LMC Tools and Techniques in Lean 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes a 'pull' system from a 'push' system in Lean production?
- Pull produces based on forecasts; push produces based on actual orders
- Pull produces only when downstream demand signals it; push produces based on schedules (Correct answer)
- Pull uses larger batch sizes to reduce setup frequency
- Pull relies on MRP while push relies on Kanban
Correct answer: Pull produces only when downstream demand signals it; push produces based on schedules
In a pull system, production is triggered by actual downstream consumption, preventing overproduction; a push system produces according to forecasts regardless of real demand.
Question 2: A Lean team maps a process and identifies a 'queue' icon with 200 units waiting between two workstations. What type of waste does this represent?
- Overproduction
- Waiting
- Inventory (Correct answer)
- Transportation
Correct answer: Inventory
Work-in-process inventory piling up between workstations is classified as the waste of inventory, one of the eight Lean wastes.
Question 3: In value stream mapping, what does a 'push arrow' (striped arrow) indicate?
- Material is being pulled by a downstream process signal
- Material is being pushed to the next process regardless of demand (Correct answer)
- A supermarket replenishment loop is in place
- An electronic information flow between systems
Correct answer: Material is being pushed to the next process regardless of demand
The push arrow in VSM shows that material moves forward based on a schedule or upstream capacity rather than downstream demand.
Question 4: Which Lean technique involves leveling both production volume and product mix over time?
- Jidoka
- Heijunka (Correct answer)
- Andon
- Gemba walk
Correct answer: Heijunka
Heijunka (production leveling) smooths out demand variation by distributing different product types and quantities evenly across a production period.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a 'shadow board' in 5S implementation?
- Track employee attendance on the shop floor
- Provide an immediately visible storage location and instantly show when a tool is missing (Correct answer)
- Separate red-tagged items awaiting disposition
- Display production targets and actual output for the shift
Correct answer: Provide an immediately visible storage location and instantly show when a tool is missing
A shadow board has outlines of each tool so anyone can instantly see what belongs where and whether any tool is out of place or missing.
Question 6: During a Kaizen event, a team discovers that an operator walks 50 feet to retrieve parts on every cycle. Which Lean tool would best eliminate this motion waste?
- Takt time calculation
- Workplace reorganization using 5S and cell design (Correct answer)
- FMEA analysis
- Statistical process control
Correct answer: Workplace reorganization using 5S and cell design
Redesigning the workstation layout using 5S principles and cellular design places materials and tools within reach, eliminating unnecessary motion.
Question 7: What does 'Jidoka' mean in Lean manufacturing?
- Just-in-time delivery of materials to the point of use
- Autonomation—equipment automatically stops when a defect is detected (Correct answer)
- A method for calculating optimal batch sizes
- Continuous small-step improvements by all employees
Correct answer: Autonomation—equipment automatically stops when a defect is detected
Jidoka (autonomation) gives machines the ability to detect abnormalities and stop automatically, preventing defects from flowing downstream.
LMC Tools and Techniques in Lean 3
What distinguishes a 'pull' system from a 'push' system in Lean production?