Page 438 - Six Sigma Demystified

418 Six SigMa DemystifieD

The following data that describe the operations (with cycle times) needed to release
a customer order to production are used for questions 24 through 29, which follow
the data.
(1) Define bill of materials: 2 days.
(2a) Order and receive materials: 10 days (can be done concurrently with 2b).
(2b1) Schedule job in production: 3 days (can be done concurrently with 2a but
must be before 2b2 and 2b3).
(2b2) Define quality plan for product: 1 day (can be done concurrently with 2a
but must be after 2b1 and before 2b3).
(2b3) Enter schedule and quality requirements into scheduling software: 1 day
(can be done concurrently with 2a but must be after 2b1 and 2b2).
(3) Release to production.
24. A project to reduce the time it takes to schedule jobs in production (step 2b1)
is proposed, with the expectation that it would reduce the time from 3 days to
1 day. In defining the benefits to the company,
A. the capacity of the process will be improved, with a potential to handle increased
sales.
b. the cost savings owing to cycle time improvement are difficult to determine, but
the project will improve the total delivery time, so it is beneficial.
c. All the above are true.
d. None of the above are true.

25. It is proposed to break step 1 into two steps: verify bill of materials (step 1a) and
enter bill of materials into production software (step 2b0). Step 1a replaces step
1 as the initial step of the process, requiring 1 day. Step 2b0, requiring 1 day,
must take place before step 2b1 but can be done concurrent with step 2a. The
net effect of this change on the total cycle time is
A. no change.
b. reduction of 1 day.
c. reduction of 2 days.
d. increase of 1 day.

26. The total cycle time for the process shown in the example is
A. 17 days.
b. 12 days.
c. 7 days.
d. It cannot be determined from the information provided.

27. To reduce the total cycle time for the process,
A. reduce the cycle time for step 1.
b. reduce the cycle time for step 2a.
c. reduce the cycle time for step 1 or step 2a.
d. reduce the cycle time for any of the process steps.