Part B: Scheduling the installation of the new machinery

Having decided to buy a new piece of machinery to make the radiators, Lambert Heating now has to consider the timeframe for getting the new piece of machinery up and running. This will involve you developing the project plan in terms of determining the critical path and the sequencing of the relevant activities. The activities involved are shown in the table below with their preceding activities and their normal durations. Some of the activities can be reduced in time by using extra staff but this is at an extra cost. The minimum duration for each activity is shown in the final column. For a number of activities, the minimum duration is the same as the normal duration as the duration of these activities cannot be reduced. The earliest that the company expects to start the process is Monday 3rd June 2013

Please note that the company works a 5 day week: Monday to Friday.

Task: Appendix
You may complete this task manually or by using MS project. Assuming that the project starts on Monday 3rd June 2013, determine the shortest duration for the entire project, using the normal duration times. Specify the date at which the project can finish and the number of weeks required. Produce a Gantt chart showing the starting and finishing times of each activity

sIdentify which activities form the critical path(s) of the project. If the project could be speeded up by a maximum of 3 weeks at a cost of 200 a day, where should this money be spent? Produce a new network diagram to show the new critical path(s) and total duration.

Report

Give details of the proposed calendar of works, making it clear which activities are critical and which activities have some slack. This section should be written so that the management can understand the advice being given without reference to the work in the appendix. Give details of the starting date, the finishing date and the duration of the project. Explain how, by spending more money, the project duration can be shortened. Explain which activities have been shortened and which activities are now critical. Give details of the starting date, the finishing date and the duration of the project. Give details of the extra cost involved in shortening the project. A successful assignment (Part B of this assignment) should include: Determining the shortest time in which the project can be completed using the normal durations Determining the shortest time in which the project can be completed using the minimum durations Producing a well-written, well-structured report that enables management to understand how to schedule the project. This report should include details of activities which must be completed on time and those for which there is some slack. The costs of shortening the project time should be included in the report as should the relevant start and finishing dates.

Note:

The above is illustrative, covering only the main points of the assignment. 500 words

Suggested length:

This part of the assignment (Part B) represents 20% of your marks on this piece of coursework.