Production Scheduling & Capacity Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real CMS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Production Scheduling & Capacity Planning flashcards as text
Which aggregate planning strategy maintains a constant workforce and uses inventory to absorb demand fluctuations?
Answer: Level production strategy
The level production strategy keeps the workforce stable and builds inventory during slow periods to fulfill demand during peaks.
A production planner notices a work center is loaded at 130% capacity for the next three weeks. What should be done FIRST?
Answer: Identify options to reduce load or increase capacity in the affected weeks
Analyzing load-leveling options (overtime, subcontracting, lot splitting, rescheduling) is the first step before committing to any specific remedy.
What scheduling technique visually displays job start times, durations, and work center assignments on a timeline?
Answer: Gantt chart
Gantt charts display jobs as horizontal bars across a time axis, showing when each job is scheduled at each work center.
In production scheduling, 'queue time' refers to which component of manufacturing lead time?
Answer: Time a job waits before processing begins at a work center
Queue time is the waiting time before a job enters a work center and often constitutes the largest portion of total manufacturing lead time.
Which planning horizon is typically used for a Master Production Schedule (MPS)?
Answer: Several weeks to months, covering at least one cumulative lead time
The MPS must cover at least the cumulative lead time of the product so that material and capacity actions can be triggered in time.
What is the effect of reducing lot sizes in a production scheduling environment?
Answer: Shorter queue times and lower WIP, but more setups
Smaller lot sizes reduce batch waiting time and WIP inventory but increase the number of setups required per period.
Which capacity planning tool compares load (required hours) against capacity (available hours) for each work center over a planning horizon?
Answer: Load profile (capacity requirements report)
The load profile or capacity requirements report, generated by CRP, shows planned load versus available capacity by work center by period.