Chapter 4: Problem 20

In a serial production line, at which station (first, last, middle, etc.) would it be best to have the bottleneck in a push system? Where in a pull system? Explain your reasoning.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: In a push system, the bottleneck should be placed at the end of the production line to minimize the accumulation of work-in-process inventory and prevent overproduction. In a pull system, the bottleneck should be placed at the beginning of the production line to control the pace of production and the demand of downstream stations, preventing overproduction and minimizing wasted resources.

Step by step solution

Analyzing the push system

In a push production system, work is pushed to the next workstation, regardless of whether the station is ready to receive it or not. This can lead to work piling up before the bottleneck station, as the stations before it complete their tasks faster than the bottleneck. Placing the bottleneck at the end of the line would be the best option in a push system, as this would minimize the accumulation of work-in-process inventory throughout the line before the bottleneck and prevent overproduction.

Analyzing the pull system

In a pull production system, work moves to the next station only when the station is ready to receive new work. In this system, the presence of the bottleneck does not lead to the accumulation of work-in-process inventory before the bottleneck station. Instead, the bottleneck could be anywhere in the system, and the other stations will adjust their work pace based on the demand from the downstream station. Therefore, the best position for the bottleneck in a pull system would be at the beginning of the line, where it can control the pace of production and the demand of the downstream stations, preventing overproduction.

Comparison and explanation

In summary, placing the bottleneck at the end of the production line would be the best option in a push system, as this would minimize the accumulation of work-in-process inventory and prevent overproduction. On the other hand, placing the bottleneck at the beginning of the production line would be the best option in a pull system, as it can control the pace of production and the demand of the downstream stations. This way, the production line can adjust its work based on the capacity of the bottleneck, preventing overproduction and minimizing wasted resources.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

In a serial production line, at which station (first, last, middle, etc.) would it be best to have the bottleneck in a push system? Where in a pull system? Explain your reasoning.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Analyzing the push system

Analyzing the pull system

Comparison and explanation

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Magnetism

Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics

Turning Points in Physics

Dynamics

Nuclear Physics

Fields in Physics

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.