Lean Inventory & JIT Systems Flashcards
7 cards from real CIM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Lean Inventory & JIT Systems flashcards as text
In a lean supply chain, 'milk run' logistics refers to:
Answer: A scheduled route where a carrier picks up small loads from multiple suppliers in one trip
Milk run routes consolidate frequent small pickups from multiple suppliers, enabling JIT delivery without full truckload minimums.
Which lean metric measures the percentage of time a process is actually adding value versus total elapsed time?
Answer: Process cycle efficiency (value-added time ÷ total lead time)
Process cycle efficiency exposes how little of the total lead time actually adds value, revealing the opportunity lean improvements can capture.
A lean team identifies 'overprocessing' waste in their inspection department. What does this mean?
Answer: Performing more inspection steps or checks than the customer requires or defects justify
Overprocessing waste occurs when work exceeds what the customer values, consuming time and resources that do not increase product worth.
What is the primary inventory implication of using a 'fixed-time, variable-quantity' replenishment system versus a JIT pull system?
Answer: Fixed-time systems require safety stock to cover demand variability between orders; JIT pull systems replenish based on actual consumption
Fixed-time systems must hold safety stock for the entire review period plus lead time, while pure pull systems replenish as actual demand occurs.
A manufacturer adopts lean and reduces its average inventory from 30 days to 8 days of supply. Which financial statement impact is most direct?
Answer: Reduced current assets on the balance sheet, freeing working capital
Lower inventory directly reduces current assets, releasing working capital that can be redeployed to other investments.
Which condition makes JIT implementation most challenging in a manufacturing environment?
Answer: Geographically distant suppliers with long and variable lead times
Long, unreliable lead times force companies to hold large safety stocks that undermine JIT's goal of minimal inventory.
What is 'kaizen blitz' (also called a kaizen event) in lean inventory management?
Answer: A rapid, focused improvement workshop where a cross-functional team implements changes to a process within days
A kaizen blitz concentrates a team's effort on one problem area for 3-5 days, enabling rapid, concrete improvements rather than slow committee-driven change.