Document 5Lv96r4E0Dx4ZOMnL6Xey68EN

Glass 6 Ceramics Section with periodic reports based on output printed by n computer. These reports keep management abreast of tho progress of the project. Tho reports show (1) jobs com pleted, (2) actual completion time of tho completed jobs, (3) jobs that aro on sched ule, and (4) jobs that ore behind schcdulo. To summarize, using a different project from the computer installation, wo will com pare this management information system with the conventional bar chart familiar to almost everyone in industry and which has been the traditional approach to planning and scheduling. This chart provides some valuable information, such os tho duration of major items and starting and ending times. However, from tho standpoint of effectively planning, scheduling and controlling a proj ect, additional and more accurate information Is required. For example, this method will have on exceptionally difficult task to answer these questions: 1. Which portions of tho design can be done concurrently with fabricating and pro curing parts? 2. Which parts of tho design must be completed before other ports of the design can begin? 3. Which activities are to be given priority in order not to hold up completing the proj ect on schedule? Yet, when we note tho network, we can answer these questions rather readily. For example: 1. Whllo we ore procuring ports and shop fabrication, wo can be preparing the installa tion designs. 2. Tho sequence of designs, design equip ment, detailed equipment design, and instal lation designs arc distinctly shown. 3. Tho path--design equipment, detailed equipment design, procure parts, install equipment and tryout-must bb given prior ity os this is the critical path. As tho Critical Path permits improved methods for controlling projects by tho use of a computer, substantial time can be saved in decision making. Alternate methods can bo evaluated with some degree of thorough ness. CPM Application. Our plant engineering activity has used tho Critical Path method on a number of multi-million dollar programs. Since the Mt Clemens paint plant allowed for rather ac- tlvo participation by tho safety personnel through tho use of Critical Path mothod, we can use it as a typical oxomplo: Hie Mt Clemens paint plant doubles our previous paint production, as well as produc ing resins heretofore purchased for use in tho paint formulation. Approval to go ahead was given by tho Board of Directors in Ootoiler, 1964. Construction o^ts were in tho millions, and tho entire program required over two years to complete. As this was a now venture for automotive manufacturing porsonnel tho complexities that wero expected to bo encountered made the use of tho Criti cal Path method a mandaio. Tho CPM diagram for tho paint plant shows only major activities. For this sizo job somo firms would prepare diagrams of 3,000 to 5,000 activities--this diagram contains about 500. Our activity uses CPM to stress planning by monitoring periodically con struction progress against tho diagram and with specific rcfcrcnco to the status of tho milestones. Milestones represent the key objectives during the course of a program or project. So that the end completion date is defined properly, milestone dates must bo met: Mile stone-Start Paint Production, Node 246, 3/1/60. All of the activities needed to sup port tho production of paint which lead into this activity will determine tho planning date. A computer run predicts the ability of confirming this dnte. Tho milestone concept leads into tho safety engineer's participation. Our division safety engineer become ono of the astute students in CPM and was quick to Icam tho impact of milestones. -Ho used Nodo 246 to investigate all of his safety items and activi ties essential to the production of paint. Such items ns gate security, hose carts, extin guishers, protective safety equipment, and other industrial relations items for which he also, assumes responsibility arc diagrammed --"keyed" to milestones which have been ori ented to production. Most important is tho means by which ho can apply Ipgic, as sim ple os it may seem, to develop the scope of his responsibility. j The timing of these safety itemp was eval uated from computer-based programs de signed by Ford Motor Company, with tho output reports being peculiar to Ford, Motor Company procedure. The information, con tained is tho typo of information that oiir or- 7