MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MALAWI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FROM: GROUP 20

MEMBERS: PRISCILLA CHANGADEYA – BME/002/18

GOMEZGANI MTONGA -MET/019/18

SUBILA SIKWESE – CHE/033/18/E

SUBMITTED TO: MR NYAMBI

COURSE NAME: INDUSTRIAL STUDIES

COURSE CODE: INDUS - 410

PROGRAM: BIOMEDICAL, CHEMICAL AND METALLURGY AND MATERIALS

ENGINEERING

TASK: ASSINGMENT 1

SUBMISSION DATE: 28 SEPTEMBER 2O22

QUESTION 1A
Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills,
knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to
the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project
management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale
and budget.
A key factor that distinguishes project management from just 'management'
is that it has this final deliverable and a finite timespan, unlike management
which is an ongoing process. Because of this a project professional needs a
wide range of skills; often technical skills, and certainly people management
skills and good business awareness.
The critical path method (CPM) is a technique where you identify tasks that
are necessary for project completion and determine scheduling flexibilities. A
critical path in project management is the longest sequence of activities that
must be finished on time in order for the entire project to be complete. Any
delays in critical tasks will delay the rest of the project. CPM revolves around
discovering the most important tasks in the project timeline, identifying task
dependencies, and calculating task durations.
As one of network analysis techniques has different objectives
1.powerful coordinating tool for planning, scheduling and controlling of
projects. : CPM can be used to compare expectations with actual progress.
The data used from current projects can inform future project plans.
2.minimize total project cost and time by preventing bottle necks that lead to
loss of time.
3.effective utilization of resources and minimization of effective resources. :
CPM helps project managers prioritize tasks, giving them a better idea of
how and where to deploy resources
4.minimization of delays and interruption during implementation of project.
Design of plants, machines and systems to be used at a plant can be an
example of a complex project that can require CPM technique. This can
require a series of activities, some of which must be performed sequentially
and others that can be performed in parallel with other activities. This
collection of series and parallel tasks are then modelled as a network. The
CPM models the activities and events of project as a network. Activities are
shown as nodes on the network and events signify the beginning or ending
of activities are shown as arcs or lines between the nodes. For all tasks off
the critical path, a degree of tolerance is possible (late start, late completion,
early start).
In a project to set a plant decisions are to be made on where the plant will be
located, its layout, how facilities will be laid out as well as process selection
prior to setting the plant. These have different factors that influence choices
to be made at any particular stage in favor of those that satisfy best the
objectives of the project to be caried out in between an estimated period of
time.
STEPS
1.specifiy the individual activities.
All the list of activities in the project are listed. This may include evaluation
and comparison of different locations from one another on factors like how
much labor is available, availability of raw materials, power, transport
facilities, already existing markets and suitability of climate. Another activity
can be selecting the layout that will organize the equipment and working
areas in the most efficient way and in a time satisfactory way by also
ensuring safety of personnel. Other activities can be construction of the
plant, purchasing of equipment.

2.determine the sequence of the activities

Some activities are dependent on the completion of others . so a list of
immediate predecessors
of each activity is useful for
construction of the CPM
network diagram.so
from the above example tasks
a good example can be that
purchasing of equipment
cannot be done before
selection of a site where the
plant will be constructed.
3.draw the diagram
Once the activities and their sequences have been defined, the CPM can be
drawn .
 Figure 1. example of CPM diagram
4. estimate activity completion time
Estimation can be done on each task according past experience. And every
task is assigned the time it can take for it to be completed.

5.identify the critical path

The critical path is the longest duration path through the network. The
significance of tasks in the critical path is that activities that lie on it can not
be delayed without delaying the project.
Can be be identified by determining the four parameters:
a. earliest start time (ES): the earliest time at which the activity can start
given that its precedent activities must be completed first
b. earliest finish time (EF): equal to the earliest time for the activity plus time
required to complete the activity.
c. latest finish time (LF): the latest time at which the activity can be
completed without delaying the project
d. latest start time (LS): latest time equal to the latest finish time minus the
time required to complete the activity.
The slack time for an activity is the time between its earliest and latest start
time, or between its earliest and finish time.
The critical path is the path through the project network in which none of the
activities have slack for all activities in the path. A delay in the critical path
delays the project similarly to accelerate the project it is necessary to reduce
the total time required for the activities of the critical path.
6.update the CPM diagram
As the project progresses, the actual task competition times will be known
and the network diagram can be updated to include the information. A new
critical path may emerge , structural changes maybe made in the network if
the projects requirements change. Delays can occur and some activities can
take longer than expected like the construction of buildings.
QUESTION 1B

1. WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)

Definition:

instead of dealing with a behemoth of a project that feels

overwhelming, smart project managers break the work into more
manageable tasks, a strategy called work breakdown structure.

How it works:

this isn’t just about taking something complicated and breaking it

down into smaller parts. Using the WBS technique, it’s easier to
organize smaller tasks into a workflow than larger ones.

Why it works:

when breaking down a project into smaller bites, teams can see which
tasks depend on others and when to complete them. It’s also
significantly easier to estimate how much time and money to spend on
each task.

This makes resource planning and managing stakeholder’s

expectations smoother.
2. SCRUM

Definition:
Scrum is the most common framework within the Agile methodology. It
defines the project goal over a series of short development cycles
known as “sprints.”
How it works:

teams refine the high-level scope through iterations. At the start of the
sprint, teams figure out how many items they can commit to and
create a sprint backlog (a list of the tasks to perform during the sprint).

Why it works:

these iterations improve the likelihood of delivering a product that fully

satisfies customer requirements. Plus, they can deliver a viable
product earlier than in more traditional methodologies, which is
important for businesses where speed-to-market is crucial.
3. SAFe

Definition:

the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) implements Agile project

management at scale.

There are 4 levels for organizations of different sizes and requirements

— Essential, Large Solution, Portfolio, and Full.

How it works:

As an organization grows, SAFe’s agile practices provide a framework

that enables teams to develop better products by responding quickly
to changing market conditions, customer’s needs, and newly
developed technologies.

Why it works:
 a 2020 study found that SAFe improved collaboration with teams and
increased efficiency. Overall, leveraging the power of SAFe allows
companies to make faster decisions, communicate more effectively,
optimize operations, and stay focused on the customer.

4. KANBAN

Definition:

in Kanban, a project’s workflow is broken down into smaller tasks.

These tasks are then organized and displayed, so everyone on the
team is aware of project progress.

How it works:

often, tasks on a Kanban software are separated into columns. A

classic Kanban board shows 3 columns assigning tasks a status of:

To-do

Doing
 Done

One popular addition is a ‘Stuck’ column, to show tasks that are in-
progress but not progressing for some reason.

Why it works:

Kanban is great for projects with sequential workflows and limited

dependencies that allow team members to concentrate on their own
tasks.

5. GANTT CHARTS

Definition:

A Gantt chart is a bar chart allows you to visualize project activities

over time. It’s especially useful because it shows what work needs to
be completed on specific days.
 How it works:

Gantt charts allow project managers to determine — at a glance —

current project progress and take any action to bring the project back
on schedule.

Why it works:

Gantt charts show:

The start date of the project

The project tasks

Which team member is working on what task

When tasks start and finish

How long tasks take

Task dependencies and milestones

6. PERT

Definition:
 PERT isn’t just focused on the critical path’s duration, but also the
relationships between project tasks.

PERT shows project tasks arranged more like a flowchart than

sequential events.

How it works:

this method improves the accuracy of task duration estimates by using

3 possible inputs for the calculation:

Optimistic time

Pessimistic time

Most-likely time

Why it works:

This can get pretty detailed so for more information, check out our
guide to PERT.

7. WATERFALL
 Definition:

Waterfall is a structured and linear approach to organizing and

controlling projects.

How it works:

teams divide a project into distinct phases, with each new phase
beginning only when competing the previous one.

Why it works:

the distinct phases make project planning simple. It’s also easy to
monitor if the project is on track.

That makes it good for projects that need to commit to a fixed timeline
or budget, such as large infrastructure projects.

QUESTION 2A

IMPORTANCE OF VARIETY REDUCTION IN A PLANT:

Since the numbers of items are reduced due to variety reduction;

 increased quantity of an individual item can lead to more economical

price, because of larger quantities.
 It is possible to establish specifications for parts and route wise
purchase activities.
 The purchasing activity can be made truly competitive by eliminating
special lots and brand names.
 Standardization results in effective communication, which promotes
better understanding between different departments, in order to avoid
constant disputes and misunderstanding.
 Improvements on quality can be made of remaining products
 Less money spent on repairs cost and services involved in making
various products
 Chances of making mistakes/errors are reduced as more attention can
be implemented in existing products.
 Fewer items will mean more personalized attention and there will be
fewer stock outs and service level will also improve.
 Inventory carrying cost will come down because less inventories will be
held.
 Less procurement cost as fewer numbers of purchases for lesser
number of items will have to be made. Further, since quantities per
item will increase, better quantity discounts will become available and
unit cost of each item will come down.

QUESTION 2B
TECHNIQUES INVOLVED IN VARIETY REDUCTION
Some of the techniques involved in variety reduction are as follows:
1. Standardisation
Standardisation can be applied in a manufacturing company using
some strategies like product standardisation and Parts and Sub -
assembly Standardisation. In product standardisation it focus on profit
contribution for each model and its reasonably accurate when given
models with small sales or with low profit contribution making them
candidates for deletion from product range, which makes it difficult to
achieve manufacturing facilities requirements hence making it a
favourable time to reduce model variety since the old models are due
for replacement while Parts and Sub -assembly Standardisation , in
this approach a customer is offered a range of products made up from
 standardised parts while still enjoying the advantages of product
standardisation, which is lower production cost , resulting largely from
longer runs and simpler control.

2. Classification
In classification parts are used in production are numbered for easy
and unambiguous refence. The numbers can be allocated with or
without significance for example these numbers can be allocated in a
sequential form depending on characteristics like diameter of the
screw drivers. Classification can include the whole production as a
system or restricted, for instance, to parts:

i. By Product
Here the product or contract is coded. For instance, TE5 -23
could indicate that the part is used on an electric typewriter,
models; the number 23 has no classifying significance, being a
sequencing number

ii. By Material
Both the type of material and the form in which it is supplied can
be coded. The first two items in the code PB-C-l72 could indicate
that the material is phosphor bronze, supplied as a casting.

iii. By Shape
The general shape and possibly the size of a leading feature can
be classified. For example, ~ PW15 - 242 could indicate a plain
washer with an outside diameter of between 14 and 15 mm.

3. Actual Coding Systems

Actual coding systems in industries is divided into two major systems:
Opitz, which applies to machined parts only, and the popular Brisch
system which is tailor -made to suit the whole operation of the
company. Opitz system is referred to as a universal system because it
can be used for any machined part, not because of its wide range of
application; in fact, a second numbering system is needed for
production control purposes. The Opitz system provides an effective
method of bringing together parts having similar machining
characteristics, thereby facilitating the planning of production,
machine loading and group technology. while Brisch System it does not
have the rigid approach of the universal system but is modified to
meet the needs of the organisations to which it is applied.

4. Modification to Designs
 product designs are changed some parts are replaced and others
modified.
The time scale for implementation depends on the reasons for the
change.
Malfunction of the product usually calls for immediate implementation,
but
where the appearance of the product is altered, or its production cost
reduced,
the benefits of an immediate change have to be weighed against the
cost, particularly in terms of unwanted stocks of superseded parts.

QUESTION 2 C
Group technology (GT) is the analysis and comparisons of items to group
them into
families with similar characteristics. GT can be used to develop a hybrid
between pure process layout and pure flow line (product) layout. This
technique is very useful for companies that produce variety of parts in small
batches to enable them to take advantage and economics of flow line layout.
The application of group technology involves two basic steps; first step is to
determine
component families or groups. The second step in applying group technology
is to arrange the plants equipment used to process a particular family of
components. This represents small plants within the plants. The group
technology reduces production planning time for jobs. It reduces the set-up
time Thus group layout is a combination of the product layout and process
layout. It combines the advantages of both layout systems.
Value Analysis (VA) is a systematic method to improve the value of goods or
products and services by using an examination of function. Value, as
defined, is the ratio of function to cost. Improving the function or reducing
the cost can therefore increase value. At the very heart of the VA process
review is a concern to identify and eliminate product and service features
that add no true value to the customer or the product but incur cost to the
process of manufacturing or provision of the service. As such, the VA process
is used to offer a higher performing product or service to the customer at a
minimal cost as opposed to substituting an existing product with an inferior
solution. This basic principle, of offering value at the lowest optimal cost of
production.
The VA approach is therefore formal and systematic because it is directed
towards highlighting and dealing with these ‘recoverable costs’ of
production. The objective is to create value for money as opposed to
creating new products that do not provide customer satisfaction but are
relatively inexpensive.
the development of knowledge about the costs of a product in such a way
that the costs are gradually decomposed to a high level of detail. At this
point, the recoverable losses associated with the current design can be
assessed and targeted for reduction to yield, as a result, the same value but
at a reduced cost base. the current costs are decomposed into those related
to materials and those related to conversion before analyzing, in greater
detail, the materials costs and the opportunities to recover costs through
redesign and the opportunities to recover transformation or conversion
costs. by the customer in the most reliable way and lowest cost.
The Value Analysis approach is therefore the means of maintaining the value
proposition for the customer through periodic reviews that serve to
continuously improve the process of ‘design to marketplace’. In-group
technology layout, the objective is to minimize the sum of the cost of
transportation and the cost of equipment so designing the cells in a way that
the cost of materials handling will be at the absolute minimum. And make
sure cost of equipment would be at the minimum if the equipment is fully
utilized might help in increase of value of products by reducing other costs.
REFERENCE
https://monday.com/blog/project-management/8-project-management-
techniques-every-project-manager-should-know/

https://www.process-and-project.net/studenuterseiten/status-quo-scale-agile-
2020-en/

https://www.shareyouressays.com/knowledge/what-is-the-importance-of-
variety-reduction-materials-management/116375/

https://asana.com/resources/critical-path-method
https://www.xforty.com/value-analysis
https://www.slideshare.net/mustafizulhilmie/chapter-2-plant-location-new
Norton, B. R. and McElligott, W. C., (1995), ‘Value management in
construction: a practical guide’, MacMillan
Gibson, J. F., (1968), ‘Value Analysis: The Rewarding Infection’, Pergamon
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Cohen L (1995), ‘Quality Function Deployment: How to make QFD work for
you’, Addison Wesley, Reading MA