Industrial Engineering Flashcards
7 cards from real BE/B Eng Bachelor of Engineering practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Industrial Engineering flashcards as text
Which type of plant layout groups machinery and equipment by the type of function or operation performed, regardless of the product?
Answer: Process (functional) layout
A process layout arranges equipment by function (e.g., all drilling machines in one area), which suits high-variety, low-volume production but increases material handling distances.
The 'bullwhip effect' in supply chain management describes:
Answer: The amplification of demand variability as orders move upstream from retailer to manufacturer to supplier
The bullwhip effect occurs because each upstream tier in the supply chain over-reacts to downstream demand signals, causing progressively larger order swings — like the tip of a whip amplifying small wrist movements.
In assembly line balancing, line efficiency is calculated as:
Answer: Total task time / (Cycle time × Number of workstations)
Line efficiency = Total task time / (Cycle time × Number of workstations), expressing the fraction of available workstation time that is productively used.
Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing primarily aims to:
Answer: Produce items only when needed, in the quantity needed, eliminating waste from excess inventory
JIT is a pull-based philosophy originating from Toyota that produces the right item, at the right time, in the right quantity — treating inventory as waste to be eliminated.
Work sampling differs from traditional time study in that it:
Answer: Estimates the proportion of time spent on activities through random observations taken at random intervals
Work sampling uses statistical random observations to estimate the percentage of time workers or machines spend in various states, without the need for continuous stopwatch observation.
In the Kanban pull system used in lean manufacturing, a Kanban card or signal serves to:
Answer: Authorize production or replenishment of a specific quantity of items only when downstream consumption creates a need
Kanban is a visual pull signal — production or material movement is triggered only when a downstream station consumes items and sends a signal back upstream requesting replenishment.
Ergonomics (human factors engineering) in an industrial engineering context focuses primarily on:
Answer: Designing work systems, equipment, and environments to match human physical and cognitive capabilities and limitations
Ergonomics applies knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, and psychology to design safe and efficient workplaces, tools, and tasks that fit the capabilities of the workers who use them.