Operations Management, 12e (Heizer/Render/Munson)
Chapter 16 Lean Operations
Section 1 Lean Operations
1) TPS stands for Toyota Production System.
2) TPS stands for Total Production Streamlining.
3) Product storage is an example of waste in the sense that no value is added.
4) In a JIT system, product inspection adds value by identifying defective items.
5) Customer demand will always remain an unknown, so it is not considered a source of variability.
6) Variability in manufacturing can occur because engineering drawings or specifications are incomplete
or inaccurate.
7) A push system means providing the next station with exactly what is needed when it is needed.
8) Waste is anything that does not add value from the consumer’s perspective.
9) Increasing inventory exposes variability in production processes.
10) The 5Ss—sort/segregate, simplify/straighten, shine/sweep, standardize, and sustain/self-discipline—
are important to lean production because they act as a means to reduce waste.
11) When implemented as a comprehensive operations strategy, JIT, TPS, and lean systems sustain
competitive advantage and result in increased overall returns.
12) What does TPS stand for?
A) Total Production Streamlining
B) Toyota Production System
C) Taguchi’s Production S’s
D) Total Process Simplification
E) Transparent Processing System
13) Which of the following is generally found in most Lean environments?
A) a push or pull system, depending upon the rate of demand
B) a push system for high margin items and a pull system for low margin items
C) a push system for purchased parts and a pull system for manufactured parts
D) push systems
E) pull systems
14) Which of the following is NOT a source of variability?
A) Employees, machines, and suppliers produce units late.
B) Customer demand is unknown.
C) Employees, machines, and suppliers produce units that conform to standards.
D) Engineering drawings are inaccurate.
E) Drawings or specifications are incomplete.
15) Which of the following is specifically characterized by a focus on continuous improvement, respect
for people, and standard work practices?
A) Just-in-time (JIT)
B) Toyota Production System (TPS)
C) Lean operations
D) Material requirements planning (MRP)
E) kanban
16) Which of the following is specifically characterized by continuous and forced problem solving via a
focus on throughput and reduced inventory?
A) Just-in-time (JIT)
B) Toyota Production System (TPS)
C) Lean operations
D) Material requirements planning (MRP)
E) kanban
17) Which of the following statements regarding a pull system is TRUE?
A) Large lots are pulled from upstream stations.
B) Work is pulled to the downstream stations before it is actually needed.
C) Manufacturing cycle time is increased.
D) Problems become more obvious.
E) None of the above is true of a pull system.
18) Manufacturing cycle time is best defined as the:
A) length of the work shift, expressed in minutes per day.
B) time it takes a unit to move from one workstation to the next.
C) time between the start of one unit and the start of the next unit.
D) sum of all the task times to make one unit of a product.
E) time from raw materials receipt to finished product exit.
19) Which of the following is specifically characterized by the elimination of waste through a focus on
exactly what the customer wants?
A) Just-in-time (JIT)
B) Toyota Production System (TPS)
C) Lean operations
D) Material requirements planning (MRP)
E) kanban
20) Which of the following is NOT one of the Seven Wastes?
A) overproduction
B) transportation
C) assignment
D) defective product
E) motion
21) The 5Ss:
A) have the “flavor” of a housekeeping list.
B) are a checklist for lean operations.
C) have become a list of seven items in American practice.
D) can be used to assist with necessary changes in organizational culture.
E) All of these are true.
22) The list of 5Ss, although it looks like a housekeeping directive, supports lean production by:
A) identifying non-value items and removing them, in the “sort/segregate” category.
B) reducing inventory, in the “standardize” category.
C) increasing variability through standardized procedures, in the “standardize” category.
D) eliminating wasted motion through ergonomic studies, in the “support” category.
E) building good safety practices, in the “shine/sweep” category.
23) ________ is any deviation from the optimum process that delivers perfect product on time, every time.
24) A(n) ________ is a concept that results in material being produced only when requested and moved to
where it is needed just as it is needed.
25) The ________ is the time between the arrival of raw materials and the shipping of finished products.
26) TPS stands for ________.
27) The 5S category ________ includes analysis to improve workflow and reduce wasted motion.
28) Handling material more than once is an example of the waste called ________.
29) What does TPS stand for?
30) Differentiate between a push and a pull system.
31) Define manufacturing cycle time.
32) Identify three major sources of variability.
33) What are the 5Ss? Why does the list of the 5Ss sometimes have seven elements?
34) Identify Ohno’s Seven Wastes.
35) How are lean operations and the Toyota Production System (TPS) alike? How are they different?
Section 2 Lean and Just-in-Time
1) JIT brings about competitive advantage by faster response to the customer regardless of cost.
2) One goal of JIT partnerships is the removal of in-plant inventory by delivery in small lots directly to
the using department as needed.
3) Many suppliers feel that having a variety of customers is better than being tied to long-term contracts
with one customer.
4) JIT suppliers have concerns that the JIT firm’s demands for small lot sizes are simply a way of
transferring holding cost from the JIT firm to the suppliers.
5) A common JIT layout tactic is to minimize distance.
6) Cross-training is a common JIT layout tactic to improve flexibility.
7) JIT systems carry inventory just in case something goes wrong.
8) Hidden problems are generally uncovered during the process of reducing inventory.
9) A scheduler may find that freezing the portion of the schedule closest to the due dates allows the
production system to function and the schedule to be met.
10) The first step in reducing setup times is the separation of setup into preparation activities and actual
setup, so that as much work as possible can be done while the machine or process is operating.
11) Level scheduling means producing at a constant rate, regardless of customer demands.
12) With level schedules, a few large batches, rather than frequent small batches, are processed.
13) The number of kanbans decreases as safety stock is increased.
14) A kanban system requires that the process has little variability in lead time because shortages impact
the entire production system.
15) The quality management tool called poka-yoke is not relevant to JIT systems.
16) Concerning relationships with suppliers, which of the following combinations is critical to the success
of JIT?
A) close relationships with trust
B) close relationships with skepticism
C) distant relationships with trust
D) distant relationships with skepticism
E) none of the above
17) Which one of the following is not a benefit of JIT implementation?
A) cost reduction
B) variability increase
C) rapid throughput
D) quality improvement
E) rework reduction
18) If the goals of JIT partnerships are met, which of the following is a result?
A) For incoming goods, receiving activity and inspection are outsourced.
B) In-transit inventory falls as suppliers are located closer to facilities.
C) Suppliers maintain a variety of customers to reduce risk.
D) In-plant inventory replaces in-transit inventory.
E) All of the above are consequences of meeting the JIT partnership goals.
19) Which one of the following is a characteristic of a JIT partnership?
A) third-party logistics never used
B) maximal product specifications imposed on supplier
C) active pursuit of vertical integration
D) removal of incoming inspection
E) frequent deliveries in large lot quantities
20) Characteristics of just-in-time partnerships do NOT include:
A) removal of in-transit inventory.
B) large lot sizes to save on setup costs and to gain quantity discounts.
C) long-term contracts.
D) produce with zero defects.
E) focus on core competencies.
21) Which of the following is not a goal of JIT partnerships?
A) removal of unnecessary activities
B) removal of in-plant inventory
C) removal of in-transit inventory
D) inspect all incoming shipments to ensure zero defects
E) All of the above are goals of JIT partnerships.
22) Which of the following is NOT a goal of JIT partnerships?
A) removal of unnecessary activities
B) removal of in-plant inventory
C) removal of in-transit inventory
D) obtain improved quality and reliability
E) All of the above are goals of JIT partnerships.
23) Which one of the following is a concern expressed by suppliers in JIT partnerships?
A) having too many customers
B) delivery to the point of use
C) having limited ability to respond to changes in product and quality
D) large lot sizes
E) customers’ infrequent engineering changes
24) How can a reduction of in-transit inventory be encouraged?
A) supplier location near plants
B) high setup costs
C) low carrying costs
D) use of trains, not trucks
E) low-cost, global suppliers
25) In JIT partnerships, suppliers have several concerns. Which of the following is NOT such a concern?
A) desire for diversification
B) poor customer scheduling
C) small lot sizes
D) producing high enough quality levels
E) customers’ infrequent engineering changes
26) Which of the following is NOT a concern of suppliers as they prepare to enter into JIT partnerships?
A) Suppliers feel that they would be less at risk if they contracted with more than one customer.
B) Suppliers are concerned that customers will present frequent engineering changes with inadequate
lead time to deal with them.
C) Suppliers feel that their processes are suited for larger lot sizes than the customer wants.
D) Suppliers are concerned that frequent delivery of small quantities is economically prohibitive.
E) All of the above represent JIT supplier concerns.
27) Just-in–time systems make demands on layouts, including the need for:
A) distance reduction.
B) increased flexibility.
C) reduced space and inventory.
D) cross-trained, flexible employees.
E) all of the above
28) Which one of the following is NOT a layout tactic in a JIT environment?
A) work cells for families of products
B) fixed equipment
C) minimizing distance
D) little space for inventory
E) poka-yoke devices
29) Who is credited with coining the phrase, “Inventory is evil”?
A) Poka Yoke
B) Pat “Keiretsu” Morita
C) Kanban Polka
D) Shigeo Shingo
E) Taiichi Ohno
30) Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding JIT inventory?
A) It exists just in case something goes wrong.
B) It is the minimum inventory necessary to keep a perfect system running.
C) It hides variability.
D) It is minimized with large lot production.
E) It increases if setup costs decrease.