National Cranberry

Question One: Process Analysis, Bottleneck, and Flow Diagram

We used barrels per hour (bbls/hr) as a common measure. Since no capacity information is provided for the receiving/testing or bulking/bagging steps, we assume that these steps are not bottlenecks. We estimated the average total input of cranberries into the system at 1,500 bbls/hr using data from Exhibit 1 and assuming that total deliveries in 1981 will be the same as 1980:

Average Wet Input = (.70)(1,500) = 1,050 bbls/hr

Average Dry Input = (.30)(1,500) = 450 bbls/hr

Our analysis (see table) indicates that the bottleneck for process fruit at Receiving Plant Number 1 (RP1) is the drying process for wet cranberries at 600 bbls/hr (see Exhibit A for flowchart).

Process Step Notes Total Available Capacity(bbls/hr) Wet Capacity (bbls/hr) Dry Capacity (bbls/hr)

Receiving/ Testing No capacity information provided; nothing in the case indicates that this step could be a bottleneck n/a n/a n/a

Dumping (60 mins / 7.5 mins/truck) x 5 dumpers x 75 bbls/truck 3,000 n/a n/a

Holding Bins 17-24 are assumed to hold wet berries since they comprise 70% of total shipments 7,200 3200 4000

De-stoning (dry only) Dry berries only (1500 bbls/hr x 3 units) 4,500 n/a 4500

De-chaffing 2 dechaffers connected to wet process