Case Studies
KanTech Corporation is a global distributor of electrical pans and components. Its customers are electronics companies in the United States, including computer manufacturers and audio/ visual product manufacturers. The company contracts to purchase components and parts from manufacturers in Russia. Eastern and Western Europe, and the Mediterranean, and it has them delivered to warehouses in three European posts. Gdansk. Hamburg, and Lisbon. The various components and parts are loaded into containers based on demand from U.S. customers. Each port has a limited fixed number of containers available each month. The containers are then shipped overseas by container ships to the ports of Norfolk. Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Galveston. From these seaports, the containers are typically coupled with Wicks and hauled to inland polls in Front Royal (Virginia). Kansas City, and Dallas. There are a fixed number of freight haulers available at each port each month. These inland ports are sometimes called "freight villages." or intermodal junctions, where the containers are collected and transferred from one transport mode to another (i.e.. from truck to mil or vice versa). From the inland ports, the containers are transported to KanTech's distribution centers in Tucson. Pittsburgh, Denver, Nashville, and Cleveland. Following are the handling and shipping costs ($/container) between each of the embarkation and destination points along this overseas supply chain and the available containers at each port:
|
European Port
|
U.S. Port
|
Available Containers
|
|
4. Norfolk
|
5. Jacksonville
|
6. New Orleans
|
7. Galveston
|
|
1. Gdansk
|
$1,725
|
$1,800
|
$2,345
|
$2,700
|
125
|
|
2. Hamburg
|
1,825
|
1,750
|
1,945
|
2,320
|
210
|
|
3. Lisbon
|
2,060
|
2,175
|
2,050
|
2,475
|
160
|
|
U.S. Port
|
Inland Port
|
Intermodal Capacity (containers)
|
|
8. Dallas
|
9. Kansas City
|
10. Front Royal
|
|
4. Norfolk
|
$825
|
$545
|
$320
|
85
|
|
5. Jacksonville
|
750
|
675
|
450
|
110
|
|
6. New Orleans
|
325
|
605
|
690
|
100
|
|
7. Galveston
|
270
|
510
|
1,050
|
130
|
|
131Intermodal Capacity (containers)
|
170
|
240
|
140
|
|
|
Inland Port
|
Distribution Centre
|
|
11. Tucson
|
12. Denver
|
13. Pittsburgh
|
14. Nashville
|
15. Cleveland
|
|
8. Dallas
|
$450
|
$830
|
$565
|
$420
|
$960
|
|
9. Kansas City
|
880
|
520
|
450
|
380
|
660
|
|
10. Front Royal
|
1,350
|
390
|
1,200
|
450
|
310
|
|
Demand
|
85
|
60
|
105
|
50
|
120
|
Formulate and solve a linear programming model to determine the optimal shipment from each point of embarkation to each destination along this supply chain that will result in the minimum total shipping cost.
Case Study Group Assignments with Excel QM -
The Question:
Dr. Maureen Becker, the head administrator at Jefferson County Regional Hospital, must determine a schedule for nurses to make sure there are enough nurses on duty throughout the day. During the day, the demand for nurses varies. Maureen has broken the day into 12 two-hour periods. The slowest time of the day encompasses the three periods from 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M., which, beginning at midnight, require a minimum of 30, 20, and 40 nurses, respectively. The demand for nurses steadily increases during the next four daytime periods. Beginning with the 6:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. period, a minimum of 50, 60, 80, and 80 nurses are required for these four periods, respectively. After 2:00 P.M. the demand for nurses decreases during the afternoon and evening hours. For the five two-hour periods beginning at 2:00 P.M. and ending at midnight, 70, 70, 60, 50, and 50 nurses are required, respectively. A nurse reports for duty at the beginning of one of the two-hour periods and works eight consecutive hours (which is required in the nurses' contract). Dr. Becker wants to determine a nursing schedule that will meet the hospital's minimum requirements throughout the day while using the minimum number of nurses.
Problem Description
The problem is summarized by a need from an administrator of a hospital to prepare a nursing schedule in order to make sure that there are enough nurses available during the day.
Dr. Maureen Becker analysis showed that the day can be divided into a 12 (2) hours periods to determine the demand for nurses. The analysis showed the following findings:
- From 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. required a minimum of 30, 20, and 40 nurses, respectively.
- From 6:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. required a minimum of 50, 60, 80, and 80 nurses.
- From 2:00 P.M. and ending at midnight required 70, 70, 60, 50, and 50 nurses.
Taking into consideration that the each nurse work for an eight consecutive hours.
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar