Production Control: Gantt and Network Techniques

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of Gantt's contributions to production management?

Promoting efficient machine time reservation (correct)

Allocating resources for marketing strategies

Increasing the volume of produced goods

Maximizing profit by reducing production costs

In the context of PERT, what does the expected time represent?

The time the activity is actually expected to take based on probabilities (correct)

The maximum time allowed for completion of an activity

The average of all time estimates provided

The time taken by the previous activity in the sequence

What is a critical path in project management?

The shortest sequence of tasks that can be performed

The longest sequence of activities required to complete the project on time (correct)

The sequence of non-essential activities in a project

The sequence of activities that have the lowest cost

Which technique is designed to work with interrelated activities within projects?

Network techniques Signup and view all the answers

What are the components of the critical path method (CPM) algorithm?

Forward pass and backward pass Signup and view all the answers

Which time estimate is NOT typically assigned in PERT?

Critical time Signup and view all the answers

How do activities in a network diagram represent tasks?

Each activity is represented by a line connecting events. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates PERT from other critical path methods?

The assignment of probabilities to time estimates Signup and view all the answers

What best describes a critical activity in a project schedule?

An activity that does not have any float, meaning Total Float=0. Signup and view all the answers

What does the length of a project primarily depend on?

The longest path in the network diagram, known as the critical path. Signup and view all the answers

How is the earliest finish time (EF) of an activity calculated?

EF is the sum of the earliest start time (ES) and the duration of the activity. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding total float in a project?

Total float describes the delay an activity can endure without impacting the entire project. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the backward pass in Critical Path Method (CPM)?

To establish the latest start and finish times from the end of the network. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about dummy activities in project management?

They represent a relationship in the activity sequence. Signup and view all the answers

What condition leads to the classification of an activity as critical?

The activity has zero float, meaning any delay affects the project timeline. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about float is correct?

Free float affects only the immediate successors of an activity. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Production Control - Gantt Charts

Gantt charts are a method for production planning and control.
Henry L. Gantt developed this method.
The method aims to optimize the flow of work between machines in a production process.
It provides a reliable way to reserve machine time for production jobs, minimizing delays.
Charts visually represent tasks and their scheduled progression over time.

Network Techniques

Network techniques are designed for projects with interconnected activities or events.
They use events (circles) and activities (lines) with time estimates.
Events represent starting/ending points in a production process.
Activities are the tasks that take time.
Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT): Used for new projects with limited prior experience.
PERT assigns optimistic, most likely, pessimistic, and expected time estimates to activities.
Critical path methods (like PERT) calculate the total time required for completion.
Critical Path Method (CPM): another project management approach to calculate project completion time.
CPM helps to determine the critical path, the longest sequence of activities that dictates project completion time.
Delays in critical path activities impact the whole project.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

CPM uses an algorithm (forward and backward passes).
The forward pass determines earliest start (ES) and earliest finish (EF) times for each activity.
The backward pass calculates the latest start (LS) and latest finish (LF) times.
The critical path is the longest path in the network diagram.
Delays in critical path activities impact the entire project.

Network Diagrams

Diagrams graphically represent project activities and their dependencies.
Network diagrams use nodes (circles) for events and arrows for activities.
Nodes mark the beginning and ending of activities; arrows show activity dependencies.
Activities require time, labor, materials, or resources.
Dummy activities show relationships between activities without consuming resources.
A network shows the project schedule and its progression.

Errors to Avoid in Network Construction

Two activities starting from the same event should not have the same end event.
Looping errors (activities repeatedly in a cycle) must be avoided.
Networks should have a single start and a single end event.
Arrows should flow consistently (single direction).

Project Activity Tables

Tables list project activities and their predecessors.
Predecessors are activities that must be completed before another can begin.

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of production control through Gantt charts and network techniques. Learn how these methods help optimize workflows and manage project timelines. Understand key concepts like PERT and critical path methods to effectively streamline production processes.