Bottlenecking

Bottleneck In Progress

OPS/571

March 7, 2011

Zachary Burk

Bottlenecks in a Process

As displayed in the flowchart (Figure 1.1), the process of driving to work is not always straightforward; it is diverse in some capacity. Besides for the mentioned processes contained within the flowchart, the daily deviation, which at times may last up to 29 minutes may include unforeseen events such as car wrecks, sudden stops, school buses, trains crossing the tracks, etc., all that have to vague the route. However, based on the flowchart, it is perceptible that the main bottleneck is the point in which the driver needs to make fortitude if there is adequate gas to arrive at work.

In general, a bottleneck takes place when the ability for production in one process is larger than the capacity for production capacity in the subsequent process. According to the flowchart, the driver enters the vehicle, puts on the seatbelt, turns on the vehicle, and drives safely out of the driveway. Assuming the vehicle function properly, the processes will flow normally without possessing deficiencies in capacity; however, the potential for a bottleneck does occur thereafter.

Once the driver pulls out of the driveway, there is a hindrance pertaining to the driver's capacity to drive directly to work. If the driver has an adequate supply of gas, the automobile has the capacity to let the driver proceed to the final destination. Nonetheless, if there is not an adequate supply of gas, the driver must drive to the closest gas station to obtain enough gas for the automobile to drive to work. Once the gas predicament is solved, the remaining flow is practically free of potential bottlenecks.

There are ways in which this bottleneck can be properly eliminated. One possible method would involve shifting the process to a more expedient time in which the bottleneck may have excess capacity. For example, the driver could obtain gas prior to the flow even beginning; at a time in which the...