Technology & Digital Tools Flashcards

How does Industry 4.0 technology most directly align with the lean principle of reducing waste (muda)?

Answer: By using real-time data from connected systems to detect and eliminate non-value-added activities faster

Industry 4.0 technologies like IoT, big data, and AI accelerate waste identification by continuously monitoring processes and highlighting deviations from standard work.

A lean leader evaluates an ERP system implementation. What is the most common lean concern with poorly configured ERP systems?

Answer: They can promote overproduction by push-scheduling based on forecasts rather than actual demand

ERP systems configured for forecast-driven push production can directly contradict the lean pull principle, generating overproduction and excess inventory waste.

Which approach best describes using technology in a lean transformation without undermining lean principles?

Answer: Apply technology to stabilize and scale processes only after waste has been removed (Automate lean, don't automate waste)

The lean principle is to remove waste first so that automation accelerates an already-optimized process rather than entrenching inefficiency at machine speed.

What is the lean risk of deploying a sophisticated digital dashboard without engaging frontline employees in its design?

Answer: It may display irrelevant metrics, be ignored, and fail to drive the problem-solving behaviors it was intended to support

Visual management tools only drive behavior change when workers see their own work reflected in the data and understand how to respond—co-design ensures this relevance.

A digital poka-yoke system uses machine vision cameras to inspect 100% of parts. Which lean waste does this most directly eliminate?

Answer: Defect waste by catching non-conforming parts before they proceed downstream

Automated vision-based poka-yoke inspects every part at the point of production, preventing defects from being passed to downstream processes or customers.

In lean, a 'digital twin' of a production line is primarily used for which purpose?

Answer: Creating a virtual replica to test process changes, predict bottlenecks, and optimize flow without disrupting real operations

A digital twin mirrors the physical process in real time, enabling teams to simulate scenarios, identify constraints, and validate improvements before live implementation.

A lean team wants to conduct a time study to identify takt time adherence on a new assembly line. Which digital tool category best supports this?

Answer: Time study and work measurement apps (e.g., Toolsgroup, time-study mobile apps) paired with production tracking systems

Digital time study apps allow industrial engineers to capture cycle times, calculate takt time, and identify deviations quickly, replacing manual stopwatch studies with structured digital data capture.