CPL Corner

Logistics Spectrum, Jan-Mar 2004 by Perlberg, James E (Jim)

We are all aware of the many changes that have taken place in the world of logistics in the last decade. Logistics has gone from being the corporate backwater to a major player in the modern industrial corporation. Both government and the private sector have been adopting each other's best practices in order to lower costs and increase efficiency. This CPL Corner deals with the role of logistics in production and operation.

References:

Blanchard, Benjamin S., Logistics Engineering and Management; Aquilano, Nicholas and Chase, Richard, Production and Operations Management.

1. Production requirements initially stem from system operation data developed during:

A. Conceptual design.

B. Advanced planning and conceptual design.

C. Design and development.

D. Manufacturing and deployment.

2. The production of multiple quantities of an item assumes a:

A. Shop-flow pattern.

B. Flexible manufacturing pattern.

C. Integrated work cell pattern.

D. Product-flow pattern.

3. The production process is defined by manufacturing engineering through the:

A. Design specification.

B. Operation requirements.

C. Location of the manufacturing facility.

D. Process specification.

4. Process flow design focuses on the specific process that:

A. Raw materials, parts and subassemblies follow as they move through the plant.

B. Schedules tooling and equipment availability for manufacturing the part.

C. Schedules labor and equipment for manufacturing the part.

D. Controls the flow of subassemblies and final assemblies through the plant.

5. Process selection refers to the:

A. Specific processes used to manufacture the item.

B. The strategic decision of deciding which kind of production process to have in the plant.

C. Developing a list of potential processes, one of which will be selected as the process to manufacture the part.

D. A systematic review of what technologies will be required to manufacture the part.

6. Job shop production is the:

A. Production of a stable line of products to a customer's order or for inventory.

B. Production of discrete parts that move through a series of workstations at a controlled rate.

C. Production of small batches of a large number of different products.

D. Processing of undifferentiated materials following a predetermined sequence of steps.

7. The basic types of manufacturing processes are:

A. Conversion, fabrication, assembly and testing.

B. Assembly, conversion, molding and fabrication.

C. Fabrication, assembly, testing, rework.

D. Conversion, testing, assembly, rework.

8. The primary production control functions are to:

A. Determine production lot quantities, schedule production and determine minimum inventory levels needed to support production.

B. Schedule production, track production, and track rejected and reworked parts.

C. Determine production quantities, monitor production, and schedule repair and rework of rejected parts.

D. Determine the production lot quantities and batch sizes, determine the economic inventory levels for materials and parts, and establish a system for work order processing and assignment.

Answers: (1)B (2)A (3)D (4)A (5)B (6)C (7)A (8)D

By James E. (Jim) Perlberg, CPL

Author's Biography

James E. (Jim) Perlberg, CPL is employed by FANUC Robotics in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Before joining FANUC he was an associate with Quantum Computer Consultants in Southfield, Michigan and a logistics analyst with AM General Corporation in Livonia, Michigan. He is a Senior and Life Member of SOLE - The International Society of Logistics, and proctors the CPL exam for the Greater Detroit (04-04) Chapter. He is also a member of the SAE G-II Division Software Logistics Committee.