CPIM Execution and Control of Operations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Production Activity Control (PAC) is primarily responsible for:
- Developing the master production schedule
- Executing and controlling work orders on the shop floor (Correct answer)
- Calculating material requirements for future periods
- Negotiating contracts with suppliers
Correct answer: Executing and controlling work orders on the shop floor
PAC manages and controls the execution of production plans by releasing, tracking, and expediting work orders at the shop floor level.
Question 2: Which shop floor scheduling priority rule selects the job with the earliest due date first?
- Shortest processing time (SPT)
- Earliest due date (EDD) (Correct answer)
- First come, first served (FCFS)
- Critical ratio (CR)
Correct answer: Earliest due date (EDD)
The Earliest Due Date rule prioritizes jobs whose promised completion dates are soonest, helping minimize the number of late jobs.
Question 3: The 'critical ratio' dispatching rule calculates priority as:
- Processing time divided by queue time
- Time remaining until due date divided by work remaining (Correct answer)
- Order quantity divided by daily demand rate
- Setup time divided by run time
Correct answer: Time remaining until due date divided by work remaining
Critical ratio = (Due Date − Today) / Remaining Lead Time; a ratio less than 1 means the job is behind schedule and should be expedited.
Question 4: In lean manufacturing, what does 'takt time' represent?
- The time required to perform one complete setup
- The rate at which products must be completed to match customer demand (Correct answer)
- The average cycle time across all work centers
- The time allowed for quality inspection
Correct answer: The rate at which products must be completed to match customer demand
Takt time is the available production time divided by customer demand rate, setting the pace at which each unit must be produced to satisfy demand.
Question 5: What is a 'kanban' in a pull-based production system?
- A visual production schedule posted at each work center
- A signal that authorizes the production or movement of a specific quantity of material (Correct answer)
- A quality inspection checklist used on the assembly line
- A maintenance work order for equipment repair
Correct answer: A signal that authorizes the production or movement of a specific quantity of material
A kanban is a visual signal (card, bin, or electronic trigger) that authorizes upstream production or replenishment of a standard quantity of parts.
Question 6: Input/output control in PAC is used to:
- Control the flow of data between MRP and the shop floor system
- Manage work center queue lengths by comparing planned versus actual input and output rates (Correct answer)
- Inspect incoming materials from suppliers
- Authorize release of purchase orders to vendors
Correct answer: Manage work center queue lengths by comparing planned versus actual input and output rates
Input/output control monitors the work arriving at and leaving work centers to prevent queues from growing uncontrollably and to maintain planned flow.
CPIM Execution and Control of Operations 1
Production Activity Control (PAC) is primarily responsible for: