CPIM CPIM Capacity Planning and Management Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'input/output control' (I/O control) used for in production activity control?
- To monitor and manage the flow of work into and out of a work center to control queue length and lead times (Correct answer)
- To track the number of defects entering and leaving a process
- To balance machine utilization across shifts
- To reconcile planned versus actual MRP orders
Correct answer: To monitor and manage the flow of work into and out of a work center to control queue length and lead times
I/O control compares planned versus actual input and output at a work center, allowing planners to manage backlog and control actual lead times.
Question 2: What is a 'load profile' in capacity planning?
- A display of capacity requirements for a work center over time, showing planned load versus available capacity (Correct answer)
- A chart of individual worker skill levels
- A ranking of work orders by priority
- A graph of inventory levels by SKU
Correct answer: A display of capacity requirements for a work center over time, showing planned load versus available capacity
A load profile visually shows whether a work center is overloaded or underloaded across future planning periods, enabling proactive capacity adjustments.
Question 3: When a work center is consistently overloaded in CRP, which of the following is NOT a valid resolution strategy?
- Increasing safety stock levels for finished goods (Correct answer)
- Authorizing overtime or adding an extra shift
- Routing some work to an alternate work center
- Rescheduling some orders to an earlier or later period
Correct answer: Increasing safety stock levels for finished goods
Increasing safety stock does not add productive capacity; valid overload solutions include overtime, alternate routings, order rescheduling, or subcontracting.
Question 4: What is the 'theory of constraints' (TOC) concept of a 'bottleneck' resource?
- A resource whose capacity is equal to or less than the demand placed on it, limiting system throughput (Correct answer)
- Any work center with more than 90% utilization
- A supplier with long lead times that constrains production
- A planning parameter that limits order quantity size
Correct answer: A resource whose capacity is equal to or less than the demand placed on it, limiting system throughput
According to TOC, a bottleneck is the one resource that constrains the entire system's output, so improving it directly improves overall throughput.
Question 5: In the Theory of Constraints, what does 'drum-buffer-rope' (DBR) refer to?
- A scheduling method where the bottleneck (drum) sets the pace, a buffer protects it, and a rope synchronizes upstream release (Correct answer)
- A quality control technique for defect detection
- A supplier communication protocol for JIT replenishment
- A lean tool for visual workplace organization
Correct answer: A scheduling method where the bottleneck (drum) sets the pace, a buffer protects it, and a rope synchronizes upstream release
DBR uses the bottleneck's schedule as the production drum, places a time buffer before it for protection, and ties upstream work release to the constraint's pace.
Question 6: What is 'capacity cushion' and why might a company maintain it?
- Extra capacity above expected demand, maintained to handle demand surges and protect service levels (Correct answer)
- Reserved machine time for preventive maintenance only
- The gap between rated and demonstrated capacity
- Unused capacity resulting from poor scheduling
Correct answer: Extra capacity above expected demand, maintained to handle demand surges and protect service levels
A capacity cushion provides a buffer against demand uncertainty, machine breakdowns, and quality problems, helping companies maintain customer service levels.
CPIM CPIM Capacity Planning and Management Questions and Answers 2
What is 'input/output control' (I/O control) used for in production activity control?