determine the optimal number of workstations to meet the production target, considering the constraints of a fixed production volume and a limited timeframe.
Deconstructing the Pizza Production Process
To effectively balance the production line, we first need to break down the pizza-making process into distinct tasks. These tasks, along with estimated times (based on typical pizzeria operations – knowledge cutoff 2023), are as follows:
- Dough Preparation (DP): 5 minutes
- Sauce Application (SA): 2 minutes
- Cheese Application (CA): 3 minutes
- Topping Application (TA): 4 minutes
- Baking (BA): 10 minutes
- Cutting (CU): 1 minute
- Boxing (BX): 2 minutes
- Delivery Preparation (DL): 3 minutes (address labeling, dispatch)
Calculating Total Production Time
The total time required to produce one pizza, considering all tasks sequentially, is 5 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 10 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 30 minutes. To produce 120 pizzas per night, assuming a standard 8-hour (480-minute) work shift, we need to determine the cycle time.
Determining Cycle Time and Theoretical Minimum Workstations
Cycle Time = Total Production Time / Number of Pizzas = 480 minutes / 120 pizzas = 4 minutes per pizza. This is the maximum time allowed at each workstation.
Theoretical Minimum Workstations = Total Task Time / Cycle Time = 30 minutes / 4 minutes = 7.5. Since we cannot have half a workstation, we need at least 8 workstations.
Line Balancing – Assigning Tasks to Workstations
Now, we need to assign tasks to workstations, ensuring that the total time for each workstation does not exceed the cycle time of 4 minutes. This is an iterative process, aiming for balanced workload distribution.
| Workstation | Tasks | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dough Preparation (DP) | 5 |
| 2 | Sauce Application (SA), Cheese Application (CA) | 2 + 3 = 5 |
| 3 | Topping Application (TA) | 4 |
| 4 | Baking (BA) - *This is a bottleneck* | 10 |
| 5 | Cutting (CU) | 1 |
| 6 | Boxing (BX) | 2 |
| 7 | Delivery Preparation (DL) | 3 |
| 8 | Idle/Assist Baking (BA) | 0 |
As the table shows, workstation 4 (Baking) takes 10 minutes, exceeding the cycle time of 4 minutes. This is a significant bottleneck. To address this, we can consider the following:
- Multiple Ovens: Investing in additional ovens would reduce the baking time per pizza, bringing it within the cycle time.
- Parallel Baking: If multiple ovens are available, the baking task can be split across workstations.
- Task Combination: While not ideal, some minor tasks could be combined with baking to utilize the idle time, but this might compromise quality.
Assuming we invest in a second oven, effectively halving the baking time to 5 minutes, the line balancing can be adjusted:
| Workstation | Tasks | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dough Preparation (DP) | 5 |
| 2 | Sauce Application (SA), Cheese Application (CA) | 2 + 3 = 5 |
| 3 | Topping Application (TA) | 4 |
| 4 | Baking (BA) - Oven 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Baking (BA) - Oven 2 | 5 |
| 6 | Cutting (CU) | 1 |
| 7 | Boxing (BX) | 2 |
| 8 | Delivery Preparation (DL) | 3 |
With the addition of a second oven, the line is balanced, and 8 workstations are sufficient. Without the second oven, the minimum number of workstations would increase to 9 or 10 to accommodate the bottleneck.
Conclusion
Balancing the production line for 120 pizzas per night requires a careful analysis of each task and its associated time. While a theoretical minimum of 8 workstations is achievable, the baking process presents a significant bottleneck. Investing in additional ovens or implementing parallel baking is crucial to maintain the desired throughput and avoid excessive idle time. Effective line balancing not only improves efficiency but also ensures consistent product quality and timely delivery, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. Continuous monitoring and adjustments are essential to adapt to changing demand and optimize the production process.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.