Process Flows

Numerical
Examples
 Our Restaurant
• Assume that we have designed our buffet so customers
take an average of 30 minutes to get their food and eat.
• Assume the restaurant has 40 tables. Each table can
accommodate four people.
• The Cycle Time for the restaurant, when operating at
capacity, is 0.75 minute {30 minutes/table+ 40 tables).
• The restaurant could handle 80 customer parties per hour
{60 minutes+ 0.75 minute/party) is the capacity or
customer parties per hour.
• Assume that our customers eat in groups (or
customer parties) of two or three to a table.
• How many customers can the restaurant serve if the
average customer party is 2.5?
• D.uring lunch time, Customers arrive as per the schedule
given.
 Solution
• If t he average customer party is 2.5 individuals,
t hen t he average seat utilization is 62.5 percent
(2.5 seats/party+ 4 seats per table) when the
restaurant is operating at capacity.
• The Cycle Time for the restaurant,
when operating at capacity, is 0.75
minute (30 minutes/table : 40 tables).
• The restaurant could handle 80 customer parties
per hour (60 minutes : 0.75 minute/party) is the
capacity or customer parties per hour.
• 20 tables empty during each 15-minute interval
 During Period End of Period
IN Out To Serve Tables Wait Wait Time
11:30-11:45 15 0
11:45-12:00 35 0
12:00-12:15 30 15
12:15-12:30 15 20
12:30-12:45 10 20
12:45-1:00 5 20
1:00-1:15 0
1:15-1:30 0
Total Served
Formula Data

The first 15 tables empty after 30 mins.

After that the restaurant can serve 20 tables every 15 minuets.
 During Period End of Period
IN Out To Serve Tables Wait
11:30-11:45 15 0 15 15 0
11:45-12:00 35 0 so 40 10
12:00-12:15 30 15 65 40 25
12:15-12:30 15 20 60 40 20
12:30-12:45 10 20
12:45-1:00 5 20
1:00-1:15 0
1:15-1:30 0
Total Served
Formula Data

At 12:00, we will have to keep 10 parties waiting: 15+35-40

Between 12:00 - 12:15, we have another 30 parties coming in and 15
leaving. So we will have 15+35+30-40 -15 = 25 waiting
12:15-12:30 we have 15 parties coming in and 20 leaving, so we will have
15+35+30+15-40-15-20 = 20 waiting
 During Period End of Period
IN Out To Serve Tables Wait
11:30-11:45 15 0 15 15 0
11:45-12:00 35 0 so 40 10
12:00-12:15 30 15 65 40 25
12:15-12:30 15 20 60 40 20
12:30-12:45 10 20 so 40 10
12:45-1:00 5 20 35 35 0
1:00-1:15 0 20 15 15 0
1:15-1:30 0 15 0 0 0
Total Served 110
20 per 15 Table+IN• IF( (To serve<40),To To serve-
Formula Data mis OUT serve,40) Table
 During Period End of Period
IN Out To Serve Tables Wait Wait Time
11:30-11:45 15 0 15 15 0 0
11:45-12:00 35 0 so 40 10 7.5
12:00-12:15 30 15 65 40 25 18.75
12:15-12:30 15 20 60 40 20 15
12:30-12:45 10 20 so 40 10 7.5
12:45-1:00 5 20 35 35 0 0
1:00-1:15 0 20 15 15 0 0
1:15-1:30 0 15 0 0 0 0
Total Served 110
20 per 15 Table+IN• IF( (To serve<40),To To serve-
Formula Data mis OUT serve,40) Table Wa i t 1 5 / 2 0

Expected wait time== customers waiting x 0.75 minute

Double up parties at the tables, thus getting a higher seat
utilization. Might be the easiest solution to the problem. If 25
out of the 40 tables were doubled up, our problem would be
solved ... (40+20)*2.5 > 404.. So?
 Transit Bus Operation
• Logistics refers to the movement of things
such as materials, people, or finished goods.
• A single bus takes exactly two hours to
traverse the route during peak traffic.
• Wait time for the customer: Maximum is 2
Minimum is 0, Average would be one hour.
• Bus capacity: seating 50 Standing 30
 No of
customers Av Time
8-9AM 2,000 45
9-10 AM 4000 30
10-11 AM 6000 30
11-12 noon 5000 30
12-1 PM 4000 30
1-2PM 3500 30
2-3 PM 3000 45
3-4 PM 3000 45
4-5PM 3000 45
5-6 PM 4000 45
6-7 PM 3000 45
7-8 PM 1500 45

How do we estimate number of passengers

carried by a bus per trip? Per hour?
 No of Passenger Min No of Max No of
customers Av Time Hours Buses Buses
8-9AM 2,000 45 1500 18.75 30
9-10AM 4000 30 2000 25 40
10-11 AM 6000 30 3000 37.5 60
11-12 noon 5000 30 2500 31.25 so
12-1 PM 4000 30 2000 25 40
1-2PM 3500 30 1750 21.875 35
2-3 PM 3000 45 2250 28.125 45
3-4 PM 3000 45 2250 28.125 45
4-5PM 3000 45 2250 28.125 45
5-6 PM 4000 45 3000 37.5 60
6-7PM 3000 45 2250 28.125 45
7-8 PM 1500 45 1125 14.0625 22.5
 Productivity and Efficiency

• Productivity is output to input. It may be total

factor productivity or partial factor
productivity.
- The ratio is generally taken in monitory terms.
• Efficiency is the ratio of actual output of a
process relative to some standard or best level
of output.
 Little's Law
• Little's Law-states a mathematical relationship
between throughput rate, throughput time, and the
amount of work-in-process inventory.
• Little's Law est imat es t he time t hat an it em will spend
in work-in-process inventory, which can be useful for
calculating the total throughput time for a process.
• Little's Law= Throughput time= Work-in-process
Throughput rate
• (Throughput rate is the output rate that the process is
expected to produce over a period of time.)