Littlefield Game: Group B01 Team Details: Group No. 1(Section B) Nachiket Deshmukh (129278068) Nikhil Pokharkar (129278094) Pranavi Jakkam (129278092) Archana Choudhary (129278066) Gaurav Kataria (129278102) Final Position: Number 1 We had kept all the concepts covered in class in our mind to play the game. The key concepts according to us were:
Process Analysis
Capacity Utilization
Bottleneck Identification
Impact of bottleneck on performance of overall process
Importance of maintaining utilization and queue levels at desired values
The most important part of this game was capacity planning. We had studied the document in detail and understood the product life cycle. The product was electronic and had a short life cycle. Its life cycle was about nine months (around 268 days). Like most of the electronic items, the product demand grew at a linear rate in initial phase, then it stabilized and then again declined at linear rate. We decided to do c apacity planning at long term level (entire life cycle). We found out that bottleneck was going to be station 1. Our initial estimation suggested that around 4 th
machines would be needed at station 1 with 4 machine needed just at the end linear growth phase. The decision of purchase of 4
th
machine, hence, was to be taken in later stages of the game. Three
machines, however, would be definitely needed. For station 2 and station 3, our analysis of utilization suggested that 2 machines would be needed from around 3
rd
month till about 7
th
month. However, it was decided that decision of an additional 3
machine would be taken only during peak season. th
Hence, we purchased one machine at each station 1, 2 and 3 by end of second month (60 day). Then, we kept on observing following graphs closely:
Utilization levels at each station
Queues at each station
rd
During peak season (5
th
and 6
th
months), we calculated utilizations at each station. Utilization levels
were:
Station 1: 0.749 with a standard deviation of 0.21
Station 2: 0.385 with a standard deviation of 0.13
Station 3: 0.367 with a standard deviation of 0.17
Hence, we decided to go ahead with only 2 machines at station 2 and 3. And then, in last phase when demand was supposed to go down on linear way, we estimated utilization levels of station 2 and 3 of 0.19 each with two machines. So, w e calculated that one machine would be sufficient in last 2 .5 months. Hence, we sold one machine each from station 2 and 3 in the final stages of the game. Now, for station 1, decision was challenging. We calculated that 3 machines would be needed even during later stages of the game and only in the last 1 month, machine requirement would drastically reduce from 3 to 1. Hence, we decided to keep all three machines. However, there was a span of 20 days when utilization would go to level of 1 for station 1. There was a possibility of adding a fourth machine and selling it during 7
th
month. This would need
total investment of Rs. 80000 (90000 - 10000). Hence, if machines would have generated revenue of at least Rs. 80000; it would have been wise to invest in fourth machine. We decided not to take the risk as demand would start declining. These decisions really helped us to maintain a strong position in the game. And looking at business in the long term (overall life cycle of the product) helped us to maintain first position in the game.
Summary of our purchase/sell transactions: Day 57 59 59 91 217 217
Parameter station 1 machine count station 2 machine count station 3 machine count station 1 machine count station 3 machine count station 2 machine count
