1) Carlos Gonzales is production manager at an assembly plant that manufactures cordless telephones. The company is planning to install a pull system. The process is being planned to have a usage rate of 50 pieces per hour. Each container is designed to hold 10 pieces. It takes an average of 30 minutes to complete a cycle.
a) How many containers will be needed?
b) How will the number of needed containers change as the system improves?
2) Robert produces 300 units of a product per hour and 30 units are needed to fill a container. It takes 15 minutes to receive materials needed from the previous workstation. The company currently uses a safety stock of 10 percent. Determine the number of kanbans needed between Robert’s station and the previous process.