Assume you are the production manager for a small machine shop that manufactures precision parts for industrial equipment. How would you address the following set of questions:
1. Can you use CAD, CAE, CAM, CIM, and FMS to manufacture better parts more easily? Explain.
2. If your final product requires several unique subunits that are all produced with different machinery and in differing lengths of time, what facility layout will you choose and why?
3. Look up on the Internet "franchising". Based on your readings, from an operational perspective, why is purchasing a franchise such as Wendy's or Jiffy Lube an attractive alternative for starting a business?
4. Review the discussion of corporate culture. What things could you learn about a company's culture by observing the layout and design of its production facility? Discuss both goods and services operations