Consider the assembly line of a laptop computer. The line consists of 12 stations and operates at a cycle time of 1.50 minutes/unit. Their most error-prone operation is step 1. There is no inventory between the stations, because this is a machine-paced line. Final inspection happens at station 12. What would be the information turnaround time for a defect made at station 1

Information turnaround time = 16.50 minutes

Explanation:

As per the data given in the question,

Cycle time of whole line = 1.50 minutes/unit

which means 1 unit is made in 1.50 minutes. In the line of 12 stations 1st step is the most error prone.

Error made at step 1 means that unit must be processed by 11 other stations in order to be made and inspected at 12th station.

The information turnaround time = cycle time * number of stations after error is made

=1.50 * 11

= 16.50 minutes