Cycle time is not:

a) daily operating time divided by desired production b) the maximum allowable time at each work station c) how often items roll off the assembly line

d) the time required to complete a product from start to finish e) Cycle time is all of the above

(Answer: d)

{Text on page 287 in section on Line Balancing and the Lecture in the section on Designing Product Layouts/Line Balancing: The cycle time can be viewed in a number of ways. First it is calculated as the daily operating time divided by the desired production. This determines the maximum allowable time at each work center and, since it is the time that an item remains at each workstation, it is also the time between

completed items rolling off the assembly line. The cycle time is not the time required to complete a product from start to finish. This value would be the cycle time multiplied by the number of workstations}

3. A common goal in designing process layouts is:

a) minimizing the number of workers b) minimizing idle time

c) minimizing material handling costs d) balancing the work at each station e) maximizing output

(Answer: c)

{Text on page 278 in the section on Designing Process Layouts and the Lecture in the section on Designing Process Layouts: The primary objective in designing process layouts in manufacturing, and in many services, is to minimize material handling costs which is a function of the amount of material moved and the distance it has to move.}

4. An assembly line consists of 5 tasks with times of 12, 9, 8, 7, and 11 minutes. The cycle time for the line is 25 minutes. The theoretical minimum number of workstations for this situation is

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) 5 (Answer: b)

{Text on page 289 and the Lecture in the section on Theoretical Minimum Number of Workstations: The theoretical minimum number of workstations represents the lower bound on the line balancing problem. We cannot design a solution that would be more efficient than this. It is calculated as the sum of the task times divided by the cycle time rounded up to the nearest integer. In this case the theoretical minimum number of workstations is (12+9+8+7+11)/25 = 47/25 = 1.88 or 2 workstations.}

5. The flexible manufacturing system layout which is the most complex and most flexible is called

a) open-field system b) ladder layout c) closed-loop system d) progressive layout e) none of the above (Answer: a)

{Text on page 300 and the Lecture in the section on Flexible Manufacturing Systems:

The open-field layout is the most complex and flexible of the FMS layout schemes. It allows material to move among the work centers in any order.}

6. Another term for a process layout is a) job shop layout

b) functional layout c) mixed-model layout d) group technology layout (Answer: b)

{Text on page 273 in the section on Process Layouts and the Lecture in the section on Process (Functional) Layouts: Process layouts are also known as functional layouts because they group activities by the function that is performed.}

Table 1

From\To A B C D E F

A 15 50 125

B 20 75

C 50 120 120

D 25

E 50 100 100

F 110 100

Table 2 Proposed Layout A B C D E F

7. Using the information in Tables 1 and 2, calculate the nonadjacent loads.

a) 118 b) 450 c) 270 d) 180 e) 335 (Answer: e)

{Text on pages 279 - 281 in the section on Block Diagramming and the Lecture in the section on Block Diagramming: In this diagram the nonadjacent cell pairs are (A,C), (A,F), (D,C) and (D,F). The sum of the nonadjacent loads are then

(50+50+125+110+0+0+0+0) = 335.}

8. Which of the following is an advantage of cellular layouts?

a) It is easier to balance the flow of work through a cell b) It requires less training of workers

c) It has reduced work-in-process inventory d) It requires less capital investment

(Answer: c)

{Text pages 295 - 296 and the Lecture in the section on Cellular Layouts: One of the advantages of the cellular layout is that it reduces work-in-process (WIP) inventory. The other items are, in fact, among the disadvantages of a cellular layout. It is more difficult to balance the flow of work through a cell than through a single assembly line. Cellular layouts also require more worker training and are require greater capital investments.}

9. In general, work-in-process inventory is ______ for a process layout, and _______ for a product layout.

a) small, large b) large, small

c) large, large d) small, small (Answer: b)

{Text on page 277 and Table 7.1 and the Lecture in Table 7.1: The work-in-process inventories are generally high in a process layout and small in a product layout.}

10. In a cellular layout, the layout between manufacturing cells resembles a product layout

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on pages 291-292 in the section on Cellular Layouts and the Lecture in the section on Cellular Layouts: A cellular layout contains elements of both product and process layouts. The layoutwithin cells corresponds to a product layout (assembly line), while the flow of products between cells follows a process layout.}

11. The process of equalizing the amount of work at each workstation is called precedence diagramming.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 185 in the section on Designing Product Layouts and the Lecture in the section on Designing Product Layouts: The process of equalizing the amount of work at each workstation is called line balancing.}

12. The main advantage of the product layout is flexibility and the main disadvantage is efficiency.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 275 in the section on Product Layouts and Table 7.1 and the Lecture in Table 7.1: This advantages and disadvantages are just the opposite. The advantage of the product layout is its efficiency. The main disadvantage is its inflexibility.}

13. For an assembly line if balance delay is high then efficiency will be low and vice versa.

a) True b) False (Answer: a)

{Text on page 289 and the lecture in the section on Line Balancing: Balance delay is the percentage of time that workstations are idle or

Balance delay = 1 - efficiency

Thus when balance delay is high then efficiency must be low and vice versa.}

14. Cellular layouts are based on the concept of group technology to organize parts into part families.

a) True b) False (Answer: a)

{Text on page 291 in the section on Cellular Layouts and the Lecture in the section on Cellular Layouts: Among the preconditions for cellular layouts is group technology, a technique used to group parts into families based on similar shapes, materials, or

processing requirements, which must be used to categorize parts made in the manufacturing facility.}

15. Although product and process layouts tend to look different and use different material handling methods, the same goals and objectives in designing the layout.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 277 in the section on Product Layouts: Product and process layouts look different, use different material handling methods and have different layout concerns.

The objective in a process layout is to minimize material handling cost while the objective in a product layout is to balance the work across workstations.}

PRACTICE EXAM

1. A document which lists materials and components that go into a product is known as a) an assembly chart

b) an operations process chart c) a process flow chart

d) a bill of material e) none of the above (Answer: d)

{Text page 242 in the section on Process Plans and Lecture in the section on Process Plans: A bill of materials is a list of the materials and parts that go into a product.}

2. A company will usually choose to produce parts or products in-house when a) a level workforce is not important

b) demand is uncertain

c) the company is operating at less than full capacity d) when demand is volatile in nature

e) none of the above (Answer: c)

{Text on page 239 in the section on Make-or-Buy Decisions and Lecture in the section on Process Planning/Make-or-Buy Decisions: If a company is not operating at or near full capacity, they will usually make parts in-house, especially if maintaining a level work force is important.}

3. Which of the following processes usually involves a large investment of funds and resources, and produces one item at a time to customer order?

a) project b) continuous c) batch d) mass

e) none of the above (Answer: a)

{Text on page 229 in the section on Projects and Lecture in the section on Types of Processes/Projects: Projects are one-of-a-kind production for a single customer and tend to involve large sums of money and last a long time.}

ABC, Inc. is a new company and must decide which of three processes to use in producing their product. The product is expected to sell for $14 per unit and the costs associated with each process appear below.

Table 1

Process Fixed Costs Variable Costs

A $6,000 $8

B $8,000 $4

C $9,000 $3

4. Using the information in Table 1, what is the breakeven point for Process A?

a) 1,000 units

{Text on page 233-235 in the section on Process Selection with Break-Even

Analysis and Lecture in the section Process Selection with Break-Even Analysis: The break-even point is the volume level at which total costs are equal to total revenues and the total profit is zero. This is numerically equal to the fixed costs divided by the

difference between the price per unit and the variable costs per unit. In this case the break even point for Process A is 6,000/(14 - 8) = 1,000 units.}

5. In Table 6.1 the point of indifference for Process A and Process B is a) 7,000 units

b) 500 units c) 2,667 units d) 2,000 units (Answer: b)

{Text on page 237 in the section on Process Selection with Break-Even Analysis and Lecture in the section Process Selection with Break-Even Analysis: The point of

indifference is the volume level at which the total costs of the alternatives are equal. It is found by setting the total cost equations of the two alternatives equal to one another and solving for the indifference point. In this case 6000 + 8X = 8000 + 4X or 4X = 2000; X

= 500}

6. If demand is 1100 units would you recommend a) adopting Process A

b) adopting Process B c) adopting Process C d) none of the above (Answer: c)

{This problem can be solved by finding the point of indifference between each pair of alternatives or by computing the total costs of each alternative and picking the one with the lowest total costs providing that the total costs do not exceed the revenues generated, i.e. that the volume is above the break-even point for that alternative. In this situation Total Costs Process A = 6000 + 8(1100) = $14,800

Total Costs Process B = 8000 + 4(1100) = $12,400 Total Costs Process C = 9000 + 3(1100) = $12,300}

7. A driverless truck that follows a path of rails or wires embedded in the floor is called

a) an ATC b) a FMS e) an AS/RS d) a DNC e) an AGV (Answer: e)

{Text on page 255 in the section on Automated Material Handling and the Lecture in the section on Automated Material Handling: An automated guided vehicle (AGV) is a driverless truck vehicle that follows a path of rails, wires, specially painted lines on the floor, or radio signals.}

8. _______ is a strategy for organizing and controlling a factory rather than a technology that can be purchased.

a) FMS b) CAPP c) CIM d) CPSS (Answer: c)

{Text on page 257-258 in the section on Computer-Integrated Manufacturing and Lecture in the section on Computer-Integrated Manufacturing: CIM is a strategy for organizing and controlling a factory rather than a specific technology that can be purchased.}

9. Very high volume commodity products are best suited to a) projects.

b) batch production.

c) mass production.

d) continuous processes.

(Answer: d)

{Text on page 232 in the section on Continuous Production and the Lecture in the section on Continuous Process Production: Continuous processes are used for very high-volume commodity products that are standardized.}

10. Process flowcharts incorporate nonproductive activities as well as productive activities.

a) True b) False (Answer: a)

{Text on page 245 in the section on Process Analysis and the Lecture in the section on Process Flowcharts: incorporating nonproductive activities as well as productive activities process flowcharts can be used to analyze the efficiency of a process.}

11. Typically, it is better to produce in-house those parts or products with uncertain demand patterns rather than subcontracting them out.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 239 in the section on Make-or-Buy Decisions: The stability of demand is also important to this decision. If demand is steady then it is usually better to produce in-house but if demand patterns are uncertain or volatile then the part is usually

subcontracted.}

12. In general, more automated processes have higher fixed costs but lower variable costs.

a) True b) False (Answer: a)

{Text page 236 in the section on Process Selection with Break-Even Analysis: Since more automated processes have higher fixed costs but lower variable costs break-even analysis is especially helpful in automation decisions.}

13. At the break-even point, total revenue equals total cost.

a) True b) False (Answer: a)

{Text on page 234 in the section on Process Selection with Break-Even Analysis and the lecture in the section on in the section on Process Selection with Break-Even

Analysis: By definition, the break even point is when total profit is equal to zero or when total revenue exactly equals total cost}

14. The main advantage of robots is that they can perform jobs much faster than humans can.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 257 in the section on Robotics: Robots do not necessarily perform a job faster than human workers but they can tolerate hostile environments, work longer hours and do the job more consistently.}

15. The reengineering process starts with a detailed map of the current process.

a) True b) False

(Answer: b)

{Text on page pages246-247 in the section on Process Reengineering and the Lecture in the section on Process Reengineering: The reengineering process starts with the goals and specifications for system performance. It is only after a high-level process map is completed that a detailed process map is done. Even here, the detailed map is a map of the new process, not the current one. In fact, reengineering is often said to begin with a

"blank sheet", i.e. without reference to the current process.}

1. Process planning describes

a) how the product will perform b) how the product will look c) how the product will be made

d) how easily the product can be maintained e) all of the above

(Answer: c)

{Text page 191-192 in the section on "Final Design and Process Planning" and the lecture in the section on "Final Design and Process Planning": Process planning

involves describing which parts are to be made versus purchased, what equipment will be used, how products will be assembled and other aspects of how a product is to be

manufactured.}

2. _________ ensures that manufacturing concerns are systematically incorporated into the design process.

a) design for manufacture b) modular design

c) design for robustness d) quality function deployment (Answer: a)

{Text on page 196 in the section on "Design for Manufacture" and lecture in the section on "Design for Manufacture": Design for Manufacture involves designing a product so it can be produced easily and economically. DFM insures that manufacturing concerns are systematically incorporated into the design process.}

3. One solution to the problem of how you can gain the cost benefits of standardization without losing the market advantages of product variety is

a) design for robustness

b) quality function deployment c) modular design

d) process planning (Answer: c)

{Text on page 197 in the section on "Design for Manufacture": The issue is how can you maintain the benefits of standardized parts without loosing flexibility in larger product variety. Modular design is common in the electronics and automobile industries as a way of producing a wide variety of products from a set of standardized modules," also links to the lecture at the last sentence of Modular Design.)

4. The objective of failure mode and effects analysis is to

a) anticipate product failures and prevent them from occurring

b) devise ways of minimizing the impacts of product failures when they occur c) describe the interrelationships among product failures

d) quantify the likelihoods of different product failures

(Answer: a)

{Text on pages 198-199 in the section on "Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)":

FMEA is a systematic approach to analyzing the causes and effects of product failures to anticipate failures and prevent them from occurring.}

5. An effective design is one which a) utilizes the latest technology

b) minimizes the revisions necessary to make a workable design c) starts from ideas generated internally in the organization

d) is first to the market, even though the design may not be perfect e) all of the above

(Answer: b)

{Text page 185 at the top of the page: An effective design process matches product or service requirements with customer requirements, ensures that customer requirements are met in the simplest and least costly manner, reduces the time required to design a new product or service, and minimizes the revisions necessary to make a design workable}

6. Which of the following helps eliminate unnecessary features and functions?

a) VA

{Text on page 199 in the section on "Value Analysis" and the lecture in the section on

"Design for Manufacture": Value analysis was developed by General Electric in 1947 to eliminate unnecessary features and functions in product design. The goal of value

analysis is to improve the ratio of value to cost by reducing the cost of the item or increasing its worth."

7. Which of the following components in a "House of Quality" drives the entire QFD process?

a) roof matrix

b) product characteristics c) relationship matrix d) customer requirements

e) customer perceptions of competing products (Answer: d)

{Text page 204 in the section "1. Customer requirements": Customer requirements drive the entire QFD process. This is because the whole purpose of the QFD approach is to translate the voice of the customer into technical requirements. Thus the customer requirements drive the entire process}

8. New product ideas can come from a) customers

b) competitors c) suppliers d) all of the above (Answer: d)

{Text on page 187 in Figure 5.2 and the section on "Idea Generation" and the lecture in the section on "Idea Generation": Ideas for new products come from many sources including customers, suppliers, research & development and competitors.}

9. Using the data below, what is the system reliability?

a) 2.83 b) .9433 c) .8379 d) .9000

e) none of the above (Answer: c)

{Text page 190-191 in the section on "Preliminary Design--Reliability" and lecture in the section on "Design for Manufacture-- Reliability": The reliability of a system with components entirely in series is the product of the reliabilities of the individual components. In this case the system reliability is (.95)(.90)(.98) = .8379.}

10. Design engineers usually have a good understanding of the manufacturing process and don’t have to involve manufacturing too early in the design process.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 195 in the section on "Concurrent Design": In many cases, design engineers do not have a good understanding of the capabilities or limitations of their company’s manufacturing facilities. Increased contact with manufacturing through concurrent engineering can sensitize them to the realities of making a product and thereby improve the quality of product design.}

11. The concern for the environment during product design and manufacture is currently limited to the United States and has not yet become important in other countries.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 200 in the section on "Design for Environment" and the lecture in the section on "Design for Environment": Around the world, concern for the environment is growing. New standards are being developed so that products can be designed to reduce their burden on the environment. Several European countries, such as Germany and The Netherlands have passed laws related to the environmental consequences of products and the ISO standards have a section dealing with environmental impacts.}

12. Reverse engineering refers to finding the best-in-class part, product, or process and comparing one's performance to it.

a) True b) False (Answer: b)

{Text on page 188 in the section under "Idea Generation": and the lecture in the section under "Idea Generation": Reverse engineering is the careful dismantling and inspecting of a competitor’s product to look for design features that can be incorporated into your

{Text on page 188 in the section under "Idea Generation": and the lecture in the section under "Idea Generation": Reverse engineering is the careful dismantling and inspecting of a competitor’s product to look for design features that can be incorporated into your

In document Supply chain MCQs (Page 97-123)