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TUTORIAL QUESTIONS – MS29P

PLANT LOCATION AND LAYOUT – Rev 10/05

1. The objective of the industrial location problem is to minimize …………..

2. The objective of the retail and service firm is typically to maximize ………
3. Which of the following generally provides the highest equipment utilization:
(a) process layout
(b) product layout
(c) job shop layout
(d) none of the above
4. Facility location decisions:
(a) typically involve trade-off decisions
(b) usually involve long and costly studies
(c) are determined only by where the customers are
(d) typically involve trade-off decisions and usually involve long and costly studies
(e) all of the alternatives are correct
5. Tangible facility location costs include
(a) public transportation facilities
(b) quality and attitude of prospective employees
(c) utility costs such as electricity and water
(d) climatic conditions
(e) all of the above

6. The layout strategy that deals with low volume, high variety production is
(a) fixed position layout
(b) retail/service layout
(c) warehouse layout
(d) all of the above
(e) none of the above

7. A good layout requires determining

(a) capacity and space requirements
(b) material handling requirements
(c) environment and aesthetics
(d) flow of information
(e) all of the above

8. Production may take place in a general purpose process oriented facility or in a large
work cell. The large work cell is called a
(a) focused work center
(b) job lot
(c) fixed position layout
(d) all of the above
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(e) none of the above

9. The assumptions necessary for a successful product layout include all but
(a) adequate volume for high equipment utilization
(b) volatile product demand
(c) standardized product
(d) all of the above
(e) none of the above

10. Name and describe two factors that can cause the relocation of a production facility

11. Describe the importance of the location measure technique in locating facilities

12. The table below illustrates four (4) factors of importance to Washington, DC, and the
health officials charged with opening that city’s first public drug treatment clinic. Of
primary concern (and given a weight of 5) was location of the clinic so it would be as
accessible as possible to the largest number of patients. Due to a tight budget, the
annual lease cost was also of some concern. A suite in the new city Hall, at 14th and
U Street, was highly rated because its rent would be free. An old office building near
the downtown bus station received a much lower rating because of its cost. Equally
important as lease cost was the need for confidentiality of patients and, therefore, for
a relatively inconspicuous clinic. Finally, because so many of the staff at the clinic
would be donating their time, the safety, parking, and accessibility of each site were
of concern as well.
Using the factor-rating method, which site is preferred?

Potential Locations
Bus
Homeless City Hall Terminal
Importance Shelter (2nd (14th & U, Area (7th &
Factor Weight & D, SE) NW) H, NW)
1 Accessibility for addicts 5 9 7 7
2 Annual lease cost 3 6 10 3
3 Inconspicuous 3 5 2 7
4 Accessibility for health staff 2 3 6 2
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13. An assembly line, whose activities are shown below, has an 8-minute cycle time.
Draw the precedence diagram and find the minimum possible number of
workstations. Then arrange the work activities into workstations so as to balance the
line. What is the efficiency of this line balance?
Task Performance Time (minutes) Immediate Predecessor
A 5 ---
B 3 A
C 4 B
D 3 B
E 6 C
F 1 C
G 4 D,E,F
H 2 G
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14. Given the following task, times and sequence, develop a balanced line capable of
operating with a 10-minute cycle time at Paul Reed’s company. What is the efficiency
of that line?
Task Performance Time (minutes) Immediate Predecessor
A 3 ---
B 5 A
C 7 B
D 5 ---
E 3 C
F 3 B,D
G 5 D
H 6 G

D. Anthony Chevers