Q&A Hero

Q: ________ is the leveling of production load by both volume and product mix.

Q: A lean system's ________ refers to the cycle time needed to match the rate of production to the rate of sales or consumption.

Q: ________ refers to mistake-proofing methods aimed at designing fail-safe systems that minimize human error.

Q: Automatically stopping the process when something is wrong and then fixing the problems on the line itself as they occur is called ________.

Q: The ________ method activates production of a service or item based on customer demand.

Q: ________ refers to the goal of having a setup time of fewer than 10 minutes.

Q: A(n) ________ is a group of activities needed to readjust a process between successive lots of items.

Q: ________ refers to a form of supplier partnership that places a supplier representative, who is empowered to plan and schedule the replenishment of materials from the supplier, in the customer's plant on a full-time basis.

Q: Management at Pepman has decided to switch from a push system to a pull system of manufacturing. They are a large repetitive manufacturer of bicycles. Which one of the following is most likely to occur? A) The cycle time will increase, resulting in higher inventory levels. B) The space required will increase due to the increase in the number of units that require rework. C) The decrease in WIP inventory levels will reduce the space requirements. D) The workers at any given process will produce units before they are needed by the subsequent process.

Q: The rack at my assembly station that holds rear view mirrors is empty, so a runner wheels it away and replaces it with a new rack, fully populated with rear view mirrors. This production factoid illustrates which of the following principles of the Toyota Production System? A) All work must be specified as to content. B) Every customer-supplier connection must be direct and unambiguous. C) The pathway for every service and product must be direct. D) Any improvements to the system must be made in accordance with the scientific method.

Q: The four bolts that hold the passenger seat in a pickup truck are tightened in a clockwise order beginning with the front right bolt, in 24 seconds. This production factoid illustrates which of the following principles of the Toyota Production System? A) All work must be specified as to content. B) Every customer-supplier connection must be direct and unambiguous. C) The pathway for every service and product must be direct. D) Any improvements to the system must be made in accordance with the scientific method.

Q: Which of the following statements about the Toyota Production System is best? A) Toyota has built a learning organization over the course of 50 years. B) The key to success for Toyota is the set of tools and procedures readily apparent on a plant tour. C) The four principles that form the basis to TPS are impossible to replicate. D) Toyota has 23 manufacturing plants in North America alone.

Q: "When in doubt, weed it out" describes which 5S element? A) Sort B) Straighten C) Shine D) Standardize

Q: Weeding out unnecessary items, neatly arranging what's left, and cleaning the work area are components of: A) a Kanban system. B) a constraint management system. C) mixed-model assembly. D) a 5S program.

Q: Lean systems use the standardization of components because standardization: A) decreases the demand for each component. B) increases repeatability. C) increases lot sizes more easily. D) decreases repeatability.

Q: Justin Thyme used to run one batch each of 500 As, 300 Bs and 100 Cs every month but now he runs a batch of 5 As, 3 Bs, and 1 C every half day with the use of: A) single-digit setups. B) andon lights. C) mixed-model assembly. D) push method.

Q: The production of 150 units during a 480-minute work shift results in a takt time of: A) 150 seconds. B) 192 seconds. C) 120 seconds. D) 18.8 seconds.

Q: A takt time of 90 seconds generates a process output of: A) 40 units per hour. B) 30 units per hour. C) 4 units per hour. D) 90 units per hour.

Q: The production of 240 units during a 480-minute work shift results in a takt time of: A) 24 seconds. B) 30 seconds. C) 120 seconds. D) 240 seconds.

Q: The takt time of a process is defined as: A) the cycle time needed to match the rate of production to the rate of consumption. B) the total time required to move an item through a process. C) the time required to change a machine to run a new model. D) the lead time necessary to notify maintenance that a problem has occurred in an operation.

Q: In lean systems, if a defective product is found, which of the following is generally not done? A) The production line is stopped. B) The defective unit is passed on to the next workstation. C) The defective unit is returned to the worker responsible for creating the defect. D) The production line is made aware of the problem without necessarily stopping the line.

Q: Items to be assembled that fit together only the proper way are an example of: A) andon. B) jidoka. C) poka-yoke. D) muda.

Q: Mistake-proofing is known by the term: A) andon. B) muda. C) jidoka. D) poka-yoke.

Q: Automatically stopping the process when something is wrong and then fixing the problems on the line itself as they occur is known as: A) andon. B) muda. C) jidoka. D) poka-yoke.

Q: A method in which production of an item begins in advance of customer needs is called: A) the andon method. B) the pull method. C) the jidoka method. D) the push method.

Q: Using customer demand to activate production of an item or service is called: A) the andon method. B) the pull method. C) the jidoka method. D) the push method.

Q: There are many requirements for the successful implementation of the lean system of production. Which one of the following is not such a requirement? A) uniform assembly schedule B) short setup time C) low machine failure and low defects D) substantial natural resources

Q: The lean system concept will not work without the proper environment. Which one of the following characteristics is most common to firms that have successfully implemented a lean system? A) uniform assembly schedules B) specialized workforce C) high rates of machine failures D) longer setup times

Q: The goal of single-digit setups is to have a setup time: A) of less than one shift. B) of less than one hour. C) of less than 30 minutes. D) of less than 10 minutes.

Q: Lean systems maintain inventory in small lot sizes because small lot sizes: A) increase pipeline inventory, allowing the organization to buffer against demand uncertainties. B) increase the quality level of the product. C) enable schedules to use machine capacities more efficiently. D) increase manufacturing lead time because of the increase in waiting time.

Q: Companies using lean systems generally have: A) many suppliers to ensure that material shortages never occur. B) suppliers that are located nearby to decrease delivery lead time. C) suppliers that are willing to accept short-term contracts. D) suppliers who are low-cost producers.

Q: Lean systems try to: A) produce a product in anticipation of demand. B) maximize the value added by each of its activities. C) organize production in large lots to minimize the number of setups. D) reduce the labor content in all processes.

Q: In the Toyota Production System, services and goods are pushed to the next available person or machine to maintain smooth, rapid flow.

Q: In the Toyota Production System, when a work station needs more material, it is obvious to both the worker and the supplier that material is needed. Further, the amount needed must be understood as well as the delivery time for replenishment.

Q: Toyota sets up all of its operations as experiments and teaches employees at all levels how to use the trial and error method of problem solving.

Q: While lean systems work very well for manufacturing systems, they cannot be applied to service systems.

Q: One tactic of Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM) is to make workers responsible for routine minor maintenance of their own equipment.

Q: Preventive maintenance is typically given very low priority in just-in-time systems.

Q: Five S practices can be applied to both manufacturing and service settings and can include offices, work spaces, tool rooms, and shop floors.

Q: Five S practices can enable workers to visually see everything differently, prioritize tasks, and achieve a greater degree of focus.

Q: Productivity tends to increase when components are standardized because each worker performs a standardized task or work method more often each day.

Q: Mixed-model assembly is a type of assembly that produces a mix of models in smaller lots.

Q: Heijunka is the leveling of production load by both volume and product mix.

Q: A firm that averages sales of 320 units for every 480-minute shift it runs has a takt time of 90 seconds.

Q: Takt time is the cycle time needed to maximize utilization of an organization's workers and equipment.

Q: Takt time is the cycle time needed to match the rate of production to the rate of sales.

Q: A power cord that can be plugged in only one way is an example of a poka-yoke.

Q: Automatically stopping the process when something is wrong and then fixing the problems on the line itself as they occur is called jidoka.

Q: Quality at the source is a philosophy whereby defects are caught and corrected where they are created.

Q: Just-in-time (JIT) systems rely on inspectors to inspect quality into the product.

Q: Firms that have highly repetitive processes and well-defined work flows of standardized items often use the pull method.

Q: Push systems are often used in firms with highly repetitive processes and well defined work flows of standardized items.

Q: In lean systems, the need for single-digit setups is driven by the desire for small lot sizes.

Q: JIT II refers to a form of supplier partnership that places a supplier representative, who is empowered to plan and schedule the replenishment of materials from the supplier, in the customer's plant on a full-time basis.

Q: Just-in-time (JIT) systems need close relationships with suppliers.

Q: List and briefly define the eight types of waste (or muda) that often occur in firms which must be eliminated in implementing lean systems.

Q: An operator standing idly by his workstation because a previous process with quality issues was delayed is an example of ________.

Q: The Japanese term for continuous improvement in quality and productivity is ________.

Q: ________ is the philosophy that waste can be eliminated by cutting unnecessary inventory and removing non-value-adding activities in operations.

Q: What did the production manager say to the pile of scrapped material? A) "Hello muda." B) "Hello fadduh." C) "We need more kanbans." D) "JIT II Brute?"

Q: Continuous improvement with lean systems: A) involves navigating a ship over treacherous rocks. B) requires periodically increasing lot sizes or workforce levels to uncover problems. C) entails systematically stressing the system and focusing on problem areas. D) focuses exclusively on internal operations without addressing relationships with customers and suppliers.

Q: Regarding the Eight Types of Waste that must be eliminated to implement lean systems, manufacturing an item before it is needed is part of which general waste category? A) Inappropriate Processing B) Waiting C) Inventory D) Overproduction

Q: Which of the following statements is true with regard to the eight types of waste that must be eliminated to implement lean systems? A) Jobs with excessive motion should be redesigned. B) Work-in-process inventory is the direct result of underutilization of employees. C) Manufacturing an item before it is needed helps an organization detect and reduce defects. D) Product damage and deterioration result from using expensive high precision equipment.

Q: Regarding the Eight Types of Waste that must be eliminated to implement lean systems, using expensive high precision equipment when a simpler machine would suffice is part of which general waste category? A) Motion B) Overproduction C) Inappropriate Processing D) Defects

Q: Regarding the Eight Types of Waste that must be eliminated to implement lean systems, excessive movement and material handling of product between processes is part of which general waste category? A) Motion B) Transportation C) Inappropriate Processing D) Underutilization of Employees

Q: The just-in-time (JIT) system is a(n): A) management system of people and procedures to fulfill all delivery deadlines. B) production system of small-lot manufacturing to reduce work-in-process inventory. C) materials management system for removing all inventories. D) integrated system of managing resources, information, and decision processes to eliminate waste.

Q: Long production runs, poor material flows, and processes that are not tightly linked to one another can cause over 90% of a product's lead time to be spent waiting.

Q: In lean systems, work-in-process inventory is a direct result of overproduction and waiting.

Q: In a lean system, the key to continuous improvement is the understanding that excess capacity or inventory hides problems on the shop floor and thus prevents waste sources from being identified and eliminated.

Q: In manufacturing systems, one way to achieve continuous improvement can be to maintain low inventories, and periodically cut safety stocks almost to zero.

Q: In a lean system, an item that is manufactured before it is needed is not considered waste, because it helps keep material flowing through the system.

Q: In a lean system, large inventories are not considered a type of waste, because they prevent operator wait times.

Q: Kaizen is the Japanese term for continuous improvement.

Q: The just-in-time (JIT) philosophy is the belief that cutting inventory and removing non-value-added activities in operations can eliminate waste.

Q: 6.1 Continuous Improvement Using a Lean Systems Approach

Q: What is schedule stability and why is it important in a lean system?

Q: What are the organizational issues companies must address before implementing a lean system?

Q: Describe the process considerations organizations must evaluate when implementing a lean system.

Q: Transforming a current process design to one embodying a ________ philosophy is a constant challenge for management, often fraught with implementation issues.

Q: If the inventory advantages of a lean system are to be realized, ________ lot sizes must be used.