CPIM Detailed Scheduling 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In detailed scheduling, what is 'infinite loading'?
- Loading work onto work centers without regard to their capacity limits (Correct answer)
- Loading a work center at exactly 100% capacity
- Scheduling unlimited overtime
- Assigning work orders with no due dates
Correct answer: Loading work onto work centers without regard to their capacity limits
Infinite loading assigns work to work centers based on priority without checking whether capacity is available, often used to identify overloads for manual resolution.
Question 2: What is the purpose of 'safety lead time' in a detailed schedule?
- To reduce the master production schedule
- To add buffer time to protect against uncertainty in supply or production (Correct answer)
- To increase the reorder point calculation
- To extend the planning horizon
Correct answer: To add buffer time to protect against uncertainty in supply or production
Safety lead time is extra time added to planned lead times as a buffer against variability in processing, transportation, or quality issues.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the Theory of Constraints (TOC) approach to scheduling?
- Schedule all resources equally to maximize throughput
- Identify the bottleneck and subordinate all other schedules to it (Correct answer)
- Minimize setup time at every work center
- Maximize utilization of all non-bottleneck resources
Correct answer: Identify the bottleneck and subordinate all other schedules to it
TOC (Drum-Buffer-Rope) focuses scheduling on the constraint (bottleneck), using it as the 'drum' and subordinating all other resources to ensure the constraint is never starved.
Question 4: In a pull system using kanban, what triggers the release of a production order?
- The master production schedule release date
- A signal (kanban card) from a downstream consuming process (Correct answer)
- The planner's manual release
- An MRP planned order release
Correct answer: A signal (kanban card) from a downstream consuming process
Kanban is a pull system where production at an upstream station is triggered only when a downstream station signals demand, preventing overproduction.
Question 5: What is 'manufacturing lead time' composed of?
- Setup time and run time only
- Queue time, setup time, run time, wait time, and move time (Correct answer)
- Run time and move time only
- Setup time, run time, and inspection time
Correct answer: Queue time, setup time, run time, wait time, and move time
Total manufacturing lead time includes all five elements: queue, setup, run, wait, and move times, with queue time typically being the largest portion.
Question 6: A planner receives a reschedule-in notice from MRP. What action should be taken?
- Increase safety stock for the item
- Move the planned completion of the order to an earlier date to meet demand sooner (Correct answer)
- Cancel the work order entirely
- Increase the planned order quantity
Correct answer: Move the planned completion of the order to an earlier date to meet demand sooner
A reschedule-in message means demand moved earlier than the planned order receipt, so the planner should expedite the order to complete it sooner.
Question 7: Which performance metric best evaluates the effectiveness of a detailed scheduling system?
- Gross margin percentage
- On-time completion rate and schedule stability (Correct answer)
- Total inventory value
- Number of purchase orders issued
Correct answer: On-time completion rate and schedule stability
On-time completion rate measures whether the schedule achieves its due-date targets, and schedule stability measures how frequently the plan must be revised, both key scheduling effectiveness indicators.
CPIM Detailed Scheduling 5
In detailed scheduling, what is 'infinite loading'?