Part 1

1.Why did the problems of overtime and truck waiting occur at NCC only recently?

2. Why did increasing the capacity of the holding bins not help solve the problem of truck waiting to any great extent?

Part 2

1. Develop a process flow diagram for processing cranberries (both wet and dry). Show the capacities at the different stages.

2. What are the sources of variability affecting NCC's operations?

3. Suppose that a peak harvest-season day involves 18,000 barrels of berries, 70% of them wet harvested, arriving unifornly over a twelve-hour period from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Would trucks have to wait to unload? When during the day would trucks be waiting? How much truck waiting time would you expect? What is the maximum number of trucks waiting during the day?

4. If it costs $20 per hour to rent a truck and driver, how much money is spent by truck waiting on a peak day?

5. Is the investment in a light meter system a good option?