This activity is designed to be used in the classroom or as a homework task to support the teaching and learning of Critical Path Analysis.

Critical Path Analysis - Activity

This Activity is based around a decision by a food manufacturing business to install a new piece of machinery to cope with anticipated demand leading up to a busy time of the year. The machinery allows pre-packed food to be manufactured with 90% automation compared to the existing machinery which relied far more on human input, making the whole process only 40% automated.

In previous years, the business has always suffered shortages as a result of the inadequacy of the equipment they have had and this has caused some dissatisfaction amongst its customers. While most have remained loyal, there have been one or two who have taken their business elsewhere and this has prompted the business to act

The Activity requires two groups to analyse competing pieces of machinery. Both machines will do the job that they are required to do, both have the same output ratios and initial cost but the crucial thing for the business is how quickly the machines can be installed and begin production. You must use Critical Path Analysis to advise the business on the most appropriate piece of machinery out of the two.

You must consider the correct order for each task, draw out the network for the machine in question, and indicate the earliest start time, latest finishing time and the critical path. All the tasks below are those that need to be completed by the firm themselves - the new machine construction, for example, refers to the work that needs to be done following delivery of the equipment.

Machine A:

Machine B:

When considering the tasks, note that some tasks may have to be repeated more than once! (Think about the context here).