Production Management Knowledge Flashcards

Which quality control tool displays the frequency distribution of defect causes ranked from most to least frequent?

Answer: Pareto Chart

A Pareto Chart visually identifies the vital few causes (often 20%) responsible for most defects (often 80%).

What is the purpose of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) in lean production?

Answer: Visualize material and information flow to identify waste and improvement opportunities

VSM creates a visual representation of all steps in a production process, distinguishing value-added from non-value-added activities.

A production facility uses 5,000 units annually. Order cost is $50 per order, holding cost is $2 per unit per year. What is the EOQ?

Answer: 500 units

EOQ = √(2DS/H) = √(2×5000×50/2) = √250,000 = 500 units.

Which type of plant layout groups similar machines or processes together regardless of product type?

Answer: Process Layout

Process (functional) layout clusters similar equipment together, suited for low-volume, high-variety job shop environments.

What distinguishes 'push' production systems from 'pull' production systems?

Answer: Push produces based on forecasts; pull produces based on actual downstream demand

Push systems (like MRP) schedule production from forecasts, while pull systems (like JIT/kanban) respond to real customer demand signals.

In project management, what does 'crashing' a schedule mean?

Answer: Adding resources to critical path activities to shorten project duration

Crashing involves spending additional cost (overtime, extra staff) on critical path tasks to compress the project timeline.

Which Six Sigma phase focuses on identifying the root causes of defects using statistical analysis?

Answer: Analyze

The Analyze phase uses statistical tools like regression, hypothesis testing, and fishbone diagrams to identify root causes.