Question - A steel product is manufactured by starting with raw material (carbon steel wire) and then processing it sequentially through five operations using machines A to E, respectively (see table). This is the only use that the five machines are put to. The hourly rates for each machine are given in the table.
Operation 1 2 3 4 5
Machine A B C D E
Hourly unit output rate 100 80 40 60 90
a. What is the maximum output per hour of the steel product?
b. By how much would the output be improved if the output of B was increased to 90 per hour?
c. By how much would the output be improved if the output of C was increased to 50 per hour?
d. By how much would the output be improved if the output of B was increased to 70 per hour?
e. What is the effect on the system if machine A can only manage an output of 90 in one hour?
f. What is the effect on the system if machine C can only manage an output of 30 in one hour?
g. What is the effect on the system if machine B can only manage an output of 30 in one hour?