IST Industrial Problem Solving

Question 1

A machine has been producing increasing numbers of defective parts over the past week. What is the BEST first step in troubleshooting?

Accepted Answer

Identify when the defects first appeared and what changed at that time

Answer

Replace the machine immediately

Answer

Increase inspection frequency and discard defects

Answer

Contact the manufacturer for a new machine

Question 2

In the '5 Whys' problem-solving method, what is the goal?

Accepted Answer

Ask 'why' repeatedly to trace a problem back to its root cause

Answer

Ask five different workers for their opinions on a problem

Answer

Identify five possible solutions before choosing one

Answer

Document five safety concerns related to a defect

Question 3

What does the term 'downtime' refer to in industrial production?

Accepted Answer

Time when a machine or production line is not operating due to failure or maintenance

Answer

Time when workers are on scheduled break

Answer

Overtime hours worked during night shifts

Answer

The cooling-down period after a machine completes a run

Question 4

A production machine suddenly stops. What is the safest FIRST action?

Accepted Answer

Notify the supervisor and follow LOTO procedures before investigating

Answer

Immediately attempt to restart the machine

Answer

Open the machine panels to inspect the internal components

Answer

Check the machine settings and reset all parameters

Question 5

What is the purpose of a control chart in industrial quality control?

Accepted Answer

To monitor process variation over time and detect trends

Answer

To set production quotas for each shift

Answer

To schedule preventive maintenance activities

Answer

To track inventory levels of raw materials

Question 6

Which problem-solving approach involves creating a diagram that organizes potential causes into categories such as Machine, Method, Material, and Manpower?

Accepted Answer

Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram

Answer

Pareto chart

Answer

FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)

Answer

Scatter diagram