LMC Lean Implementation and Continuous Improvement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A lean team discovers that 40% of defects originate in a single process step. Which tool is BEST suited to prioritize root cause investigation?
- Pareto chart (Correct answer)
- Spaghetti diagram
- Standard work sheet
- Takt time calculation
Correct answer: Pareto chart
A Pareto chart ranks defect causes by frequency, revealing the vital few issues (80/20 rule) that drive the majority of problems.
Question 2: During a kaizen event, the team wants to reduce motion waste in an assembly cell. Which technique directly maps worker movement paths?
- 5S audit
- Spaghetti diagram (Correct answer)
- Value stream mapping
- Heijunka box
Correct answer: Spaghetti diagram
A spaghetti diagram traces the actual physical movement of workers or materials, making motion waste visible.
Question 3: Standard work is best described as:
- The fastest known method for completing a task
- The documented current best method that forms the baseline for improvement (Correct answer)
- The method with the lowest defect rate historically
- The method approved by senior management
Correct answer: The documented current best method that forms the baseline for improvement
Standard work captures the current best-known method and creates a stable baseline from which continuous improvement can be measured.
Question 4: A plant manager wants to level production output across shifts to match average customer demand. This scheduling approach is called:
- Just-in-time scheduling
- Heijunka (production leveling) (Correct answer)
- Takt time balancing
- Pull system sequencing
Correct answer: Heijunka (production leveling)
Heijunka levels the volume and mix of production over time to reduce overburden, unevenness, and inventory fluctuations.
Question 5: Which lean metric measures the percentage of time a process actually adds value to the product versus total lead time?
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- Process cycle efficiency (PCE) (Correct answer)
- First pass yield (FPY)
- Dock-to-dock time
Correct answer: Process cycle efficiency (PCE)
Process cycle efficiency (PCE) is calculated as value-added time divided by total lead time, typically less than 5% in traditional manufacturing.
Question 6: A continuous improvement team identifies that inventory between two workstations frequently exceeds the target quantity. The FIRST lean action should be:
- Add more storage space for the excess inventory
- Investigate the upstream process for overproduction or speed imbalance (Correct answer)
- Hire additional staff to consume inventory faster
- Expedite downstream orders to clear the queue
Correct answer: Investigate the upstream process for overproduction or speed imbalance
Excess inventory between stations signals an upstream pacing or flow problem; addressing the root cause prevents recurrence rather than treating the symptom.
Question 7: In a lean pull system, a kanban signal is triggered when:
- The production schedule calls for a batch run
- A downstream process consumes a container of parts (Correct answer)
- A supervisor approves the next work order
- The warehouse reaches maximum capacity
Correct answer: A downstream process consumes a container of parts
Kanban is a demand-driven signal: consumption by a downstream process authorizes replenishment, preventing overproduction.
LMC Lean Implementation and Continuous Improvement 2
A lean team discovers that 40% of defects originate in a single process step.
Which tool is BEST suited to prioritize root cause investigation?