Beaded Bracelet or Keychain Hands-On Activity
Create assembly lines of 3-5 stations each and run the lines until 4 products are assembled. At
each station designate an operator and a timer. Assign work for each station, purposely making
it slightly imbalanced for the first run. The timer records the station cycle time (how long it
takes the operator to complete the work on one bracelet or keychain) for each of the 4
products assembled. At the end of the first run students calculate the average cycle time of
their station.
After the first run post the average cycle times at each station for each line and ask students to
calculate the average cycle time for their whole line. Discuss issues they ran into during the
run…bottlenecks, disorganized materials, imbalanced work, etc. Then have students
brainstorm ways to decrease the average cycle time for their line. Have them make the
adjustments and run the line a second time. After each station calculates their average cycle
time, have students determine cycle time of their line and compare it to the first run.
Below is a sample of work assigned at each of 3 stations on as assembly line to construct
beaded keychains. A sample of the final product is displayed.
First Run
The cords have been precut and the beads are randomly assorted in small bags at each station.
Station #1:
Tie the cord into a triple knot around the key ring leaving about an inch at the
short end. Then string 3 brown beads onto the long end.
Station #2:
String the following beads in the given order3 orange, “R”, 1 brown, “I”, 1 brown, “T”, 3 orange
(*Note: The cord must enter the lettered beads from left to right.)
Station #3:
String 3 brown beads and tie the cord into a triple knot around the key ring next
to the original knot.
Possible Second Run
The beads are sorted by letters and colors in separate bags at each station.
Station #1:
Tie the cord into a triple knot around the key ring leaving about an inch at the
short end. Then string 3 brown beads and 3 orange beads onto the long end.
Station #2:
String the following beads in the given order“R”, 1 brown, “I”, 1 brown, “T”
(*Note: The cord must enter the lettered beads from left to right.)
Station #3:
String 3 orange beads and 3 brown beads onto the cord. Then tie the cord into a
triple knot around the key ring next to the original knot.
RIT Kate Gleason College of Engineering http://www.rit.edu/rems
Page 1 of 3
Recording Sheet
Station #_____
First Run
Station Cycle Times
Second Run
Station Cycle Times
Keychain #1
_____secs
Keychain #1
_____secs
Keychain #2
_____secs
Keychain #2
_____secs
Keychain #3
_____secs
Keychain #3
_____secs
Keychains #4
_____secs
Keychain #4
_____secs
Average Station
Cycle Time
_____secs
Average Station
Cycle Time
_____secs
Average Cycle Time
for the Entire Line
_____secs
Average Cycle Time
for the Entire Line
_____secs
Recording Sheet
Station #_____
First Run
Station Cycle Times
Second Run
Station Cycle Times
Keychain #1
_____secs
Keychain #1
_____secs
Keychain #2
_____secs
Keychain #2
_____secs
Keychain #3
_____secs
Keychain #3
_____secs
Keychains #4
_____secs
Keychain #4
_____secs
Average Station
Cycle Time
_____secs
Average Station
Cycle Time
_____secs
Average Cycle Time
for the Entire Line
_____secs
Average Cycle Time
for the Entire Line
_____secs
RIT Kate Gleason College of Engineering http://www.rit.edu/rems
Page 2 of 3
Assigned Work for Each Station for the First Run
Station #1
Tie the cord into a triple knot around the key ring leaving about an inch at the
short end. Then string 3 brown beads onto the long end.
Station #2
String the following beads in the given order3 orange, “R”, 1 brown, “I”, 1 brown, “T”, 3 orange
(*Note: The cord must enter the lettered beads from left to right.)
Station #3
String 3 brown beads and tie the cord into a triple knot around the key ring next
to the original knot.
RIT Kate Gleason College of Engineering http://www.rit.edu/rems
Page 3 of 3