5.2. Next Steps

Now let us consider the economics of going for 5 scrapers. So, 5 in the sense you are going to use lesser than what is needed, you are assuming 5 that means you are going to use the number of scrapers lesser than what is needed. So, when the number of scrapers are lesser than the balanced number so obviously scrapers are more critical, but a pusher will have the ideal time. Your pusher will wait for the scraper.

In this section, we assess the economic implications of utilizing 5 scrapers, which is fewer than the ideal number. Utilizing fewer scrapers leads to an imbalance in the production line where scrapers become the bottleneck; they are more critical in determining output since their limited availability delays the process. Meanwhile, the pusher, responsible for assisting the scrapers, will have a lot of idle time as it waits for scrapers to become available.

Imagine a train system where fewer locomotive engines are used than required. The trains (pushing vehicles) are ready to transport goods, but they cannot start until the freight cars (scrapers) are attached. If there are not enough freight cars to meet demand, the system is slowed, causing delays.

So, now, let us see the productivity this case of n equal to 5 scrapers. How to estimate the production of this scraper? The volume of your bowl volume per load, you know the value of 19.82 bank cubic meter. Production (Scraper controlling) = (Efficiency, hr) × (no. of scrapers) × (vol. per load) / (Cycle time of scraper, min)

To calculate the productivity of 5 scrapers, we take into account their efficiency and the volume they can hold per load. The production formula uses the effective working efficiency of the scrapers, which multiplies the number of scrapers (5 in this case) by the volume per load (19.82 bank cubic meters) and divides by the cycle time of the scrapers.

Consider a chef who can only make five pizzas at a time in an oven. If it takes him 30 minutes to bake one set of five pizzas, you can calculate how many pizzas he can churn out in an hour by using that time efficiently. The idea is similar; we’re balancing the time it takes to work against how much we can produce.

If n is greater than the balance number that means you are going to use more number of scrapers, then what is indicated by the balance number. In this case, scrapers will have the ideal time. Scrapers are not critical.

When the number of scrapers exceeds the optimal count, the dynamics shift. In this case, scrapers enjoy more idle time since they don’t have as much work to do compared to the pusher, which becomes critical in maintaining production flow. This scenario generally reduces overall effectiveness.

Think of a soccer team where you have too many players on the field compared to the allowed amount. Some players are left unutilized while others are trying to work too hard to manage the game. The imbalance leads to inefficiencies in teamwork.

We need the unit production cost in terms of the cost per bank meter cube. That is why we have to estimate the production also in the bank cubic meter. So, it is already estimated earlier the volume per load that is a volume of the bowl is 19.82 bank cubic meter.

Calculating the unit production cost is essential for evaluating the economic feasibility of using scrapers. The cost must be expressed in terms of bank cubic meters, ensuring we understand the efficiency of the operation in financial terms. The volume of each load remains crucial in this calculation.

Suppose you run a lemonade stand and your production costs consist of lemons, sugar, and water. To understand the profitability of your operation, you’ll need to figure out how much you're spending per cup of lemonade based on how many cups you can make from the ingredients. This is similar to calculating the cost for bank cubic meters.

If you are more concerned about the productivity, if you have very tight deadlines, you have to finish the project faster. In that case people prefer to go for the combination which gives you higher productivity, but very often we see that people are more concerned about the cost only.

Decisions regarding the number of scrapers to use depend heavily on company priorities, such as productivity vs. cost efficiency. If deadlines are not tight, operators may lean towards options that lower costs, even if that means potentially sacrificing output rate. Conversely, when time constraints are pressing, maximizing productivity becomes the priority.

Think of a restaurant where a chef must complete meals for a large event quickly. If time is of the essence, he may hire additional cooks to increase meal production even if it means spending more. However, if time is less critical, he may opt for a smaller team to save on labor costs.

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