Final answer:
To determine the number of kanbans that should be circulated between Sandy's process and the previous operations, we need to consider the production rate, the time it takes to receive materials, the container size, and the safety factor. The final number of kanbans should be 11.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of kanbans that should be circulated between Sandy's process and the previous operations, we need to consider the production rate, the time it takes to receive materials, the container size, and the safety factor.
First, we need to calculate the output rate per hour. If Sandy is producing 250 squidgets an hour, and each container holds 25 squidgets, then the output rate is 250/25 = 10 containers per hour.
Next, we need to consider the time it takes to receive materials. If it takes 30 minutes to receive materials, we need to account for that time. Therefore, the production rate considering the materials delay is reduced to 10 containers per 0.5 hours.
Finally, we need to include the safety factor. A safety factor of 10% means we need to have extra kanbans in circulation to account for unexpected delays or issues. Thus, the final number of kanbans should be 10 + (10 x 0.1) = 11.