CMS Lean Manufacturing & Waste Reduction 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which lean tool is specifically designed to reduce changeover time to less than ten minutes?
- TPM
- SMED (Correct answer)
- Heijunka
- Jidoka
Correct answer: SMED
Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is the methodology aimed at reducing equipment changeover time to single-digit minutes.
Question 2: What is 'Mura' in the Toyota Production System?
- Physical waste such as scrap and rework
- Unevenness or variability in production (Correct answer)
- Overburdening of people or machines
- Excess raw material inventory
Correct answer: Unevenness or variability in production
Mura refers to unevenness or irregularity in production flow, which creates inefficiencies and drives the other forms of waste.
Question 3: In lean manufacturing, what is 'standard work'?
- ISO 9001 documentation requirements
- The documented best-known method for performing a task consistently (Correct answer)
- A minimum output quota set by management
- The standard operating cost per unit produced
Correct answer: The documented best-known method for performing a task consistently
Standard work documents the current best-known sequence, timing, and method for a task to ensure consistency, quality, and a baseline for improvement.
Question 4: A pull system triggers production based on which signal?
- A monthly master production schedule
- Actual downstream customer or process demand (Correct answer)
- Supplier delivery schedules
- Management inventory targets
Correct answer: Actual downstream customer or process demand
In a pull system, production is authorized only when the downstream customer or process signals a need, preventing overproduction.
Question 5: What is the primary waste targeted by implementing cellular manufacturing?
- Overproduction
- Defects
- Transportation and motion (Correct answer)
- Waiting for management approval
Correct answer: Transportation and motion
Cellular manufacturing groups equipment by product family in a U-shaped or similar layout to minimize transportation of materials and unnecessary operator motion.
Question 6: Which lean concept refers to the ability of a machine to detect an abnormality and stop automatically?
- Andon
- Jidoka (Correct answer)
- Poka-yoke
- Kaizen
Correct answer: Jidoka
Jidoka (autonomation) gives machines the 'intelligence' to detect defects or abnormal conditions and stop automatically to prevent defect propagation.
Question 7: When analyzing a value stream map, 'push' production arrows indicate what condition?
- Material flows based on a forecast or schedule regardless of downstream need (Correct answer)
- A kanban card authorizes each batch movement
- Customer demand directly triggers each production step
- Inventory is stored in a FIFO lane
Correct answer: Material flows based on a forecast or schedule regardless of downstream need
Push arrows on a VSM show that work is moved forward based on schedules or forecasts rather than actual downstream consumption, often creating excess WIP.
CMS Lean Manufacturing & Waste Reduction 3
Which lean tool is specifically designed to reduce changeover time to less than ten minutes?