BSEM Operations Management & Process Improvement 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary goal of lean manufacturing?
- Maximize machine utilization
- Eliminate waste while delivering value to the customer (Correct answer)
- Increase batch production sizes
- Reduce the number of employees on the floor
Correct answer: Eliminate waste while delivering value to the customer
Lean manufacturing focuses on eliminating all forms of waste (muda) throughout the production process to maximize customer value.
Question 2: In Six Sigma, what does DMAIC stand for?
- Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (Correct answer)
- Design, Monitor, Assess, Integrate, Complete
- Define, Map, Align, Implement, Check
- Diagnose, Measure, Act, Inspect, Certify
Correct answer: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
DMAIC is the core Six Sigma problem-solving methodology: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.
Question 3: What is a Kanban system primarily used for?
- Scheduling employee shifts
- Controlling inventory and production flow through visual signals (Correct answer)
- Tracking supplier contracts
- Measuring customer satisfaction
Correct answer: Controlling inventory and production flow through visual signals
Kanban uses visual signals (cards or bins) to trigger production or replenishment only when needed, controlling inventory levels and workflow.
Question 4: Which metric measures the ratio of value-added time to total lead time in a process?
- Process cycle efficiency (PCE) (Correct answer)
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- First pass yield (FPY)
- Takt time ratio
Correct answer: Process cycle efficiency (PCE)
Process Cycle Efficiency (PCE) = Value-Added Time / Total Lead Time, indicating how much of the lead time actually adds value.
Question 5: What is Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) used to measure?
- Employee productivity per shift
- The productive performance of manufacturing equipment (Correct answer)
- Total output relative to labor costs
- Supplier delivery reliability
Correct answer: The productive performance of manufacturing equipment
OEE combines Availability, Performance, and Quality rates to measure how effectively manufacturing equipment is utilized.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'bottleneck' in a production process?
- A workstation that consistently finishes ahead of schedule
- A resource whose capacity limits the overall throughput of the system (Correct answer)
- A quality inspection step that delays shipping
- An inventory buffer between two process steps
Correct answer: A resource whose capacity limits the overall throughput of the system
A bottleneck is the process step with the least capacity, which constrains the entire system's output according to the Theory of Constraints.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a Value Stream Map (VSM)?
- To document employee skill levels
- To visualize the flow of materials and information to identify waste (Correct answer)
- To schedule preventive maintenance tasks
- To map customer contact points for CRM
Correct answer: To visualize the flow of materials and information to identify waste
A Value Stream Map illustrates all steps—value-added and non-value-added—in a product's journey, making waste visible so it can be eliminated.
BSEM Operations Management & Process Improvement 1
What is the primary goal of lean manufacturing?