Chapter 14

In lean operations, input resources arrive for processing only after the preceding batch has been completed.

A functioning MRP system is required prior to adopting lean planning and control systems.

In a lean environment, anything not essential to the product or process is viewed as waste.

The ultimate goal of lean operations is a system characterized by the smooth, rapid flow of materials.

Although inventories are maintained, the goal of lean operations is to minimize safety stock.

Lean operations cannot easily handle changes of output or product mix.

In the lean philosophy, producing more than two order quantities represents waste.

The four building blocks of lean operations are: product design, process design, personnel/organizational elements, and manufacturing planning and control.

Fast and simple are two common threads that run through the four building blocks of lean operations.

Value stream mapping is a technique focused on finding new ways of adding value for critical stakeholders such as customers.

If a firm's product mix is 60 percent of product A and 20 percent each of products B and C, an optimal mix-model production schedule would be successive sequences of AAABC.

Quality and highly capable production systems are requirements for the successful implementation of lean operations.

The small lot-sizing policy works well in a situation where both holding costs and setup costs are high.

The use of small lot sizes in lean operations is in conflict with the EOQ approach since setup costs tend to be significantly higher than holding costs.

A basic requirement for operating with low inventories in lean systems is that major system problems must already have been solved and new problems will be solved as they appear.

A benefit of small lot sizes in lean systems is that each product is produced less frequently.

In the lean philosophy, the larger the lot size, the easier it is to schedule.

Setup time and its associated cost can often be reduced by the use of group technology.

The goal of lean operations is to produce output using fewer resources than traditional planning systems

The goal of lean operations is to produce output using fewer resources than traditional planning systems.

"Autonomation" indicates that the firm is attempting to reduce its dependence on automated equipment.

Preventive maintenance is additional maintenance done immediately after a breakdown has occurred to help prevent any further breakdowns.

In the lean approach, inventories are reduced gradually, instead of eliminating inventories as rapidly as possible.

One problem with lean operations is that they can lead to much frustration and disappointment of people on the shop floor due to the need for continuously monitoring and expediting resource availability.

A real advantage of the lean philosophy is the reduction of coordination effort required.

The lean philosophy recognizes that some work-in-process inventories are a necessary investment to allow for smooth work flow.

Preventive maintenance will eliminate the need to carry supplies of spare parts.

A fundamental tenet of the lean philosophy is that workers are paid based on seniority.

In lean operations, a responsibility of the cross-trained worker is to check the quality of the work of others.

In lean operations, when work is completed at one work center, it is important to immediately move the completed work to the next work center to minimize idle time.

In a pull system, a quantity of inventory in front of a workstation indicates problems at that workstation.

Limited WIP lowers inventory carrying costs but reduces flexibility.

Engineering changes should not be made in the six-month period following the introduction of a new product.

Kanban is the Japanese term for autonomation.

Increased setup times equal increased work-in-process inventories.

Kanban focuses on specific part numbers; CONWIP does not.

Lean systems typically require that suppliers be able to provide large lots at periodic intervals.

Lean purchasing requires frequent contract bidding by multiple sources to ensure the buyer of competitive prices.

One way of reducing the number of suppliers to the organization is to limit contacts to two tiers of suppliers.

One major difference between the use of kanban and MRP in scheduling the products to be built is that kanban is primarily a manual system while MRP uses computers.

A benefit of lean systems is that lead times are increased, allowing more time for processing.

Which of the following is not something commonly found in lean systems? (I) Waste reduction (II) Output match to a detailed forecast (III) Visual controls (IV) Quick changeovers (V) Long production runs

Which of the following is not a principle regarding the way lean systems function? (I) Identifying customer values (II) Focusing on processes that create value (III) Elimination of waste to create flow (IV) Increasing forecast accuracy (V) Producing only according to customer demand (VI) Optimizing on setup costs with long production runs (VII) Striving for perfection

In the Toyota Production System, waste and inefficiency are referred to as __________, and long-term reduction of this is referred to as __________. A. jidoka; heijunka B. muda; kanban C. kaizen; heijunka D. muda; kaizen E. muda; jidoka

Although lean systems tend to produce standardized product lines, to provide production variety without accompanying waste, lean producers often use __________ in __________. A. standardized parts; modular designs B. jidoka parts; kaizen designs C. modular parts; flexible designs D. capable parts; automated designs

Lean systems often rely on a method of overhead allocation known as: A. direct-labor allocation. B. capital-charge allocation. C. mixed-model accounting. D. activity-based costing. E. indirect-labor allocation.

A lean-systems method of asking questions about a process is the __________ approach. A. jidoka B. 3 kanban C. heijunka D. 2 kaizen E. 5W2H

Although transitioning to a lean system can be a powerful means of improving performance, it is generally thought that using __________ along with lean can lead to even better results. A. kaizen B. ERP C. six sigma D. JIT E. jidoka

For a company with a product mix of 40 percent of product A and 30 percent each of products B and C, which of the following mixed-model sequences best reflects the lean philosophy? A. AABBCCAABC B. ABCABCABCA C. AAAABBBCCC D. BCABCABCAB E. BBBAACCCAA

The lean philosophy suggests that workers are: A. assets. B. liabilities. C. interchangeable. D. replaceable. E. to be phased out.

The ultimate goal of lean operations is to have: A. no in-process inventories. B. cross-trained workers capable of handling every process. C. a smooth, rapid flow of materials through the system. D. no setup times. E. all of the choices.

Which one of the following is not one of the building blocks that is the foundation of the lean philosophy? A. product design B. process design C. personnel/organizational elements D. manufacturing planning and control E. kanban

Building up an inventory of standard parts or modules instead of immediately producing the finished end items is the essence of: A. delayed differentiation. B. kanban. C. autonomation. D. andon. E. matrix management.

Which of the following would you not expect to see in a lean environment? A. a flexible system B. minimum inventory C. little waste D. reduced setup times E. a significant number of daily schedule changes

The comprehensive approach used in lean systems to deal with quality includes: A. designing quality into products and processes. B. insisting vendors provide high-quality materials. C. making workers responsible for producing high quality. D. designing in quality, insisting on quality materials, and making workers responsible for quality. E. 100 percent inspection of raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods.

Which of the following is not a benefit of small lot sizes in lean systems? A. In-process inventory is considerably less. B. Each product is produced less frequently. C. Carrying costs are reduced. D. There is less clutter in the workplace. E. Inspection and rework costs are less. Each product is produced more frequently with small lot sizes.

In the lean philosophy, the ideal lot size is: A. the economic order quantity. B. the economic run size. C. one unit. D. the capacity of the standard container. E. N = (DT(1 + X))/C.

Which of the following does not contribute to reduced setup time and cost? A. standardized setup tools B. standardized setup equipment C. custom setup procedures for each product D. use of multipurpose equipment or attachments E. use of group technology

A conveyance __________ signals parts movement. A. request B. routing C. bar code D. kanban E. kazian

The term that refers to the automatic detection of defects is: A. kaizen. B. kanban. C. autonomation. D. automation. E. 100 percent inspection.

A basic requirement for operating with the low inventories present in lean systems is: A. Inventory space must be increased. B. Inventory investment must be increased. C. Major problems must be identified. D. Major problems must have been solved. E. Inventories must be reduced rapidly.

Which of the following is not characteristic of preventive maintenance in lean systems? A. maintaining equipment in good operating condition B. replacing parts when they are worn but before they fail C. workers maintaining their own equipment D. eliminating supplies of spare parts to reduce capital investment E. perceiving breakdowns as an opportunity for improvement

The Five S's do not include: A. Sort. B. Straighten. C. Sanitize. D. Sweep. E. Standardize.

The kaizen philosophy applies to: A. employee development. B. safety stock. C. waste. D. supply chain management. E. MRP III.

A production kanban card is used to signal that: A. work is needed at the work center. B. work is ready to be moved to the next station. C. a problem exists. D. a machine has broken down and needs immediate attention. E. a machine is ready for preventive maintenance.

With regard to suppliers, lean systems typically require: A. delivery of large lots at regular intervals. B. buyer inspection of goods and materials. C. multiple sources from which to purchase. D. long-term relationships and commitments. E. the lowest price possible.

Which of the following is characteristic of the lean philosophy? A. Inventories are an asset. B. Lot sizes are optimized by formula. C. Vendors are coworkers, essentially other departments of our organization. D. Queues are a necessary investment. E. All of the choices. Long-term relationships help ensure that suppliers become partners in the lean firm's waste-reduction efforts.

The activity controlled in the same way by both kanban and MRP is the determination of: A. rates of output. B. products to be built. C. materials required. D. capacity required. E. feedback information.

Process design that supports lean does not include: A. production flexibility. B. duplicate facilities. C. setup time reduction. D. minimal inventory storage. E. small lot sizes. Facilities duplication would be inherently wasteful.

Which of the following questions is not answered by value stream mapping? A. Where does waste occur? B. Which processes or subprocesses exhibit the most variability? C. Where are the best opportunities to extract more value from customers? D. Where are process bottlenecks? E. Where do errors occur?

A successful conversion to a lean system requires that the conversion: A. be done as quickly as possible. B. begin at the start of the process and work forward. C. convert vendors to lean as one of the last steps. D. reduce setup times as one of the last steps. E. all of the choices.

A potential obstacle to conversion to a lean system is: A. lack of management commitment. B. lack of worker cooperation. C. supplier resistance. D. all of the choices. E. insufficient space to store the increased inventories

A system of lights used at each workstation to signal problems or slowdowns is: A. a command and control center. B. automation. C. andon. D. a pull system. E. kanban.

Which of the following contributes to the competitive advantage enjoyed by firms using lean production? A. backup employees to cover for absenteeism B. one hundred percent inspection to remove defects C. dedicated equipment to reduce unit costs D. safety stocks to prevent stockouts E. greater flexibility to cope with change

An operations strategy reflecting the lean philosophy of production should recognize that lean: A. is most suited for nonrepetitive manufacturing. B. cannot be implemented sequentially. C. requires a wholesale commitment from the outset. D. may provide a competitive advantage. E. all of the choices.

With regard to suppliers, lean systems typically involve: A. delivery of large lots on short notice B. the highest quality at the lowest price C. long-term relationships D. multiple suppliers to assure continuous availability E. dedicated staging areas for material

A common objective of both MRP and the lean philosophy is to: A. smooth production. B. minimize inventory. C. obtain high quality. D. reduce overhead. E. eliminate inventory.

The ultimate objective in a lean system is: A. low to moderate levels of inventory. B. high quality, zero defects. C. minimal waste (less than 6 percent). D. balanced and rapid flow. E. all of these.

When lean is used in the context of services, which of the following is most often the focus? A. the labor content of the service B. the time needed to perform a service C. the inventory tied up in the service D. the equipment used in the service E. suppliers of inputs to the service

Which of the following would not contribute to the leaning of services? A. Improve the reliability of vendors. B. Increase the flexibility of the service system. C. Have service workers handle multiple tasks. D. Standardize the service output. E. Improve the service process.

Having a vendor be responsible for managing the restocking of inventory is what is meant by the term: A. JIT II. B. MRP II. C. SCM I. D. EOQ III. E. POQ II.

Previously, management calculated the number of kanban cards allowed by using a value of 1.3 for X. Assuming nothing else (e.g., usage rates, container capacities, etc.), which of the following values for X would indicate management's belief that the system has become more efficient? A. 2.6 B. 2.3 C. 1.5 D. 1.4 E. 1.2

The All Seasonings Company uses 3,200 glass jars at one of its jar-filling workstations each eight hours of production. The cycle time for a standard container, which holds 90 jars, averages 45 minutes. If management uses an efficiency factor of 20 percent, how many containers should be used?

The Four Star Publishing Company uses 60 reams of paper each hour at one of its high-speed printing stations. The cycle time for a standard container, which holds 15 reams of paper, averages 40 minutes. If management has decided to use three containers, what efficiency factor was applied?

A production system uses kanban cards to control production and movement of parts. One work center uses an average of 40 pieces per hour of a certain part. Standard containers hold 10 parts. The cycle time for parts containers is about 36 minutes. Management has assigned an efficiency factor of .20 to this work center. How many containers should be used to support this operation?

A production cell uses 240 pounds of plastic resin each eight-hour day. Resin is transported in drums that hold 100 pounds each. The material is obtained from a nearby supplier, and has a 12-hour cycle time. An efficiency factor of .15 has been assigned to this cell. What is the optimum number of containers to support this operation?

A Push system requires a high degree of coordination between production stations.

A Pull system is likely to struggle to meet demand during demand spikes.

Which of the following statements is true of Push and Pull systems? Multiple Choice Push and Pull systems are opposites and can not be used together Push and Pull systems are opposite but can still be used together Push and Pull systems are essentially the same system Push and Pull systems are only good for controlling machines on a shop floor

Good reasons to reduce your setup times in a factory are: (Choose all that apply) Check All That Apply A down machine has no output. Throughput increases after a machine change-over. Setup times are constant and cannot be controlled. Long setup times create additional inventory.

Which of these is a concept for reducing setup times? Multiple Choice RFID tags Single minute exchange of die Multi-product factories Manufacturing production processes

Scheduling major change-overs sequentially helps to shorten overall setup times for the factory.

The four building blocks of lean operations are: product design, process design, personnel/organizational elements, and manufacturing planning and control.

The ultimate goal of lean operations is a system characterized by the smooth, rapid flow of materials.

The use of small lot sizes in lean operations is in conflict with the EOQ approach since setup costs tend to be significantly higher than holding costs.

Kanban is the Japanese term for autonomation.

A benefit of the lean philosophy is the flexibility to respond quickly to changing customer product preferences.

In a lean environment, anything not essential to the product or process is viewed as waste.

Which of the following is not something commonly found in lean systems? (I) Waste reduction (II) Output match to a detailed forecast (III) Visual controls (IV) Quick changeovers (V) Long production runs Multiple Choice both I and V both II and V both II and IV both IV and V both III and V

The kaizen philosophy applies to: Multiple Choice employee development. safety stock. waste. supply chain management. MRP III.

Lean systems often rely on a method of overhead allocation known as: Multiple Choice direct-labor allocation. capital-charge allocation. mixed-model accounting. activity-based costing. indirect-labor allocation.

The ultimate goal of lean operations is to have: Multiple Choice no in-process inventories. cross-trained workers capable of handling every process. a smooth, rapid flow of work through the system. no setup times. all of the choices.

In the lean philosophy, the ideal lot size is: Multiple Choice the economic order quantity. the economic run size. one unit. the capacity of the standard container. N = (DT(1 + X))/C.

Which of the following does not contribute to reduced setup time and cost? Multiple Choice standardized setup tools standardized setup equipment custom setup procedures for each product use of multipurpose equipment or attachments use of group technology

Lean systems typically require that suppliers be able to provide large lots at periodic intervals.

In the lean approach, inventories are reduced gradually, instead of eliminating inventories as rapidly as possible.

In the lean philosophy, producing large lot sizes reduces waste.

A lean-systems method of asking questions about a process is the __________ approach. Multiple Choice jidoka 3 kanban heijunka 2 kaizen 5W2H

Which of the following is not a principle regarding the way lean systems function? (I) Identifying customer values (II) Focusing on processes that create value (III) Elimination of waste to create flow (IV) Increasing forecast accuracy (V) Producing only according to customer demand (VI) Optimizing on setup costs with long production runs (VII) Striving for perfection Multiple Choice IV both II and IV both IV and VI both IV and V VI

Although transitioning to a lean system can be a powerful means of improving performance, some believe that using __________ along with lean can lead to even better results. Multiple Choice kaizen EOQ Six Sigma JIT jidoka