TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Problem Solving Exercises in IE 003 Operations Research (1st Semester, SY2019-2020)

Name of the Student : Diana C. Bunagan

Program/Year Level : Chemical Engineering, 5th Year

MODULE 3. HARRIS | PROBLEM SOLVING EXERCISE

Network Analysis: Determine the “critical path” and the minimum completion time for a
project. Identify the Latest Finish (LF), Earliest Start (ES), and the Earliest Finish (EF). Compute
for the "Float" (prepare a bar graph to show) and determine the demand considering the
following resources: A=6, B=5, C=5, D=8, E=4, F=2, G=2 (all in thousands of pesos).

Activity Predecessor Duration

A - 2
B - 6
C - 4
D A 3
E C 5
F A 4
G B, D, E 2

Table 1. Precedence Table

Scheduling and Sequencing: Determine the optimal sequence for a work location in which a
number of general purpose work stations exist and are used to perform a variety of jobs. Graph
the sequence, show the overlaps (if there are any), and explain the suggested sequence based on
the solution.

Job Machine 1 Machine 2

1 4 3
2 1 2
3 5 4
4 2 3
5 5 6

Table 2. Job Specifications

Instructions: Formulate the problem (show tables/diagram) and explain the end goal. Explain
the steps involved in each of the problem. Show the solution, and explain your final answer. You
are required to solve manually and solve using excel (send the soft copy of your Excel File) and
use screenshots to explain your process in performing the exercise.
A. Network Analysis

The first step to identify the critical path of

the project was to convert the precedence
table (Table 1) into a simplified network
diagram to show the interrelationships of
the activities involved. This was done by
laying out the all the activities in a
diagram, then connecting the activities
according to the sequence specified in
Table 1. The result is shown in Figure 1.

Once the simplified network diagram was

made, Figure
a more detailed Network
1. Simplified diagram Diagram
was
constructed by adding information such as
activity duration, Earliest Start (ES),
Earliest Finish (EF), Latest Start (LS), and Latest Finish (LF).

ES and EF were identified using the forward pass. ES was determined by getting the maximum
EF of the preceding activities. For activities with no preceding activities, ES was designated as 0.
EF was determined by adding the activity duration to ES.

LS and LF, on the other hand, were identified using the backward pass. LF of the last activity is
always equal to the EF of the last activity. The LF of preceding activities were then determined
by getting the minimum LS of the succeeding activities. LS was determined by subtracting the
activity duration of the LF.

Figure 2. Complete Network Diagram

The duration of each path was calculated by adding the durations of the activities belonging to
the path. The path with the longest duration is called the critical path. Alternatively, the critical
path can be identified by tracing the path where ES is equal to LS and EF is equal to LF.

The results of the aforementioned steps are shown in Figure 2. Based on the figure, the
minimum time to complete the project, which is equal to the duration of Path 4 or the critical
path, is 11 [time units].

Next, to calculate the float of each activity (the allowable number of days to delay the activity
without changing the end date of the project), the following formula was used:

Float=LF−EF

LS and ES can also be used in place of LF and EF, respectively. The float of all activities can be
more easily visualized using a bar graph (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Project Bar Graph

To construct the bar graph, the resources needed, duration (D), ES, EF, LF, and float (F) of
each activity were tabulated. After tabulating the necessary data, bars representing the float of
each activity (yellow bars) were constructed by shading F boxes starting from ES. Bars
representing the duration of each activity (orange bars) were constructed by shading D boxes
after the float bar. Each box or cell in the each duration bar was then filled with the amount of
resources required for the respective activity. Lastly, the resource demand for each time period
was calculated by adding the resources needed for all activities to be done for the respective time
period. The result can be seen in the bottom-most row of Figure 3.

The purpose of Figures 2 and 3 is to be able to systematically sequence and schedule the
activities involved in the project in such a way that the project is completed in the shortest
possible time. In addition, the figures help in determining how much resources should be
allocated during each time interval within the duration of the project.

B. Scheduling and Sequencing

To schedule and sequence the 5 jobs to be done in Machines 1 and 2, Johnson’s Rule was used.
The steps are summarized as follows:
 Step 1: Find the job with the shortest
duration in any machine. If the
shortest duration is performed by
Machine 1, place the job at the
beginning of the sequence. If the
shortest duration is performed by
Machine 2, place the job at the end
of the sequence.

Step 2: Of the remaining jobs, find

the job with the shortest duration in
any machine. Similar to Step 1, if
the shortest duration is performed by
Machine 1, place the job at the
beginning of the sequence; if by
Machine 2, place at the end of the
sequence.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 until all jobs

are placed in the sequence. The end
result is shown in the left figure.

Step 4: Assuming that each machine

can perform one job at a time and
the same sequence of jobs must be
done in both Machine 1 and 2, plot
the sequence in a timeline.

Figure 4. Job Timeline in Machine 1 and Machine 2

The results of the steps are summarized in Figure 4. The optimal sequence was identified to be
Job 2 → Job 4 → Job 5 → Job 3 → Job 1, as shown in the timeline. The first timeline was
constructed by shading boxes equivalent to the duration of the jobs in Machine 1, following the
identified sequence. The second timeline was constructed in the same manner as the first
timeline, the difference being the second timeline starts right after the first job in the first
timeline is completed. It can be seen that there are no overlaps in either timelines, this is a result
of the assumptions made in Step 4.

The purpose of using Johnson’s Rule in this problem is to determine the optimal sequence of
doing the 5 jobs in the two machines. By placing the shortest jobs in the first machine toward the
start of the sequence and placing the shortest jobs in the second machine toward the end of the
sequence, the waiting time or idle time in the two machines can be minimized. Looking at the
timeline, the idle times in Machine 1 and 2 are 2 and 1 [time units], respectively. Additionally,
the total time required to complete the 5 jobs in Machines 1 and 2 is 19 [time units].

HONOR AND PLEDGE

“I AFFIRM THAT I SHALL NOT GIVE OR RECEIVE ANY UNAUTHORIZED HELP ON

THIS ACTIVITY, AND THAT ALL WORK SHALL BE MY OWN.”