Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Lean Enterprise Concepts 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a Lean enterprise, 'takt time' is best defined as:
- The average time a machine takes to complete one cycle
- The rate at which products must be completed to meet customer demand (Correct answer)
- The total elapsed time from order placement to delivery
- The maximum allowable defect rate per production shift
Correct answer: The rate at which products must be completed to meet customer demand
Takt time synchronizes production pace with customer demand rate. It is calculated as available production time divided by customer demand, ensuring the enterprise produces at exactly the rate customers require — no faster, no slower.
Question 2: Which Lean technique is specifically designed to reduce changeover or setup time between production runs to under ten minutes?
- 5S
- Heijunka
- SMED (Correct answer)
- Poka-yoke
Correct answer: SMED
SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) is the Lean methodology focused on reducing equipment changeover times to single-digit minutes. It does this by converting internal setup steps (done while the machine is stopped) to external steps (done while the machine runs).
Question 3: A Lean value stream map (VSM) is primarily used to:
- Track individual employee performance metrics across departments
- Identify and visualize all steps — value-added and non-value-added — in a process flow (Correct answer)
- Document standard operating procedures for ISO certification
- Schedule preventive maintenance for production equipment
Correct answer: Identify and visualize all steps — value-added and non-value-added — in a process flow
A Value Stream Map depicts every step, delay, and information flow from raw material to customer delivery. By making the entire flow visible, teams can identify waste, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement that are otherwise hidden.
Question 4: In Lean enterprise, 'heijunka' refers to:
- Stopping production automatically when a defect is detected
- Leveling production volume and mix over a given time period (Correct answer)
- The practice of continuous incremental improvement by all employees
- A pull signal that authorizes movement of materials
Correct answer: Leveling production volume and mix over a given time period
Heijunka (production leveling) smooths out production by distributing volume and product variety evenly over time. This prevents the peaks and valleys of demand from propagating instability upstream through the value stream.
Question 5: The 5S methodology in Lean enterprise refers to five practices, the first of which — 'Sort' — means:
- Arranging items so the most-used tools are closest to the point of use
- Removing all items from the workplace that are not needed for current operations (Correct answer)
- Creating visual standards so abnormalities are immediately obvious
- Regularly auditing the workplace to sustain previous improvements
Correct answer: Removing all items from the workplace that are not needed for current operations
The first S, Sort (Seiri), means eliminating unnecessary items from the work area. By removing unneeded tools, materials, and equipment, the team reduces clutter and makes it easier to see what belongs — a prerequisite for the remaining 5S steps.
Question 6: Which of the following correctly describes a 'pull' system in Lean production?
- Production is scheduled in large batches based on a forecast pushed from central planning
- Each upstream process produces only what the downstream process has actually consumed or requested (Correct answer)
- Management sets daily production targets and pushes output to the next station on a fixed schedule
- A computer system automatically replenishes inventory to a preset maximum level
Correct answer: Each upstream process produces only what the downstream process has actually consumed or requested
In a pull system, downstream demand triggers production upstream — nothing is made until a customer or downstream process signals a need. This contrasts with push systems where production is driven by forecasts, often creating overproduction, a key form of waste in Lean thinking.
Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Lean Enterprise Concepts 1
In a Lean enterprise, 'takt time' is best defined as: