Chapter 14
JIT/Lean, a low-inventory scheduling system with minimal waste where supply equals demand, must have what in place to work properly? (Select all that apply.)
Flexibility to handle a variety of products/services Processes and equipment with high reliability to minimize breakdowns No disruptions from quality problems Employees who continuously improve the process
How long does it take an organization to convert from a traditional system of operation to Lean/Just-in-Time operation?
1 to 3 years
True or false: Any production system can convert to a Pull system, regardless of volume, mix or product design.
False
Value Stream Mapping is a technique that originated at Toyota, where it was referred to as _____.
Material and Information Flow Mapping
JIT II is also known by what other acronym?
VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory)
What is the most important organizational/cultural aspect without which Lean implementation is doomed?
A spirit of cooperation and mutual respect among management, employees, vendors
Select the best definition of Value Stream Mapping.
A visual tool to systematically analyze the flow of materials and information involved in bringing a product or service to a customer
All of the following are advantages of level loading except which?
Ensures uniform customer demand
All of the following are benefits of the 5S Lean "housekeeping" system except which?
Increased risk of accidents
Which of the following statements about Just-In-Time (JIT) systems is/are correct?
JIT systems are demand driven, JIT is often used to describe Lean systems, Conversion to JIT systems entail some risk
Single minute exchange of die (SMED) is a system developed at Toyota for reducing what?
Setup time
How does the setup time reduction contribute to Lean process design?
Smaller lot sizes mean more setups (changeovers of equipment). Smooth, rapid flow is the goal.
What are the two common threads across all the building blocks of Lean/JIT systems.
Speed and Simplicity
Under the kaizen philosophy, how should improvements be done?
Gradually and continuously
When services adopt Lean operations what is usually the main focus of improvement?
Time to perform a service
In lean systems, production is based on which of the following inputs?
Customer demand
Which of the following is not a benefit of lean systems?
Economies of scale
Autonomation, a quality improvement technique, is known by what Japanese word?
Jidoka
Select the best definition of Lean Operations.
A flexible system of operations using fewer resources than a traditional system.
What is the ultimate goal of a Lean system?
Achieve a smooth, uninterrupted flow where supply equals demand
In Lean terminology waste refers to what?
Any aspect of a process which is non-value added
What are the two parts of Autonomation, a Lean quality improvement technique?
Defect detection and work stoppage
Supply chain _____can inhibit operations due to minimal inventory levels in lean systems.
Disruptions
Which of the following statements is true about Lean Manufacturing?
Lean Manufacturing started in Japan at Toyota.
What is the most serious obstacle to Lean conversion?
Management commitment of resources required for conversion
Lean, which originated at Toyota, uses many Japanese terms for its concepts. Match the term with the definition.
Muda <> Waste and inefficiency Kanban <> A manual system to control the movement of parts and materials using containers and signals Heijunka <> Leveling volume and variety of work to reduce variation in the process Kaizen <> Continuous improvement in the system Jidoka <> "Quality at the source" -work is stopped immediately when a defect occurs.
Select the best definition of Just-In-Time (JIT) systems.
Operational system with highly coordinated activities to deliver goods just as they are needed
Falsifying refers to building safeguards into a process to reduce or eliminate the potential for errors during a process. What is the term for this?
Poka-yoke
Select the best definition of level loading.
Producing at the same rate or quantity each day (e.g., 100 units of A, B, C each day with constant ratios)
In a Lean organization workers are treated as assets. What does this mean in a lean organization? (Select all the examples that apply.)
Workers are given authority to make decisions that effect their work. Workers are well-trained in Lean philosophy and methods.
Select the best definition of JIT II.
Vendors manage inventory on Buyer's premises
In what ways does JIT (Just-In-Time) impact the supply chain? (Select all correct answers.)
Vendors may charge more per unit for smaller shipments Suppliers are under pressure to deliver on-time Loading docks busier from more frequent orders
There are two general approaches to controlling WIP; one is kanban and the other is constant work-in-process (CONWIP). Kanban's control of WIP focuses on _____, while CONWIP'S focus is on _____.
individual workstation, the system as a whole
In a one-shift operation, if the operating time is 480 minutes and there is one 30-minute lunch break and two 15-minute rest breaks, what is the takt time if the demand rate is 70 units per day.
6 minutes per cycle
In the kaizen philosophy, _____is the enemy.
waste or muda
What characteristic of Lean systems enables equipment flexibility?
Quick changeovers
Select the best definition of takt time, which is used in Lean process design to balance workload.
The cycle time needed to meet the demand rate
A Six Sigma process is under what kind of control?
Statistical process control
All of the following are benefits of a limited work-in-process system EXCEPT _______.
greater cycle time variability; WIP = cycle time x arrival rate
In Lean process design what is the ideal lot size in numbers of units?
1
What are some of the benefits of cross-training workers, a personnel management method often used in a Lean organization? (Select all the reasons that apply.)
Adds flexibility when a co-worker is absent Helps with system bottlenecks for line balancing purposes
In Lean/JIT systems the burden of ensuring quality of production inputs from vendors shifts from the _____________ to the _______________.
Buyer/seller
Which of the following is an example of "mistake proofing" production (also known as poka-yoke in Japanese)?
Designing components that can only be installed one-way (not upside down or backwards).
The success of a lean system relies heavily on which of the three items that follow?
Effective teamwork Leadership commitment Achieving a lean thinking culture
Identify the true statements about Kanban. (Select all that apply.)
It requires workers to signal when they have run out of parts at their assembly operation. It replaces material or parts only when needed, so as to avoid overproduction.
Match the transaction type and the description described as part of Miller and Vollmann's "hidden factory".
Logistical transactions <> Choice, Include ordering, execution, and confirmation of materials transported from one location to another. Related costs cover shipping and receiving personnel, expediting orders, data entry, and data processing.Include ordering, execution, and confirmation of materials transported from one location to another. Related costs cover shipping and receiving personnel, expediting orders, data entry, and data processing. Balancing transactions <> Choice, Include forecasting, production planning, production control, procurement, scheduling, and order processing. Associated costs relate to the personnel involved in these and supporting activities.Include forecasting, production planning, production control, procurement, scheduling, and order processing. Associated costs relate to the personnel involved in these and supporting activities. Quality transactions <> Choice, Include determining and communicating specifications, monitoring, recording, and follow-up activities. Costs relate to appraisal, prevention, internal failures and external failures.Include determining and communicating specifications, monitoring, recording, and follow-up activities. Costs relate to appraisal, prevention, internal failures and external failures.
In order to make a JIT/Lean system flexible to handle a variety of products, what two things must be reduced?
Long setup/changeover times and long lead times from vendors
When converting to Lean/Just-in-time operations what are workers usually most concerned about?
Loss of their job as production efficiency increases
What are some of the benefits of Lean Operations?
Lower costs, greater productivity, higher quality
Which of the following statements is correct about planning a successful conversion to Lean/Just-in-time operations.
Management and employees must be convinced of benefit and receive training prior to conversion to avoid obstacles.
What are some of the major obstacles encountered when converting to Lean/Just-in-time operations from traditional methods? (Select all that apply.)
Management may resist because Lean shifts some of their responsibilities to workers. Suppliers may resist for various reasons--frequent deliveries, burden of quality, etc. The organization's culture may not be compatible with the Lean philosophy.
Lean systems are designed to ______ inventory storage.
Minimize
How do small lot sizes support Lean process design? (Select all correct answers.)
More flexibility to meet customer demand Inspection and rework costs are less Work-in-process inventory is reduced
Select the four building blocks which support the goals of Lean/Just-in-Time systems from the following list:
Product design Manufacturing, planning and control Personnel & organization elements Process design
Which of the below statements best describes the difference between a push and pull system of production?
Push: work is sent to the next operation upon completion. Pull: the subsequent operation takes from the preceding.
Inventories are buffers that tend to cover up recurring problems such as which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
Quality defects Equipment breakdowns Bottlenecks Training issues
In order to achieve a balanced, rapid flow through a Lean system, disruptions must be minimized. What are some causes of disruptions in production? (Select all that apply.)
Quality problems Equipment breakdowns Late deliveries from suppliers
Which type of transactions in an organization include defining and communicating specifications?
Quality transactions
The benefits of Lean are most easily realized in which Process type?
Repetitive assembly
Which of the following is an example of standardized parts supporting Lean.
Same hard drive casing is used in all Dell Computers so assembler learns how to install one part number across all models of computers.
Match each of the 5S's of the Lean visual work place management system to its definition.
Sort <> Decide which items are needed to accomplish the work, and keep only those items. Straighten <> Organize the workplace so that the needed items can be accessed quickly and easily. Sween <> Keep the workplace clean and ready for work. Perform equipment maintenance regularly. Standardize <> Use standard instructions and procedures for all work. Self-discipline <> Make sure that employees understand the need for an uncluttered workplace.
Match the four aspects of Product Design which support the goals of Lean/JIT systems with their definition.
Standard parts <> Having fewer parts across product lines which reduce procurement, inspection costs Modular Design <> Standardized sub-assemblies (cluster of parts) to simplify bills of material, training, and assembly of final product Capable production quality <> Production systems where product and process design have reduced/eliminated defects Concurrent engineering <> Team approach involving each group in product design from the beginning instead of serially from development to delivery.
Match these categories with their 5W2H term.
Subject <> What Purpose <> Why Location <>Where Sequence <>When People <>Who Method <>How Cost <>How much
True or false: In Lean/JIT vendor-buyer relationships, price becomes secondary to other factors such as flexibility, high quality, frequent small deliveries and quick response to problems.
True
Which of the following is an example of "elimination of disruptions" for Lean services. (Select the best answer.)
Try to avoid having workers who are servicing employees also answer telephones
At Toyota Lean Manufacturing is focused on Waste Reduction in every aspect of process. What is meant by "waste" in this context?
Waste is anything that does not add value to or interferes with production.
Which of the following attributes are characteristics of lean systems? (Select all that apply.)
Waste reduction, Quick changeovers, Continuous improvement
One principle of lean is eliminating _____ to create _____.
Waste; flow
The 5W2H approach to process improvement is a simple and effective method. What does 5W2H stand for?
What, Why, Where, When, Who, How, How Much?
What are the main considerations to be made prior to adoption of Lean operations? (Select all that apply.)
Whether running on a tight schedule is desired Length of time to convert from traditional systems Cost and other resources required to convert to Lean
The acronym WIP stands for what?
Work-in-Process
Direct suppliers must be able to support _____ just-in-time deliveries of _____ of parts.
frequent, small batches
