Ain Shams University Facility Planning

th
Faculty of Engineering 4 Year Production Design & Prod. Engineering Dept.
2015-2016

Assignment 4
Man-Machine Calculations

1. Presently, one operator is tending five identical machines. Each machine is used to
produce similar products. With five machines, it has been observed that during a
cycle, a total of 20 machine-minutes is consumed in machines waiting for service
to begin. In the past, it was observed that the operator was idle for 10 minutes each
cycle when assigned to tend three machines. If machining time is 25 minutes and
independent operator time is 1 minute per machine cycle, what is the value for
concurrent activity? If Co equals L.E. 4 per hour and Cm equals L.E. 6 per hour,
what is the economic assignment? What is the value of the minimum cost per unit
produced?

Solution :
i) M=5 , Im = 20/5 = 4 min , when m=3 , Io = 10 min
t=25 min , b= 1 min
as Idle time per machine = cycle time – operator time
Im =( Tc– (a+t) ) ; Tc= m (a+b)
4 = ( 5*(a+1) – (a+25) ) so a= 6 min concurrent time
ii) economic assignment
𝑇𝐶(𝑛) 𝜖+𝑁 𝑁′
∅= = ∗
𝑇𝐶(𝑛+1) 𝜖+𝑁+1 𝑁
𝐶𝑜 4
𝜖= =
𝐶𝑚 6
𝑎+𝑡 6+25
𝑁′ = = = 4.43 , so N=4
𝑎+𝑏 6+1

∴ ∅ = 0.91
Means the cost of 4 machines is less than the cost of 5 machines
𝑎+𝑡
TC4= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ = ( 4+6*4)*(6+25)/(60*4)= 3.61 L.E
𝑁
 2. An operator is currently operating two machines. Because of an increase in sales
the company wishes to have the operator run the maximum number of machines
without having machine idle time. The union opposes such a move, arguing that
the operator should have idle time during a cycle. After considerable controversy,
the company and union agree the operator will handle the maximum number of
machines that will allow the operator to be idle at least 3 minutes per cycle. A time
study is made, and the following standard times are determined for a cycle under
the existing assignment of two machines:
Activity Standard Time (min)
Unload, load, and start M-1 2.00
Inspect parts and package 0.80
Walk to M-2 0.20
Wait for M-2 to stop 3.50
Unload, load, and start M-2 2.00
Inspect part and package 0.80
Walk to M-1 0.20
Wait for M-1 to stop 3.50
a) Based on the time-study data and the agreement between the company and the
union, how many machines should be assigned the operator?
b) What is the added cost per unit produced due to the union demand?
Assume the operator costs L.E. 5 per hour and each machine costs L.E. 15 per hour.
Man M1 M2

Solution U,L,I U,L,I

2
Total cycle time = 13 min
inspect
2.8
Concurrent time ( a) = 2 min 3 walk to M2
R

Machine time (t) = 13-2 = 11 min

wait
Independent operator time (b) = 0.8+0.2=1 min
6.5

As Io min = 3 min R
U,L,I U,L,I

So Io =( Ct– m(a+b) ) =3 ; Ct= a+t=13 min 8.5

inspect
9.3
3 ≤ 13- m ( 2+1 ) m ≤ 3.33 9.5 walk to M2

R
∴M=3 wait

13
Added cost due to the union demand to have 3 min at least as an operator idle time means that there is a
chance that cost can be less when assigning 4 or more machines, so we will study this using the economic
assignment equation,
𝑎+𝑡 2+11
𝑁′ = = = 4.33 , so N=4
𝑎+𝑏 2+1

𝐶𝑜 5 1
𝜖= = =
𝐶𝑚 15 3
𝑇𝐶(𝑛) 𝜖+𝑁 𝑁′
∅= = ∗
𝑇𝐶(𝑛+1) 𝜖+𝑁+1 𝑁

∴ ∅ = 0.88 so N=4 is the most economic

𝑎+𝑡
TC3= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ = ( 5+3*15)*(13)/(60*3)= 3.61 L.E
𝑁
𝑎+𝑡
TC4= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ = ( 5+4*15)*(13)/(60*4)= 3.52 L.E
𝑁

The added cost = 3.61-3.52=0.11 L.E

3. It takes 2 minutes to load and 2 minutes to unload machine. Inspection, packaging,
and travel between machines equal a total of 1 minute. The machine runs
automatically 8 minutes. Operators cost L.E. 4 per hour; each machine costs L.E.
6 per hour.
a) What is the maximum number of machines one man can handle and not having
machine idle time during a repeating cycle?
b) What is the assignment that will minimize cost per unit?
c) What is the cost per unit produced, based on four- machine assignment?
d) If the unload and load time had not been known, for what range of values of part
(a) would the economic assignment be 2? 3?
e) If the company has seven identical machines, how should they be distributed
among operators to minimize cost per unit produced?

Solution :
a= 4 min. b=1min t=8min. Co=4 L.E Cm= 6 L.E
𝑎+𝑡 4+8
𝑁′ = = = 2.4 for Im = 0 , m= 2 machines per operator
𝑎+𝑏 4+1

𝐶𝑜 4
𝜖= =
𝐶𝑚 6
b) economic assignment
𝑇𝐶(𝑛) 𝜖+𝑁 𝑁′
∅= = ∗ = 0.873
𝑇𝐶(𝑛+1) 𝜖+𝑁+1 𝑁
So N = 2 is the most economic
c) Cost per unit when N=4
𝑁(𝑎+𝑏)
TC4= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ = ( 4+4*6)*(5)/(60)= 2.33 L.E
𝑁

𝑎+𝑡 𝑎+8
d) 𝑁 ′ = =
𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+1
𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑁 = 2 , 𝑎 = 6 𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑁 = 3 , 𝑎 = 2.5 𝑚𝑖𝑛

2.5 ≤ 𝑎 < 6
 e) As N=2 is the most economic , then we have 2 options
1) 7 machines will be distributed over 4 operators ( 2 ,2,2,1 )
2) Or over 3 operators ( 2,2,3 )

TC(1) = 2 l.E TC(2) = 1.6 L.E TC(3) = 1.83 L.E

Note that
𝑎+𝑡
TC1,2= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ , TC3= (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ (𝑎 + 𝑏)
𝑁

Option 1 : Total cost = 1.6*3+2 = 6.8 L.E

Option 1 : Total cost = 1.6*2+1.83 =5.03 L.E
Choose option 2
 4. Your company has asked you whether an operator for a certain operation should
service one or two machines. Data available for the operation is as follows:
*Load machine 0.15 min *Automatic stroke 1.50 min
*Unload machine 0.15 min *Machine (Working) L.E. 45/hour
*Start machine 0.10 min *Machine (Idle) L.E. 30/hour
*Walk between machines 0.05 min *Operator L.E. 180/hour

a) Specify the number of machines each operator should service for minimum cost
per piece. Give the minimum cost and show all your calculations.
b) Construct man-machine charts for the operation with minimum cost case obtained
in (a).

Solution :
t= 1.5 min , a = 0.4 min , b= 0.05 min
𝑎+𝑡 0.4+1.5
𝑁′ = = = 4.22
𝑎+𝑏 0.4+0.05

For N= 4
So Io =( a+t – N(a+b) ) = 1.9-4*0.45= 0.1 min , Im = 0

Ct= a+t = 1.9 min

𝑎+𝑡
TC(4) = (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ = (180+4*45)*(1.9/4)/60= 2.85 L.E
𝑁

For N= 5
So Im = N(a+b)- (a+t ) = 5*0.45-1.9= 0.35 min , I0 = 0

TC(5) = (𝐶𝑜 + 𝑁𝐶𝑚 ) ∗ (𝑎 + 𝑏)= 3.0375

Cost of idle machines = 30 * Im =30*0.35/60 = 0.175
TC = 3.0375+0.175= 3.2125 L.E
Min. cost case is when m=4
 Man M1 M2 M3 M4

U1 U1

Automatic stroke
0.15

L1 L1
0.3

Automatic stroke
start1 start1
0.4
0.45 walk

U2 U2

Automatic stroke
0.6

L2 L2
0.75

start2 start2
0.85
0.9 walk
Automatic stroke

U3 U3
1.05

L3 L3
1.2
Automatic stroke

start3 start3
1.3
1.35 walk

U4 U4
1.5
Automatic stroke

L4 L4
1.65

start4 start4
1.75
1.8 walk

1.9
idle