
Concept explainers
The Tesla Model S, one of the most sought-after luxury cars, is produced in Tesla’s Freemont factory in California. The production process can be broken up into the following subprocesses.
Stamping: In the stamping process, coils of aluminum are unwound, cut into level pieces of sheet metal, and then inserted into stamping presses that shape the metal according to the geometry of the Model S. The presses can shape a sheet of metal in roughly 6 seconds.
Subassembly: The various pieces of metal are put together using a combination of joining techniques, including welding and adhesion. This creates the body of the vehicle.
Paint: The body of the vehicle is then moved to the paint shop. After painting is completed, the body moves through a 350° oven to cure the paint, followed by a sanding operation that ensures a clean surface.
General assembly: After painting, the vehicle body is moved to the final assembly area. Here, assembly workers and assembly robots insert the various subassemblies, such as the wiring, the dash board, the power train and the motor, the battery pack, and the seats.
Quality testing: Before being shipped to the customer, the now-assembled car is tested for its quality. It is driven on a rolling road, a test station that is basically a treadmill for cars that mimics driving on real streets.
Overall, the process is equipped with 160 robots and 3000 employees. The process produces some 500 vehicles each week. It takes a car about 3–5 days to move from the beginning of the process to the end.
Imagine you could take a tour of the Tesla plant. To prepare for this tour, draw a simple process flow diagram of the operation.
What is the flow time?

Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solution
Chapter 3 Solutions
Operations Management
Additional Business Textbook Solutions
Principles of Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management (10th Edition)
Marketing: An Introduction (13th Edition)
Intermediate Accounting (2nd Edition)
Fundamentals of Management (10th Edition)
Horngren's Accounting (12th Edition)
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis (16th Edition)
- Have you seen rework done in your business, and what was done to prevent that from occurring again?arrow_forwardResearch a company different than case studies examined and search the internet and find an example of a business that had to rework a process. How was the organization affected to rework a process in order to restore a good flow unit? Did rework hurt a process or improve the organization's operational efficiency? • Note: Include a reference with supportive citations in the discussion reply in your post.arrow_forwardSetup time is very important in affecting a process and the capacity of a process. How do you reduce setup time? Give examples of reducing setup time. Please Provide a referenecearrow_forward
- Do you think TPS was successful? If so, how? Are there other companies that have used TPS? If so, give examples. Please provide a referencearrow_forwardGiven the significant impact on finances, production timelines, and even equipment functionality, as you pointed out, what do you believe is the most effective single strategy a company can implement to significantly reduce the occurrence of rework within their operations?arrow_forwardDurban woman, Nombulelo Mkumla, took to social media last week to share how she discovered the rodent.In a lengthy Facebook post, she said she purchased the loaf of bread from a local shop after work on August 27.For the next days, Mkumla proceeded to use slices of bread from the load to make toast."Then, on the morning of August 31, I took the bread out of the fridge to make toast and noticed something disgusting andscary. I took a picture and sent it to my friends, and one of them said, 'Yi mpuku leyo tshomi' [That's a rat friend]“."I was in denial and suggested it might be something else, but the rat scenario made sense - it's possible the rat got into thebread at the factory, and no one noticed," Mkumla said.She went back to the shop she'd bought the bread from and was told to lay a complaint directly with the supplier.She sent an email with a video and photographs of the bread.Mkumla said she was later contacted by a man from Sasko who apologised for the incident.According to…arrow_forward
- PepsiCo South Africa says the incident where a woman discovered part of a rodent in her loaf of bread, is anisolated occurrence.Durban woman, Nombulelo Mkumla, took to social media last week to share how she discovered the rodent.In a lengthy Facebook post, she said she purchased the loaf of bread from a local shop after work on August 27.For the next days, Mkumla proceeded to use slices of bread from the load to make toast."Then, on the morning of August 31, I took the bread out of the fridge to make toast and noticed something disgusting andscary. I took a picture and sent it to my friends, and one of them said, 'Yi mpuku leyo tshomi' [That's a rat friend]“."I was in denial and suggested it might be something else, but the rat scenario made sense - it's possible the rat got into thebread at the factory, and no one noticed," Mkumla said.She went back to the shop she'd bought the bread from and was told to lay a complaint directly with the supplier.She sent an email with a video and…arrow_forwardDurban woman, Nombulelo Mkumla, took to social media last week to share how she discovered the rodent.In a lengthy Facebook post, she said she purchased the loaf of bread from a local shop after work on August 27.For the next days, Mkumla proceeded to use slices of bread from the load to make toast."Then, on the morning of August 31, I took the bread out of the fridge to make toast and noticed something disgusting andscary. I took a picture and sent it to my friends, and one of them said, 'Yi mpuku leyo tshomi' [That's a rat friend]“."I was in denial and suggested it might be something else, but the rat scenario made sense - it's possible the rat got into thebread at the factory, and no one noticed," Mkumla said.She went back to the shop she'd bought the bread from and was told to lay a complaint directly with the supplier.She sent an email with a video and photographs of the bread.Mkumla said she was later contacted by a man from Sasko who apologised for the incident.According to…arrow_forwardRead the project statement and answer ALL of the questions that follow PROJECT STATEMENT The African Integrated High-Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN). African nations are preparing to invest billions in a significant overhaul of their rail infrastructure as part of an ambitious plan for the continent. One of the key projects underway is the African Integrated High-Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN), which aims to connect Africa's capital cities and major commercial centres with a high-speed railway network to enhance continental trade and competition. This network will span 2,000 km (1,243 miles) and connect 60 cities, including Nairobi, Lagos, Cairo, and Dakar. It will improve access to essential markets, enhance economic cooperation, and encourage regional collaboration. The plan is poised to revolutionise intra-African trade by reducing travel times and lowering transportation costs, making trade between African nations more competitive. The trains will be capable of reaching speeds of up…arrow_forward
- In the Sally Soprano case, Sally's agent prepares the potential issues to be discussed before the negotiation. Which items) may be on the list? Sally's salary and publicity Work-related benefits and incentives such as a hotel suite accommodation, limousine transportation, flower arrangements in the dressing room Future contracts and collaboration Rehearsal setup and arrangements All of the choicesarrow_forwardSummarize chapters 1 through 8 of the book "food and beverage cost control"arrow_forwardCan you guys help me with this? Thank you! Here's the question: Compared to the CONSTRAINT model, how has the network changed? How do you plan to add contingency to your network? Please answer this thoroughly Here's the what-if scenario: Assume that the LA warehouse becomes temporarily or even indefinitely disabled since facing a large-scale labor disruption. Re-optimize the network considering this new constraint. Here's the scenario comparison analysis: Scenario Constraint Scenario vs What-if Scenario Summary The Constraint Scenario exhibits a higher total cost of $7,424,575.45 compared to the What-if Scenario's total cost of $6,611,905.60, signifying a difference of approximately $812,669.85, which indicates a more expensive operation in the Constraint Scenario. The average service time is slightly higher in the Constraint Scenario (0.72 days vs. 0.70 days), suggesting that the What-if Scenario provides a marginally quicker service. Moreover, the average end-to-end service time…arrow_forward
- Practical Management ScienceOperations ManagementISBN:9781337406659Author:WINSTON, Wayne L.Publisher:Cengage,Contemporary MarketingMarketingISBN:9780357033777Author:Louis E. Boone, David L. KurtzPublisher:Cengage Learning

