Test Papers / Previous Question Papers of IGNOU MS5 Management of Machines and Materials December 2005

MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
Term-End Examination

December, 2005

MS5 (S) : MANAGEMENT OF MACHINES AND MATERIALS

Time: 3 hours
Maximum Marks: 100
(Weightage 70%)

SECTION A

1. (a) Explain Product Design. How does Product Design influence Process Design ?

(b) Processing times (including set-up times) and due dates for six jobs waiting to be processed at a work centre are given in the following table :

Determine :
(i) the sequence of jobs
(ii) the average flow time
(iii) the average job lateness, and
(iv) the average number of jobs at the centre, for each of these rules :
(a) SPT, and
(b) Earlier Due Date. (10+10)

2. (a) Describe the product selection process with the help of an example of a new small car.

(b) A producer of felt-tip pens has received a forecast of a demand of 30,000 pens for the coming month from its marketing department. Fixed costs of Rs. 2,50,000 per month are allocated to the felt-tip operation, and variabie costs are Rs. 5 per pen.
(i) Find the break-even quantity if pens sell for Rs. 15 each.
(ii) At what price must pens be sold to obtain a monthly profit of Rs. 20,000, assuming that estimated demand materialises ? (10+10)

3. (a) You have been retained as a consultant for establishment of a steel plant. Discuss at least ten important factors that you consider are relevant for locating a steel plant. Give examples.

(b) Factory Built Homes, Inc. (FBH) purchases panelling components from a nearby Western Mills for Rs. 5 per unit. It expects to use about 4,000 units during the coming year. FBH estimates that it costs Rs. 30 to place an order and Rs. 1.50 per unit per year for carrying and storage costs. Western Mills can provide FBH with immediate delivery of any reasonable quantity.
(i) What is the most economical quantity for FBH
(ii) How many orders per year should be placed ?
(iii) What is the total yearly cost associated with ordering, carrying and purchasing the EOQ amount ? (10+10)

4. (a) Supplier selection and supplier relations are considered important for the purchasing department. Should the quality assurance department ever become involved in these issues ? Why or why not ?

(b) The warehouse manager at the Textile Import Center estimates that the purchase of a Rs. 7,00,000 forklift would save 2 hours per shift of labour time. The firm works 2 shifts per day and 300 days per year. If the labour cost to the firm (including benefits) is Rs.320 per hour, how long would it take for the forklift to pay for itself ? (10+10)

5. (a) What is the cost of quality ? Explain acceptance sampling. Discuss sampling plans.

(b) The time required to complete each of six jobs on two machines are shown in the table below. Each job must follow the same sequence, beginning with machine A, and moving to machine B.

(i) Find the sequence that will minimise total completion time.
(ii) Construct a chart of the resulting sequence and find machine B's idle time. (10+10)

SECTION B

6. A project contains the following activities along with their predecessors and times for completion.

(i) Draw the network diagram.
(ii) Show the early start and early finish times.
(iii) Find the critical path. (8+6+6)

7. Write short notes on any tour of the following: (4 x 5 = 20)
(a) Learning Curve
(b) ABC Analysis
(c) Robotics
(d) Consumer's Risk
(e) Bath tub curve
(f) Preventive Maintenance