ASQ ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the Risk Priority Number (RPN) is calculated as:
- Severity × Occurrence
- Severity × Occurrence × Detection (Correct answer)
- Occurrence × Detection
- Severity + Occurrence + Detection
Correct answer: Severity × Occurrence × Detection
RPN = Severity × Occurrence × Detection, producing a numerical risk score used to prioritize failure modes for corrective action.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of Design of Experiments (DOE)?
- To monitor processes using control charts
- To systematically identify how input factors affect output responses (Correct answer)
- To measure the capability of a manufacturing process
- To document quality management system procedures
Correct answer: To systematically identify how input factors affect output responses
DOE is a systematic method for studying the simultaneous effects of multiple input variables (factors) on one or more output responses efficiently.
Question 3: Which quality cost category includes inspection, testing, and quality audits?
- Prevention costs
- Internal failure costs
- External failure costs
- Appraisal costs (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Appraisal costs
Appraisal costs include activities performed to evaluate whether products or services conform to quality requirements, such as inspection, testing, and audits.
Question 4: ISO 9001 is primarily based on which management principle?
- Maximizing end-of-line inspection to reduce defects
- Reactive quality management after defects occur
- Process approach to management (Correct answer)
- Inspection-only quality assurance
Correct answer: Process approach to management
ISO 9001 is founded on the process approach, which involves identifying and managing interrelated processes as a system to achieve consistent and predictable results.
Question 5: What tool is BEST used to systematically explore multiple categories of potential root causes for a quality problem?
- Scatter diagram
- Control chart
- Cause-and-effect (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- Histogram
Correct answer: Cause-and-effect (Ishikawa) diagram
The cause-and-effect (Ishikawa/fishbone) diagram organizes potential causes into major categories (such as Man, Machine, Method, Material) to facilitate root cause identification.
Question 6: In the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, what occurs during the 'Check' phase?
- Implementing the planned improvement on a pilot scale
- Identifying the problem and developing a solution plan
- Evaluating actual results against the plan and objectives (Correct answer)
- Standardizing successful changes across the organization
Correct answer: Evaluating actual results against the plan and objectives
During the Check phase, results of the implemented plan are measured and compared against the objectives to determine whether the intervention was effective.
Question 7: Which technique uses a matrix diagram to translate customer requirements into engineering characteristics?
- FMEA
- SPC
- Quality Function Deployment (QFD) (Correct answer)
- Gauge R&R
Correct answer: Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
Quality Function Deployment (QFD) uses the House of Quality matrix to systematically translate voice-of-the-customer requirements into measurable engineering characteristics.
ASQ ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) 2
In Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the Risk Priority Number (RPN) is calculated as: