Linear Programming

The Jane Deere Company manufactures tractors in Provo, Utah. Jeremiah Goldstein, the production planner, is scheduling tractor production for the next three months. Factors that Mr. Goldstein must consider include sales forecasts, straight-time and overtime labor hours available, labor cost, storage capacity, and carrying costs.

The marketing department has forecast that the number of tractors shipped during the next three months will be 250, 305, and 350. Each tractor requires 100 labor hours to produce. In each month, 29,000 straight-time labor hours will be available, and company policy prohibits overtime hours from exceeding 10% of straight-time hours. Straight-time labor cost rate is $20 per hour, including benefits. The overtime labor cost rate is 150% (time and half) of the straight-time rate. Excess production capacity during a month may be used to produce tractors that will be stored and sold during a later month. However, the amount of storage space can accommodate only 40 tractors. A carrying cost of $600 is charged for each month a tractor is stored (if not shipped during the month it was produced). Currently, no tractors are in storage.

How many tractors should be produced in each month using straight-time and using overtime in order to minimize total labor cost and carrying cost? Sales forecasts, straight-time and overtime labor capacities, and storage capacity must be adhered to. Note that during each month, all Asources@ of tractors must exactly equal Auses@ of tractors

problem: What is the optimal min Z solution?