CPIM Lean Manufacturing and Just-In-Time (JIT) Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which lean tool is used to visually map the flow of materials and information from supplier to customer to identify waste and improvement opportunities?
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
- Value Stream Mapping (VSM) (Correct answer)
- Affinity diagram
- Pareto chart
Correct answer: Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
Value Stream Mapping documents and analyzes the current-state flow of materials and information, then designs a future-state map with waste eliminated.
Question 2: The lean concept of 'jidoka' (autonomation) refers to:
- Automated guided vehicle systems in warehouses
- The ability of machines and workers to detect abnormalities and stop production (Correct answer)
- Just-in-time delivery scheduling with suppliers
- Automated inventory replenishment systems
Correct answer: The ability of machines and workers to detect abnormalities and stop production
Jidoka gives machines and workers the authority and ability to stop production when a defect or abnormality is detected, preventing defects from being passed downstream.
Question 3: What does 'OEE' (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measure in a lean environment?
- Total maintenance costs as a percentage of asset value
- The combined effect of availability, performance, and quality on equipment productivity (Correct answer)
- The ratio of actual to theoretical machine speed
- Number of defects per million opportunities on a given machine
Correct answer: The combined effect of availability, performance, and quality on equipment productivity
OEE = Availability × Performance × Quality, providing a single metric that captures the three primary sources of manufacturing productivity loss.
Question 4: A '5S' workplace organization program consists of Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and:
- Synchronize
- Sustain (Correct answer)
- Simplify
- Systemize
Correct answer: Sustain
The fifth S — Sustain (Shitsuke) — involves maintaining and embedding the first four steps into the organization's culture and daily work habits.
Question 5: In a lean system, 'single-minute exchange of die' (SMED) is a technique aimed at:
- Reducing defect rates in stamping operations
- Drastically reducing machine setup and changeover times (Correct answer)
- Standardizing die dimensions across product families
- Automating the die replacement process with robotics
Correct answer: Drastically reducing machine setup and changeover times
SMED targets reducing changeover times to less than ten minutes (single digit), enabling smaller batch sizes and greater production flexibility.
Question 6: Which of the following is a characteristic of a lean cellular manufacturing layout?
- Machines grouped by function to maximize utilization
- Equipment arranged in a U-shape or flow sequence to enable one-piece flow (Correct answer)
- Large buffer inventories between each production stage
- Centralized quality inspection at the end of the production line
Correct answer: Equipment arranged in a U-shape or flow sequence to enable one-piece flow
Cellular layouts arrange machines in sequence by process flow (often U-shaped) so products move through all operations with minimal transport and waiting.
Question 7: The lean principle of 'respect for people' primarily emphasizes:
- Paying workers above-market wages to reduce turnover
- Engaging employees at all levels in problem-solving and continuous improvement (Correct answer)
- Reducing headcount through automation to eliminate human error
- Providing workers with ergonomic tools and comfortable facilities
Correct answer: Engaging employees at all levels in problem-solving and continuous improvement
Respect for people in lean means involving employees in identifying problems and developing solutions, recognizing their knowledge as essential to continuous improvement.
CPIM Lean Manufacturing and Just-In-Time (JIT) Principles 2
Which lean tool is used to visually map the flow of materials and information from supplier to customer to identify waste and improvement opportunities?