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NCC 5080 Managing Operations

Questions for the National Cranberry Cooperative


Submit your answers to the following questions on blackboard, along with a hard copy in my mailbox by noon, Monday, January 23. Please limit the total report to 5 pages or less including any exhibits. Please use the following assumptions in addition to the information in the National Cranberry case to answer the questions given below. y y y y y On an average "busy" day there are 16,700 bbl delivered at a constant rate over the 12-hr period (7 am to 7 pm). This is based on a "typical" busy day in September. Wet berries are 70% of all berries. Holding bins 17-24 are dedicated to wet berries. Capacity of the dumpers is 3,000 bbl / hr (it takes on average 7.5 minutes to dump a truck, a truck holds on average 75 bbls so each of the five dumpers will take 600 bbl/hr). Drivers are paid $10/hr. Rates for other employees are given in the case.

1. Construct a process flow chart of the current process at Receiving Plant #1, distinguishing between wet and dry cranberry flow through the plant. [2.5 points] 2. Using your process flow map, mark the production capacity (bbls/hr) and utilization (implied utilization if necessary) of the operations at dumpers, destoners, dechaffers, driers, separators, and the storage capacity of the holding bins used for wet berries (17-27) and dry berries (1-16). [2.5 points] 3. What is the maximum throughput rate (units/hr) given that there are 16,700 bbl delivered in a typical busy day? Why? [1 points] 4. Assuming that receiving and processing actually start at 7 am on a busy day and continue until all berries are received and processed, present the situation during such a day by constructing an inventory graph, with time on the horizontal axis and inventory (including berries in the trucks) on the vertical one. You can assume that the time for berries to reach the bottleneck(s) is negligible. [2.5 points] Evaluate the costs and benefits (prepare a detailed numerical analysis) of Wallistons proposal for new dryers and converting some dry berry holding bins. What would you recommend? [2.5 points]

5.

6. What is your recommendation to Mr. Schaeffer regarding the light meter system for color grading? Explain. [1 points]

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