LMC Lean Implementation and Continuous Improvement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The DMAIC improvement cycle stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and:
- Implement
- Inspect
- Control (Correct answer)
- Iterate
Correct answer: Control
The Control phase in DMAIC ensures that improvements are sustained through monitoring plans, control charts, and updated standard work.
Question 2: Which waste category in the 8 wastes of lean describes producing more than the next downstream process or customer immediately needs?
- Waiting
- Overprocessing
- Overproduction (Correct answer)
- Excess inventory
Correct answer: Overproduction
Overproduction is often called the 'mother of all wastes' because it creates or hides other wastes like excess inventory, waiting, and transportation.
Question 3: A team uses error-proofing devices to make defects physically impossible or immediately detectable. The lean term for this approach is:
- Jidoka
- Poka-yoke (Correct answer)
- Andon
- SMED
Correct answer: Poka-yoke
Poka-yoke refers to mistake-proofing mechanisms that prevent errors from occurring or that detect them instantly at the source.
Question 4: During value stream mapping, a 'push' arrow between two process boxes indicates:
- Material moves based on a downstream pull signal
- Material is physically transported by forklift
- Material is pushed forward based on a schedule or batch completion (Correct answer)
- Material awaits quality inspection
Correct answer: Material is pushed forward based on a schedule or batch completion
A push arrow shows that material is produced and forwarded to the next step regardless of downstream demand, a common source of overproduction.
Question 5: A lean practitioner wants to reduce changeover time from 3 hours to under 10 minutes. The BEST framework to apply is:
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
- Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) (Correct answer)
- 5S workplace organization
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
Correct answer: Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
SMED systematically converts internal setup steps to external ones and streamlines remaining internal steps to dramatically cut changeover time.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'jidoka' in lean manufacturing?
- Producing only what is needed, when needed, in the quantity needed
- Empowering workers or machines to stop and signal when an abnormality is detected (Correct answer)
- Leveling production volume and mix over time
- Eliminating all non-value-added steps from a process
Correct answer: Empowering workers or machines to stop and signal when an abnormality is detected
Jidoka (autonomation) gives machines and workers the authority to stop production when a defect is found, preventing defects from being passed downstream.
Question 7: A company measures its lean maturity and finds that improvements frequently regress after kaizen events. The MOST likely root cause is:
- Insufficient number of kaizen events per year
- Failure to update and enforce standard work after improvement (Correct answer)
- Lack of lean tools training for operators
- Poor layout of the production floor
Correct answer: Failure to update and enforce standard work after improvement
Without updated standard work and management follow-up to sustain new methods, gains erode as workers revert to old habits.
LMC Lean Implementation and Continuous Improvement 3
The DMAIC improvement cycle stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and: