Student Evaluations of Llenroc Plastics

Edited by Peter L. Jackson

School of Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Cornell University

Sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation Synthesis Coalition for Engineering Education.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Title
• Course Background
• Lessons Learned from the Llenroc Plastics Experience
• Ways to Improve the Llenroc Plastics Experience
• Other Documents

Course Background

• Course: ORIE 416 / 515 Design of Manufacturing Systems
• Credits: 4 Credits (Letter Grade Only)
• Instructors: John A. Muckstadt and Peter L. Jackson
• Semester: Fall 1993
• Enrolment:
  • 27 seniors in ORIE 416 (25 O.R. and I.E., 1 Computer Science, 1 Mechanical)
  • 47 graduate students in ORIE 515 (26 O.R. and I.E., 10 Mechanical, 5 Electrical, 3 Chemical, 2 M.B.A., 1 Eng. Mgmt. )
• Lectures: Fundamental concepts in production planning and inventory control
• Guest Lectures: Group dynamics, Information Systems, Mfg. System Design, Mass Customization
• Laboratory Exercises: The Distribution Game, Cyclic Scheduling, Pull Systems (the Cups Game)
• Coursework:
  • Manufacturing Operations Game (attendance credit only)
  • Llenroc Plastics Cases 1,3,4,5,6 (graded team project reports)
• Evaluation Mechanisms: Surveys (Synthesis Coalition Questionnaires) and Essays. Students were required to write three one-page essays:
  • "Lessons Learned from the Manufacturing Operations Game"
  • "Three Lessons Learned from Llenroc Plastics Experience"
  • "Three Ways to Improve the Llenroc Plastics Experience"

The latter two essays were to be submitted with the student's name on a removeable cover page to ensure anonymity. Some students signed the essay. An edited summary of the first essay is entitled "Observations from Play of the Manufacturing Operations Game," available under separate cover.

This report presents selected comments from the two student essays on the Llenroc Plastics Experience. Comments were omitted if they might be used to identify the student or if they were repetitious of other comments by the same student or if they might reveal case solution ideas prematurely. Particular attention was paid to include negative comments. Student comments have been rearranged by topic and edited somewhat for grammar or clarity. Significant editorial changes are shown in square brackets []. Editorial comments are inserted in double square brackets [[]]. Edited by Peter L. Jackson. Original essays (with names erased) are available to accreditation personnel.

Table of Contents

Other Documents

• Biographical Sketches
• Peter L. Jackson Home Page

Table of Contents