Scenario
As part of the short-term scheduling process, a manager must assign tasks and resources (usually machines and people) to accomplish the job with the objective of minimizing total cost. In this activity, you will use the assignment method to do that.
You work in the production facility that produces widgets. You have four different machines that can produce the same part; however, since each machine is different, the production cost is different. You are responsible for assigning jobs to machines, and you need to make sure to minimize the total cost to produce the widgets.
Calculate the best job assignments based on resources as shown in the following chart.
| Costs | Machine 1 | Machine 2 | Machine 3 | Machine 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widget 1 | $9.00 | $7.00 | $3.00 | $5.00 |
| Widget 2 | $7.00 | $8.00 | $12.00 | $11.00 |
| Widget 3 | $4.00 | $6.00 | $8.00 | $7.00 |
| Widget 4 | $6.00 | $11.00 | $13.00 | $10.00 |
Assignment
Use Excel or the Excel OM Assignment module to calculate the best job assignments based on resources as shown in the chart. After you determine the best job assignment, indicate on your spreadsheet the minimum cost that the company will incur based on this assignment.