CPT Lean Manufacturing Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In lean manufacturing, what does the term 'Muda' refer to?
- Continuous improvement activities
- Any activity that consumes resources without adding value (Correct answer)
- A Japanese management philosophy
- A type of production scheduling method
Correct answer: Any activity that consumes resources without adding value
Muda is the Japanese term for waste — any activity that uses resources but does not add value from the customer's perspective.
Question 2: Which lean tool is used to visually display the current state and future state of a process flow?
- Fishbone diagram
- Value Stream Map (Correct answer)
- Control chart
- Pareto chart
Correct answer: Value Stream Map
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) documents and analyzes the flow of materials and information from supplier to customer, enabling identification of waste.
Question 3: A production line that manufactures only what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed is practicing which lean concept?
- Total Productive Maintenance
- Just-in-Time (JIT) (Correct answer)
- Six Sigma
- Mass production
Correct answer: Just-in-Time (JIT)
Just-in-Time (JIT) is a lean strategy that aligns raw material orders with production schedules to reduce inventory waste.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a Kanban card in a lean production system?
- To track employee performance metrics
- To signal when materials or parts need to be replenished (Correct answer)
- To document quality defects
- To schedule preventive maintenance
Correct answer: To signal when materials or parts need to be replenished
Kanban cards serve as visual signals that trigger the movement, production, or supply of a specific item within a pull system.
Question 5: Which of the 8 wastes in lean manufacturing refers to producing more than what is currently needed by the next process or customer?
- Waiting
- Overproduction (Correct answer)
- Motion
- Defects
Correct answer: Overproduction
Overproduction is considered the worst lean waste because it generates other wastes such as excess inventory, transportation, and storage costs.
Question 6: In lean terminology, what is 'Takt time'?
- The time it takes to complete one full production cycle
- The available production time divided by customer demand rate (Correct answer)
- The time machines are down for maintenance
- The time between quality inspections
Correct answer: The available production time divided by customer demand rate
Takt time synchronizes production pace with customer demand by dividing available production time by the number of units customers require.
Question 7: Which lean principle focuses on making defects immediately visible and stopping production when abnormalities occur?
- Just-in-Time
- Kaizen
- Jidoka (Correct answer)
- Heijunka
Correct answer: Jidoka
Jidoka, also called 'autonomation,' empowers workers and machines to stop the line when a defect is detected, preventing defective products from passing downstream.
CPT Lean Manufacturing Principles 2
In lean manufacturing, what does the term 'Muda' refer to?