27 real Lean Manufacturing questions from the Production & Plant bank, as asked in Indian campus drives and tech interviews. Every question has a verified answer and an AI-tutor explanation on placd — free to start.
1. What is 5S?
Junior
A.levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
B.sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
C.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
D.automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced
2. Which term means: "sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management"?
A.5S — levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
B.5S — automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced
C.5S — cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
D.5S — sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
A.current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
B.levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
C.transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
D.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
5. Which term means: "transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others"?
A.Seven wastes — levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
B.Seven wastes — current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
C.Seven wastes — sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
D.Seven wastes — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
A.transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
B.cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
C.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
D.current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
A.Kaizen — current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
B.Kaizen — continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
C.Kaizen — automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced
D.Kaizen — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
A.Poka-yoke — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
B.Poka-yoke — continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
C.Poka-yoke — mistake-proofing device or feature that prevents an error or detects it immediately so defects cannot pass downstream
D.Poka-yoke — cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
A.signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
B.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
C.mistake-proofing device or feature that prevents an error or detects it immediately so defects cannot pass downstream
D.sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
14. Which term means: "signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it"?
A.Kanban — sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
B.Kanban — signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
C.Kanban — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
D.Kanban — mistake-proofing device or feature that prevents an error or detects it immediately so defects cannot pass downstream
A.sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
B.current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
C.transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
D.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
17. Which term means: "current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start"?
A.Value stream mapping — mistake-proofing device or feature that prevents an error or detects it immediately so defects cannot pass downstream
B.Value stream mapping — current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
C.Value stream mapping — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
D.Value stream mapping — cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
20. Which term means: "cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones"?
A.SMED — cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
B.SMED — transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
C.SMED — continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
D.SMED — signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
A.signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
B.transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects, with overproduction regarded as the worst because it hides the others
C.automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced
D.continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
23. Which term means: "automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced"?
A.Jidoka — cutting changeover to single-digit minutes by separating internal from external setup and converting internal steps to external ones
B.Jidoka — automation with a human touch, where a machine or operator stops the line on an abnormality via the andon so defects are not produced
C.Jidoka — current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
D.Jidoka — levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
A.levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
B.signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
C.current- and future-state map of material and information flow whose process cycle efficiency (value-added time over lead time) is usually under 5% at the start
D.sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke), the workplace discipline that underpins visual management
A.Heijunka — mistake-proofing device or feature that prevents an error or detects it immediately so defects cannot pass downstream
B.Heijunka — signal card or bin that authorises production or withdrawal of a fixed quantity, pulling material only when the downstream process consumes it
C.Heijunka — continuous small improvements made by everyone, often run as a focused three-to-five-day event on one process
D.Heijunka — levelling production volume and model mix over a period so upstream processes and suppliers see a smooth, repeatable demand
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