Operations Management

Present your thoughts about importance of a well-designed process flow and discuss some ways to mitigate the limitation in the constraining process for the process flow, flow and plant layout.

A well-designed process flow creates an efficient and well executed production/operation system. A process flow diagram can be a cost effective way to mitigate stationary and shifting bottlenecking by mapping out a process flow diagram. In a continuous flow process many goods are processed at a high volume, such as food processing and papermaking, as discussed in the introduction of The Spectrum of Manufacturing and Service. What matters most in this process is how materials flow through, which is important in the grand scheme of the entire flow process. Significant qualities of this process include an effective timeline, mass production of goods in a line flow, efficient use of labor, materials and machinery, efficient use of space, materials management, and handling to name a few. Some possible risks with the process are machine breakdowns, material shortages/issues, labor shortages, bottlenecking and processing problems.

The Androscoggin Mill layout example in tour A is a good example of an efficient process flow. There is a timeline they receive wood, which is a certain length or chips, by truck that are weighed and unloaded. From there, shifting occurs and the wood floats to different wood rooms. The wood then goes into an elaborate process from chips, to pulp, and then to paper.

The process flow diagram is a good way to mitigate limitations in the constraining process by diagraming the flow from start to finish. Even before that there are a few operation choices managers can choose from and they are technology and facilities, operating policies, and operations organization. They are general choices, but choosing one of these technology facilities can be a good start.

Describe the concept of the Manufacturing Process Spectrum as it relates to the different types of...