IST Industrial Problem Solving 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'tolerance' mean in industrial manufacturing?
- The maximum number of defects allowed per shift
- The acceptable range of variation in a dimension or measurement (Correct answer)
- The time allowed for a machine to warm up before production
- The amount of wear permitted before a tool must be replaced
Correct answer: The acceptable range of variation in a dimension or measurement
Tolerance defines the acceptable upper and lower limits of variation for a measured dimension in manufactured parts.
Question 2: A worker notices a recurring defect every 50th part produced. What type of issue does this most likely suggest?
- Random variation in raw material quality
- A periodic or cyclical machine problem (Correct answer)
- Operator error occurring at random intervals
- Environmental temperature fluctuations
Correct answer: A periodic or cyclical machine problem
A defect appearing at a consistent interval (every 50th part) suggests a periodic mechanical issue, such as a worn cam, gear, or die.
Question 3: What does 'OEE' stand for and what does it measure?
- Operational Efficiency Engineering — the ratio of output to input energy
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness — a measure of how well a machine performs relative to its full potential (Correct answer)
- Output Evaluation Estimate — the projected production output per shift
- Operational Error Events — the number of machine faults per hour
Correct answer: Overall Equipment Effectiveness — a measure of how well a machine performs relative to its full potential
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measures machine performance across availability, performance, and quality dimensions.
Question 4: What is the correct sequence for a basic problem-solving process in an industrial setting?
- Fix → Identify → Analyze → Verify
- Identify → Analyze → Fix → Verify (Correct answer)
- Analyze → Identify → Verify → Fix
- Verify → Fix → Identify → Analyze
Correct answer: Identify → Analyze → Fix → Verify
The standard problem-solving sequence is: Identify the problem, Analyze root causes, Fix the issue, then Verify the fix worked.
Question 5: A Pareto chart is most useful for which of the following purposes?
- Tracking temperature changes during a process
- Identifying the most significant causes contributing to a problem (Correct answer)
- Comparing the performance of two machines over time
- Mapping the steps in a production process
Correct answer: Identifying the most significant causes contributing to a problem
A Pareto chart ranks causes by frequency or impact, helping teams focus on the 'vital few' causes that account for most problems.
Question 6: What does it mean when a process is described as 'in statistical control'?
- The process produces zero defects
- All variation in the process is due to common causes, with no special cause variation present (Correct answer)
- The process is running at 100% efficiency
- All machine settings have been locked by supervisors
Correct answer: All variation in the process is due to common causes, with no special cause variation present
A process in statistical control has only common-cause (natural) variation; no unexpected special-cause events are influencing the output.
IST Industrial Problem Solving 2
What does the term 'tolerance' mean in industrial manufacturing?