The diagram below shows the process of manufacturing of item D and the capacity of each operation. Each operation requires one unit from the previous step.

Which of the following is the total production throughput?
Correct Answer: A
To determine the total production throughput, identify the bottleneck operation, which is the operation with the lowest capacity:
* Operation A: 32 units/hr
* Operation B: 25 units/hr
* Operation C: 40 units/hr
* Operation D: 27 units/hr
Operation B has the lowest capacity at 25 units/hr, making it the bottleneck. The total production throughput is limited by this bottleneck operation, which is 25 units/hr.
References
* Goldratt, E. M., & Cox, J. (1984). The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. North River Press.
* Hopp, W. J., & Spearman, M. L. (2011). Factory Physics. Waveland Press.