Chapter 4, Problem 4.13SE

Identify the DOWNTIME activities at a manufacturer (Learning Objective 4)

The following is a list of eight waste activities found at a furniture manufacturing plant. Classify each one as a type of waste as represented by the acronym DOWNTIME (Defects, Overproduction, Waiting, Not utilizing people to their full potential, Transportation, Inventory, Movement, and Excess processing).

1. a. The plant manager makes all decisions in the plant; employees follow directions.
2. b. Furniture is shipped fully assembled to customers, incurring extra shipping costs because of the additional bulk.
3. c. Employees must search for tools at the beginning of each work shift since there is no standard storage spot for each tool.
4. d. Because the drill press is broken, the furniture assembly workers cannot do any work until it is fixed.
5. e. The tables made yesterday need to have new umbrella holes drilled in them because the current holes are too small.
6. f. Tables are made in large batches because machine setup time is costly.
7. g. Raw materials are delivered to materials warehousing area; when production is ready for the raw materials, tow motor drivers drive the materials to the production area.
8. h. Twice as much raw material inventory as needed for current production is stocked in case defects are found in the raw material during production.