1.

What is the fastest way to manufacture Old Oregon tables using the original
crew? How many could be made per day?
Decision Variables
Tom
Lets denote the variable a1 to time taken for Toms preparation
Lets denote the variable b1 to time taken for Toms assembly
Lets denote the variable c1 to time taken for Toms finishing
Lets denote the variable d1 to time taken for Toms packaging
George
Lets denote
Lets denote
Lets denote
Lets denote

the
the
the
the

variable
variable
variable
variable

a2 to time taken for Georges preparation

b2 to time taken for Georges assembly
c2 to time taken for Georges finishing
d2 to time taken for Georges packaging

Leon
Lets
Lets
Lets
Lets

denote
denote
denote
denote

the
the
the
the

variable
variable
variable
variable

a3 to time taken for Leons preparation

b3 to time taken for Leons assembly
c3 to time taken for Leons finishing
d3 to time taken for Leons packaging

Cathy
Lets denote
Lets denote
Lets denote
Lets denote

the
the
the
the

variable
variable
variable
variable

a4 to time taken for Cathys preparation

b4 to time taken for Cathys assembly
c4 to time taken for Cathys finishing
d4 to time taken for Cathys packaging

Objective Function
Based on the information provided for Tom, George, Leon and Cathy

Tom
Geo
rge
Leo
n
Cath
y

Prepar
Asse
Finish Packa
ation
mbly
ing
ging
100
60
90
25
80

80

60

10

110

90

80

10

120

70

100

25

Minimize Z = (100*a1 + 80*a2 + 110*a3 + 120*a4) + (60*b1 + 80*b2 +

90*b3 + 70*b4) + (90*c1 + 60*c2 + 80*c3 + 100*c4) + (25*d1 + 10*d2 +
10*d3 + 25*d4)
Constraints
So each person is only allowed to complete one task and variables are binary
(0 or 1)
Net Flow = Flow in Flow out
0 - (a1 + b1 + c1 + d1) = -1 (Tom)

0 - (a2 + b2 + c2 + d2) = -1 (George)

0 - (a3 + b3 + c3 + d3) = -1 (Leon)
0 - (a4 + b4 + c4 + d4) = -1 (Cathy)
a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 = 1 (preparation)
b1 + b2 + b3 + b4 = 1 (assembly)
c1 + c2 + c3 + c4 = 1 (finishing)
d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 = 1 (packaging)
Variables are binary and therefore are either 0 or 1
Based on Excel Solver, it was determined that Tom would be responsible for
preparation while George would be responsible for finishing. Leon is
responsible for packaging while Cathy is in-charge of assembly which
amounts to 240min to manufacture a table. Approximately 4.8 tables could
be made per day.
2. Would production rates and quantities change significantly if George would
allow Randy to perform one of the four functions and make one of the
original crew the backup person?
Decision Variables (inclusive of the ones mentioned in the previous
part)
Randy
Lets denote the variable a5 to time taken for Randys preparation
Lets denote the variable b5 to time taken for Randys assembly
Lets denote the variable c5 to time taken for Randys finishing
Lets denote the variable d5 to time taken for Randys packaging
Objective Function

Tom
Geo
rge
Leo
n
Cath
y
Ran
dy

Prepar
Asse
Finish Packa
ation
mbly
ing
ging
100
60
90
25
80

80

60

10

110

90

80

10

120

70

100

25

110

80

100

10

Minimize Z = (100*a1 + 80*a2 + 110*a3 + 120*a4 + 110*a5) + (60*b1 +

80*b2 + 90*b3 + 70*b4 + 80*b5) + (90*c1 + 60*c2 + 80*c3 + 100*c4 +
100*c5) + (25*d1 + 10*d2 + 10*d3 + 25*d4 + 10*d5)

Constraints
So each person is only allowed to complete one task and variables are binary
(0 or 1) and Randy could replace one of the people.
Net Flow = Flow in Flow out
0 - (a1 + b1 + c1 + d1) >= -1
0 - (a2 + b2 + c2 + d2) >= -1
0 - (a3 + b3 + c3 + d3) >= -1
0 - (a4 + b4 + c4 + d4) >= -1
0 - (a5 + b5 + c5 + d5) >= -1

(Tom)
(George)
(Leon)
(Cathy)
(Randy)

a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5= 1 (preparation)
b1 + b2 + b3 + b4 + b5 = 1 (assembly)
c1 + c2 + c3 + c4 + c5 = 1 (finishing)
d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + d5 = 1 (packaging)
Variables are binary and therefore are either 0 or 1
Based on Excel Solver, the results show that Randy would replace Cathy for
packaging while George would be responsible for preparation, Leon is
responsible for finishing while Tom was in-charge of assembly. The total time
taken to manufacture a table is computed to be 230min.
3. What is the fastest time to manufacture a table with the original crew if
Cathy is moved to either preparation or finishing?
When Cathy is responsible for preparation,
Objective function
Minimize Z = (100*a1 + 80*a2 + 110*a3 + 120*a4 + 110*a5) + (60*b1 +
80*b2 + 90*b3 + 70*b4 + 80*b5) + (90*c1 + 60*c2 + 80*c3 + 100*c4 +
100*c5) + (25*d1 + 10*d2 + 10*d3 + 25*d4 + 10*d5)
Constraints
Net Flow = Flow in Flow out
0 - (a1 + b1 + c1 + d1) >= -1
0 - (a2 + b2 + c2 + d2) >= -1
0 - (a3 + b3 + c3 + d3) >= -1
0 - (a4 + b4 + c4 + d4) >= -1
0 - (a5 + b5 + c5 + d5) >= -1

(Tom)
(George)
(Leon)
(Cathy)
(Randy)

a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5= 1 (preparation)
b1 + b2 + b3 + b4 + b5 = 1 (assembly)
c1 + c2 + c3 + c4 + c5 = 1 (finishing)
d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + d5 = 1 (packaging)

a4 = 1, b4 = c4 = d4 = 0 (Cathys preparation)
Variables are binary and therefore are either 0 or 1
Based on Excel QM, and the fact that Cathy is in-charge of preparation, Tom
would be responsible for assembly. George would be responsible for finishing
while Leon will take care of packaging. This would result in time taken of
250min.
When Cathy is responsible for finishing,
Objective function
Minimize Z = (100*a1 + 80*a2 + 110*a3 + 120*a4 + 110*a5) + (60*b1 +
80*b2 + 90*b3 + 70*b4 + 80*b5) + (90*c1 + 60*c2 + 80*c3 + 100*c4 +
100*c5) + (25*d1 + 10*d2 + 10*d3 + 25*d4 + 10*d5)
Constraints
Net Flow = Flow in Flow out
0 - (a1 + b1 + c1 + d1) >= -1
0 - (a2 + b2 + c2 + d2) >= -1
0 - (a3 + b3 + c3 + d3) >= -1
0 - (a4 + b4 + c4 + d4) >= -1
0 - (a5 + b5 + c5 + d5) >= -1

(Tom)
(George)
(Leon)
(Cathy)
(Randy)

a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5= 1 (preparation)
b1 + b2 + b3 + b4 + b5 = 1 (assembly)
c1 + c2 + c3 + c4 + c5 = 1 (finishing)
d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + d5 = 1 (packaging)
c4 = 1, b4 = a4 = d4 = 0 (Cathys finishing)
Variables are binary and therefore are either 0 or 1
Based on Excel Solver, and the fact that Cathy is in-charge of finishing, Tom
would be responsible for assembly. George would be responsible for
preparation while Randy will take care of packaging. This would also result in
time taken of 250min to manufacture the table.
4. Whoever performs the packaging function is severely underutilized. Can you
find a better way of utilizing the four or five person crew than either giving
each a single job or allowing each to manufacture an entire table? How many
tables could be manufactured per day with this scheme?
For the case where each person is made to manufacture the table completely
from start to finish, they can do 1.75 + 2.09 + 1.66 + 1.52 + 1.6 = 8.62

tables per day whereas where only 4 are required to build the tables, only 6
were made per day.