Woodpoint Furniture Manufacturing produces various lines of pine furniture. The plant is organized so that all similar functions are performed in one area, as shown in Exhibit 7-17. Most pieces of furniture are made in batches of 10 units.

Raw materials are ordered and stored in the raw materials storage area. When an order is issued for a batch of production, the wood needed to complete that batch is withdrawn from the raw materials storage area and taken to the saw area. There the wood is sawed into the pieces that are required for the production lot

The pieces are then transferred to the sanding and planing area, where they are stored awaiting processing in that area. When the machines are free, any sanding or planing is done on all the pieces in the batch. Any pieces that are damaged by the planing or sanding are reordered from the saw area.

The other pieces in the lot are set aside in a storage area when pieces have to be reordered from the saw area. When all of the pieces have been sanded or planed, the pieces are then transferred to the assembly area, where they are placed in a large bin to await assembly. Pieces are withdrawn from the bin as assembly proceeds. Defective pieces are returned to the saw or sand and plane area, where they are remanufactured.

As assembly proceeds or when assembly is completed, depending on the product, any required painting or staining is done in the painting area. Pieces to be stained o painted are transferred back and forth on a trolley between the assembly and paint areas. The paint department has a storage area for pieces awaiting painting. Whenever assembly is halted to await pieces that have been sent for painting and staining, the rest of the pieces in that batch are put into the storage bin to await the return of the stained or painted pieces.
When assembly is completed, the quality inspector checks the product. Any defective products are returned to the appropriate department for rework. When the product is approved, it is packaged and put into final storage to await an order by the customer.

Required

(a) Chart the process (that is, specify, from start to finish, the activities used) for making furniture at Woodpoint Furniture Manufacturing. Which activities do you think add value from the customer's perspective?

(b) What performance indicators do you think are critical in evaluating the performance of this manufacturing operation from the standpoint of customers and the company?