Operations Management
National Cranberry Cooperative
Hossam Gamal 10/18/2018
National Cranberry Cooperative Case
1
Introduction
The case analysis shows the main problems at the receiving plant no.1 (RP 1) during
the cranberry harvesting period:
1) High waiting period for trucks before they unload berries at the RP1
2) Overtime costs is very high.
3) Also another problem regarding grading of process berries. Half of the berries
graded as top quality whereas they are not top quality and do not deserve extra
premiums paid.
Input Assumptions:
Dumping Capacity
Kiwanee dumpers
5
Average time to dump
5 to 10 minutes
Average weight of berries in truck
75 bbls
Total Dumping capacity
5 x 75 x 60 / 7.5 = 3000 bbls/hr
Holding Capacity
Total capacity of bins numbered 1-16
250 x 16 = 4000 bbls
Total capacity of bins numbered 17-24
250 x 8 = 2000 bbls
Total capacity of bins numbered 25,26,27
400 x 3 = 1200 bbls
Destoning Capacity (3)
Total de-stoning capacity
Total 4500 bbls/hr
Dechaffing capacity (3)
Total de-chaffing capacity
Total 4500 bbls / hr
Separators
Separator units
3 with avg. capacity of 400 bbls/hr per unit
Total separator capacity
3 x 400 = 1200 bbls/hr
Bagging Station Capacity
Max. output per day
8000 bbls
Capacity
8000/ 12 = 667 bbls / day
Bulk Bin loading capacity
Loaders for bulk bin loading
4
Total bulk loading capacity
4 x 200 = 800 bbls / day
Bulk Truck loading capacity
Loaders of bulk trucks
2 @ a capacity of 1000 bbls/ hr per unit
Total bulk truck loading capacity
2000 bbls / day
Process Analysis
Below is the flow diagram that illustrates the flow of berries at RP1 from the time they
arrive in trucks to the moment they leave RP1 after being bagged, bulk loaded into trucks
or loaded into bulk bins.
National Cranberry Cooperative Case
Process Diagram of Cranberries in National Cranberry Cooperative
–
1 – 16
Bins 1 to 16 process are
for dry berries
– Total Capacity of these
Bins = 250 x16 = 4000
De-stoning
De-chaffing
The berries
weighed,
sampled and
color graded
– Average dumping time is
7.5 minute per truck.
–
No. of Dumper are 5
–
The total capacity of
dumpers =
5x75x60/7.5=3000 bbls/hr
Temporary
Holding
Trucks arriving at
RP1. The average
weight of barriers
on truck is 75 bbls
per truck
Trucks arriving at
RP1
Dumping
–
3×1500 = 4500
