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Facility and Work Design – Facility Layout, Designing Product layout, Designing process layout

  1. What is the primary purpose of facility-layout planning?
    a) To arrange people, equipment and space for an efficient flow of work
    b) To determine employee salaries
    c) To prepare financial statements
    d) To select advertising channels
    Answer: a) To arrange people, equipment and space for an efficient flow of work
  2. A good facility layout should primarily support:
    a) More movement and handling
    b) The organization’s process and competitive priorities
    c) Longer customer waiting times
    d) Greater separation between related activities
    Answer: b) The organization’s process and competitive priorities
  3. Which factor is most important when selecting a facility layout?
    a) The design of the company logo
    b) The number of annual reports
    c) The volume, variety and flow of work
    d) The age of the organization
    Answer: c) The volume, variety and flow of work
  4. A poorly designed layout is most likely to cause:
    a) Lower material handling
    b) Shorter cycle times
    c) Better communication
    d) Congestion, delays and unnecessary movement
    Answer: d) Congestion, delays and unnecessary movement
  5. Which objective is commonly associated with facility-layout design?
    a) Minimizing unnecessary movement of people and materials
    b) Increasing the distance between related activities
    c) Maximizing waiting time
    d) Creating more process handoffs
    Answer: a) Minimizing unnecessary movement of people and materials
  6. Facility layout refers to:
    a) The organization’s ownership structure
    b) The physical arrangement of resources within a facility
    c) The company’s pricing strategy
    d) The design of its financial system
    Answer: b) The physical arrangement of resources within a facility
  7. Which measure may indicate that a layout needs improvement?
    a) Increased customer loyalty
    b) Improved employee safety
    c) Excessive travel distance between work areas
    d) Reduced processing time
    Answer: c) Excessive travel distance between work areas
  8. Which factor should be considered when designing a safe layout?
    a) Advertising reach
    b) Shareholder preferences
    c) Product pricing
    d) Emergency exits and clear travel paths
    Answer: d) Emergency exits and clear travel paths
  9. Why should related activities be located near one another?
    a) To reduce movement, delay and communication difficulty
    b) To increase material handling
    c) To make supervision harder
    d) To create more work-in-process inventory
    Answer: a) To reduce movement, delay and communication difficulty
  10. Which layout objective is most closely associated with customer convenience?
    a) Increasing process complexity
    b) Providing easy access and clear movement
    c) Reducing service visibility
    d) Increasing waiting lines
    Answer: b) Providing easy access and clear movement
  11. What does material handling include?
    a) Preparing marketing plans
    b) Hiring production workers
    c) Moving, storing and controlling materials within a facility
    d) Establishing selling prices
    Answer: c) Moving, storing and controlling materials within a facility
  12. Why is material handling important in layout design?
    a) It has no effect on operating cost
    b) It affects only marketing performance
    c) It is unrelated to process flow
    d) It can represent a significant amount of time and cost
    Answer: d) It can represent a significant amount of time and cost
  13. Which action would most likely reduce material-handling cost?
    a) Placing frequently connected departments closer together
    b) Increasing the distance between workstations
    c) Adding more storage points
    d) Creating additional process transfers
    Answer: a) Placing frequently connected departments closer together
  14. Flexibility in a facility layout means the ability to:
    a) Keep the layout unchanged permanently
    b) Adapt the arrangement when products, volume or processes change
    c) Avoid using movable equipment
    d) Eliminate all product variety
    Answer: b) Adapt the arrangement when products, volume or processes change
  15. Which layout feature improves future flexibility?
    a) Permanently fixed equipment
    b) Narrow and blocked pathways
    c) Movable equipment and modular work areas
    d) Dedicated space with no alternative use
    Answer: c) Movable equipment and modular work areas
  16. Which concern is especially important when designing a customer-facing facility?
    a) Only equipment efficiency
    b) Only employee convenience
    c) Only material storage
    d) Customer flow, comfort, accessibility and visibility
    Answer: d) Customer flow, comfort, accessibility and visibility
  17. Which type of layout arranges resources according to the sequence of operations?
    a) Product layout
    b) Process layout
    c) Fixed-position layout
    d) Office layout
    Answer: a) Product layout
  18. Which type of layout groups similar equipment or activities together?
    a) Product layout
    b) Process layout
    c) Fixed-position layout
    d) Cellular layout only
    Answer: b) Process layout
  19. Which type of layout is appropriate when the product cannot easily be moved?
    a) Product layout
    b) Process layout
    c) Fixed-position layout
    d) Retail layout
    Answer: c) Fixed-position layout
  20. In a fixed-position layout:
    a) The product moves continuously past workstations
    b) Similar machines are grouped together
    c) Customers complete all work themselves
    d) Workers, materials and equipment move to the product
    Answer: d) Workers, materials and equipment move to the product
  21. Which is an example of a fixed-position layout?
    a) Construction of a large building
    b) Automobile assembly
    c) Supermarket checkout
    d) A machine shop
    Answer: a) Construction of a large building
  22. Which facility is most likely to use a process layout?
    a) An automobile assembly plant
    b) A hospital
    c) A petroleum refinery
    d) A bottled-water production line
    Answer: b) A hospital
  23. Which facility is most likely to use a product layout?
    a) A consulting office
    b) A custom repair shop
    c) An appliance assembly plant
    d) A general hospital
    Answer: c) An appliance assembly plant
  24. A cellular layout is designed around:
    a) Large functional departments only
    b) A single fixed-position project
    c) Customer waiting areas only
    d) Families of similar products or components
    Answer: d) Families of similar products or components
  25. Which is a possible advantage of cellular layouts?
    a) Reduced movement and shorter throughput time
    b) Increased travel between departments
    c) Higher work-in-process inventory
    d) Less employee responsibility
    Answer: a) Reduced movement and shorter throughput time

  1. A product layout is most suitable for:
    a) Low-volume customized work
    b) High-volume, standardized production
    c) Unique construction projects
    d) Highly varied professional services
    Answer: b) High-volume, standardized production
  2. In a product layout, workstations are arranged according to:
    a) Employee seniority
    b) Equipment cost
    c) The sequence required to produce the product
    d) Department size
    Answer: c) The sequence required to produce the product
  3. Which is a common characteristic of a product layout?
    a) Different routing for every unit
    b) General-purpose equipment only
    c) High customization
    d) A smooth and repetitive flow of work
    Answer: d) A smooth and repetitive flow of work
  4. Which is a major advantage of a product layout?
    a) Low material movement and efficient processing
    b) Unlimited product variety
    c) Very low dependence between workstations
    d) Easy recovery from every equipment breakdown
    Answer: a) Low material movement and efficient processing
  5. Which is a common disadvantage of a product layout?
    a) Low production volume
    b) A failure at one workstation may disrupt the entire line
    c) Excessive routing flexibility
    d) High customization capability
    Answer: b) A failure at one workstation may disrupt the entire line
  6. Product layouts generally use:
    a) Highly varied routing
    b) Flexible project teams
    c) Specialized equipment and standardized tasks
    d) Widely separated departments
    Answer: c) Specialized equipment and standardized tasks
  7. Which competitive priority is strongly supported by an efficient product layout?
    a) One-of-a-kind customization
    b) Maximum variety
    c) Project flexibility
    d) Low cost
    Answer: d) Low cost
  8. Assembly-line balancing involves:
    a) Assigning tasks to workstations so workloads are reasonably balanced
    b) Selecting the company’s financial strategy
    c) Determining product prices
    d) Choosing a facility location
    Answer: a) Assigning tasks to workstations so workloads are reasonably balanced
  9. What is the main objective of assembly-line balancing?
    a) To maximize idle time
    b) To meet output requirements with efficient workstation assignments
    c) To increase the number of workstations regardless of need
    d) To eliminate all employee movement
    Answer: b) To meet output requirements with efficient workstation assignments
  10. Cycle time in an assembly line is:
    a) The total annual production time
    b) The time required to design a product
    c) The maximum time allowed at each workstation to meet the desired output
    d) The time used to train one employee
    Answer: c) The maximum time allowed at each workstation to meet the desired output
  11. Required cycle time is commonly calculated as:
    a) Desired output divided by available production time
    b) Total task time multiplied by output
    c) Number of workers divided by demand
    d) Available production time divided by required output
    Answer: d) Available production time divided by required output
  12. If 480 minutes are available and 120 units are required, the cycle time is:
    a) 4 minutes per unit
    b) 2 minutes per unit
    c) 6 minutes per unit
    d) 8 minutes per unit
    Answer: a) 4 minutes per unit
  13. If customer demand increases, the required assembly-line cycle time generally:
    a) Increases
    b) Decreases
    c) Remains unrelated to demand
    d) Becomes impossible to calculate
    Answer: b) Decreases
  14. Task time refers to:
    a) The time a product waits in inventory
    b) The total length of a shift
    c) The time required to complete a specific work element
    d) The time used for marketing
    Answer: c) The time required to complete a specific work element
  15. A precedence relationship specifies:
    a) Employee reporting levels
    b) Equipment ownership
    c) Customer priority
    d) The required order in which tasks must be performed
    Answer: d) The required order in which tasks must be performed
  16. A precedence diagram shows:
    a) Task sequence and dependency relationships
    b) Employee salaries
    c) Facility utility costs
    d) Product prices
    Answer: a) Task sequence and dependency relationships
  17. Why must precedence relationships be followed during line balancing?
    a) To increase idle time
    b) Some tasks cannot begin until earlier tasks are completed
    c) To ensure every workstation performs the same task
    d) To eliminate product flow
    Answer: b) Some tasks cannot begin until earlier tasks are completed
  18. The theoretical minimum number of workstations equals:
    a) Cycle time divided by total task time
    b) Output divided by available time
    c) Total task time divided by cycle time, rounded up
    d) Total task time multiplied by cycle time
    Answer: c) Total task time divided by cycle time, rounded up
  19. Why is the theoretical minimum rounded up?
    a) Workstations are always underused
    b) Cycle time is only an estimate
    c) Task times have no limits
    d) A fraction of a workstation cannot normally be created
    Answer: d) A fraction of a workstation cannot normally be created
  20. If total task time is 20 minutes and cycle time is 5 minutes, the theoretical minimum number of stations is:
    a) 4
    b) 5
    c) 10
    d) 100
    Answer: a) 4
  21. Idle time at a workstation occurs when:
    a) Assigned task time exceeds the cycle time
    b) Assigned task time is less than the cycle time
    c) Every station has identical task time
    d) The assembly line stops permanently
    Answer: b) Assigned task time is less than the cycle time
  22. Total idle time per cycle is calculated as:
    a) Cycle time divided by station count
    b) Total task time minus production time
    c) Total available workstation time minus total task time
    d) Desired output multiplied by task time
    Answer: c) Total available workstation time minus total task time
  23. Line efficiency measures:
    a) The amount of customer demand
    b) The total cost of equipment
    c) The number of employees on the line
    d) The proportion of available workstation time used productively
    Answer: d) The proportion of available workstation time used productively
  24. Line efficiency is commonly calculated as:
    a) Total task time divided by the product of workstation count and cycle time
    b) Workstation count divided by task time
    c) Cycle time divided by output
    d) Idle time divided by total task time
    Answer: a) Total task time divided by the product of workstation count and cycle time
  25. Balance delay represents:
    a) The productive percentage of line time
    b) The percentage of available line time that is idle
    c) The number of delayed customer orders
    d) The total task time
    Answer: b) The percentage of available line time that is idle

  1. Which step should occur first when balancing an assembly line?
    a) Purchase additional equipment
    b) Add more workers
    c) Identify tasks, task times and precedence requirements
    d) Increase customer demand
    Answer: c) Identify tasks, task times and precedence requirements
  2. After calculating the cycle time, managers should:
    a) Ignore precedence relationships
    b) Remove all workstations
    c) Increase task times
    d) Assign tasks to stations without exceeding the cycle time
    Answer: d) Assign tasks to stations without exceeding the cycle time
  3. Which task-assignment rule gives priority to the task with the greatest time?
    a) Longest task-time rule
    b) Shortest task-time rule
    c) Random assignment rule
    d) Lowest-cost rule
    Answer: a) Longest task-time rule
  4. Which task-assignment rule gives priority to the task with the most following tasks?
    a) Shortest-processing-time rule
    b) Most-following-tasks rule
    c) Highest-cost rule
    d) Lowest-demand rule
    Answer: b) Most-following-tasks rule
  5. When assigning a task to a workstation, the task must:
    a) Always be the longest task
    b) Have no predecessors
    c) Be eligible under precedence rules and fit within the remaining cycle time
    d) Be performed by two employees
    Answer: c) Be eligible under precedence rules and fit within the remaining cycle time
  6. If a task exceeds the cycle time by itself, management may need to:
    a) Ignore customer demand
    b) Remove the task
    c) Reduce available time
    d) Split the task, redesign the work or use parallel stations
    Answer: d) Split the task, redesign the work or use parallel stations
  7. Parallel workstations are useful when:
    a) One task requires more capacity than a single station can provide
    b) Product demand is zero
    c) Every task is shorter than cycle time
    d) The line has no bottlenecks
    Answer: a) One task requires more capacity than a single station can provide
  8. A bottleneck workstation is one that:
    a) Has the greatest idle time
    b) Limits the production rate of the line
    c) Performs no required tasks
    d) Has the lowest equipment cost
    Answer: b) Limits the production rate of the line
  9. Which action is most likely to relieve a line bottleneck?
    a) Assign more work to it
    b) Reduce maintenance
    c) Reassign tasks or add capacity at that station
    d) Increase waiting before it
    Answer: c) Reassign tasks or add capacity at that station
  10. Why is perfect line balance often difficult to achieve?
    a) Cycle time does not matter
    b) Every task has the same duration
    c) Precedence relationships can be ignored
    d) Task times and precedence constraints limit possible assignments
    Answer: d) Task times and precedence constraints limit possible assignments
  11. A line with high balance delay has:
    a) A significant amount of unused workstation time
    b) Perfectly equal station workloads
    c) No idle time
    d) Maximum efficiency
    Answer: a) A significant amount of unused workstation time
  12. Which condition generally improves line efficiency?
    a) Adding unnecessary workstations
    b) Distributing tasks more evenly among stations
    c) Increasing idle time
    d) Ignoring cycle time
    Answer: b) Distributing tasks more evenly among stations
  13. A mixed-model assembly line produces:
    a) Only one product forever
    b) Products in large separate functional departments
    c) Different models or versions on the same line
    d) One customized project at a time
    Answer: c) Different models or versions on the same line
  14. One advantage of a mixed-model line is:
    a) It eliminates all scheduling needs
    b) It requires no standardization
    c) It prevents product variety
    d) It can provide variety without maintaining separate lines
    Answer: d) It can provide variety without maintaining separate lines
  15. Which factor makes mixed-model line design more complex?
    a) Different models may require different task times and components
    b) Every model has exactly the same requirements
    c) Demand remains zero
    d) Product variety is eliminated
    Answer: a) Different models may require different task times and components
  16. U-shaped production lines can improve:
    a) Travel distance only for customers
    b) Communication, worker flexibility and material flow
    c) Product complexity
    d) Office privacy
    Answer: b) Communication, worker flexibility and material flow
  17. A U-shaped line may allow one employee to:
    a) Avoid all production work
    b) Operate only one fixed station
    c) Perform tasks at multiple nearby points on the line
    d) eliminate standard work
    Answer: c) Perform tasks at multiple nearby points on the line
  18. Which risk is associated with tightly linked product layouts?
    a) Unlimited process flexibility
    b) Low dependence among stations
    c) Easy handling of highly customized products
    d) Disruption can spread quickly across the line
    Answer: d) Disruption can spread quickly across the line
  19. Preventive maintenance is especially important in product layouts because:
    a) Equipment failure can stop or slow the entire line
    b) Equipment is never used continuously
    c) Workstations are completely independent
    d) Production volume is always low
    Answer: a) Equipment failure can stop or slow the entire line
  20. Quality at the source means:
    a) Inspecting only at the end of the line
    b) Detecting and correcting problems where they occur
    c) Allowing defects to move downstream
    d) Relying only on customer complaints
    Answer: b) Detecting and correcting problems where they occur
  21. Why should defects be stopped early in a product layout?
    a) To increase work-in-process
    b) To keep every workstation busy
    c) Defects can move rapidly through the entire line
    d) To increase inspection cost
    Answer: c) Defects can move rapidly through the entire line
  22. Which measure best evaluates the output performance of an assembly line?
    a) Number of department managers
    b) Annual marketing budget
    c) Number of suppliers
    d) Units produced per period
    Answer: d) Units produced per period
  23. Which measure helps assess the reliability of an assembly line?
    a) Downtime or equipment-availability rate
    b) Product selling price
    c) Employee age
    d) Number of advertisements
    Answer: a) Downtime or equipment-availability rate
  24. Which layout change can reduce worker travel on an assembly line?
    a) Separating tools from work areas
    b) Locating materials and tools near their points of use
    c) Adding more storage locations far away
    d) Increasing workstation spacing unnecessarily
    Answer: b) Locating materials and tools near their points of use
  25. Ergonomic product-layout design seeks to:
    a) Increase awkward motion
    b) Maximize lifting distance
    c) Fit tools and workstations to employee capabilities
    d) reduce employee safety
    Answer: c) Fit tools and workstations to employee capabilities

  1. A process layout is most appropriate for:
    a) High-volume production of one standard product
    b) Continuous chemical processing
    c) A fixed assembly sequence
    d) Low-volume, high-variety operations
    Answer: d) Low-volume, high-variety operations
  2. In a process layout, similar resources are:
    a) Grouped together by function or type of work
    b) Arranged according to one product’s sequence
    c) Moved to one fixed product
    d) eliminated from the facility
    Answer: a) Grouped together by function or type of work
  3. Which is an example of a department in a process layout?
    a) Final assembly station
    b) A machining department containing similar machines
    c) One workstation for each product step
    d) A continuously flowing production pipe
    Answer: b) A machining department containing similar machines
  4. Which is a major advantage of process layouts?
    a) Very low routing complexity
    b) Minimal work-in-process
    c) Flexibility in handling varied jobs and customer needs
    d) A single fixed path for every order
    Answer: c) Flexibility in handling varied jobs and customer needs
  5. Which is a common disadvantage of process layouts?
    a) No product variety
    b) Low employee skill requirements
    c) Very simple scheduling
    d) Complex routing and higher material-handling requirements
    Answer: d) Complex routing and higher material-handling requirements
  6. In a process layout, different jobs may:
    a) Follow different routes through the facility
    b) Follow only one fixed sequence
    c) Use no equipment
    d) require no scheduling
    Answer: a) Follow different routes through the facility
  7. Process layouts commonly use:
    a) Highly specialized single-purpose equipment only
    b) General-purpose equipment and skilled employees
    c) Fully continuous flow
    d) No employee judgment
    Answer: b) General-purpose equipment and skilled employees
  8. Which facility commonly uses a process layout?
    a) Automobile assembly line
    b) Petroleum refinery
    c) Medical center with specialized departments
    d) Bottling plant
    Answer: c) Medical center with specialized departments
  9. Why can scheduling be difficult in a process layout?
    a) Every job has the same routing and time
    b) Demand is always constant
    c) Equipment is never shared
    d) Jobs may require different resources, sequences and processing times
    Answer: d) Jobs may require different resources, sequences and processing times
  10. Which objective is central to process-layout design?
    a) Locating departments to minimize movement cost or distance
    b) Assigning tasks to an assembly line
    c) Creating a fixed product sequence
    d) Maximizing customer travel
    Answer: a) Locating departments to minimize movement cost or distance
  11. Departmental closeness ratings express:
    a) Employee compensation levels
    b) How important it is for two departments to be near each other
    c) Product quality ratings
    d) Equipment purchase prices
    Answer: b) How important it is for two departments to be near each other
  12. Which information is especially useful for designing a process layout?
    a) Stock-market prices
    b) Advertising expenses
    c) The number of trips or flow between departments
    d) Employee vacation preferences
    Answer: c) The number of trips or flow between departments
  13. A from-to chart shows:
    a) Employee reporting relationships
    b) Product prices by market
    c) Financial transfers
    d) The volume of movement between departments or locations
    Answer: d) The volume of movement between departments or locations
  14. Which departments should usually be located close together?
    a) Departments with high movement or interaction between them
    b) Departments with no relationship
    c) Departments with the fewest employees
    d) Departments with the highest rent
    Answer: a) Departments with high movement or interaction between them
  15. Load-distance analysis evaluates a layout using:
    a) Product quality and employee skill
    b) Flow volume multiplied by travel distance
    c) Selling price multiplied by demand
    d) employee count divided by area
    Answer: b) Flow volume multiplied by travel distance
  16. A lower load-distance score generally indicates:
    a) More customer waiting
    b) Higher employee turnover
    c) A more efficient arrangement of departmental flows
    d) More financial investment
    Answer: c) A more efficient arrangement of departmental flows
  17. In load-distance analysis, “load” generally means:
    a) The physical weight of a building
    b) The number of employees
    c) Total equipment cost
    d) The amount or frequency of flow between locations
    Answer: d) The amount or frequency of flow between locations
  18. If departments A and B exchange materials frequently, managers should consider:
    a) Locating them close together
    b) Placing them at opposite ends of the facility
    c) increasing the number of transfers
    d) adding unrelated departments between them
    Answer: a) Locating them close together
  19. Block-layout planning represents departments as:
    a) Employee lists
    b) Blocks of space arranged within the facility
    c) Financial accounts
    d) Customer segments
    Answer: b) Blocks of space arranged within the facility
  20. Which constraint may prevent the lowest load-distance arrangement from being used?
    a) Product advertising
    b) Employee job titles
    c) Building shape, utility access or safety requirements
    d) Annual sales revenue
    Answer: c) Building shape, utility access or safety requirements
  21. Why might a noisy department be separated from an office area?
    a) To increase travel cost
    b) To reduce production output
    c) To create more inventory
    d) To protect employees and support suitable working conditions
    Answer: d) To protect employees and support suitable working conditions
  22. Why may hazardous operations require special layout treatment?
    a) They may require isolation, ventilation and controlled access
    b) They always require customer visibility
    c) They eliminate the need for safety planning
    d) They should be placed beside public areas
    Answer: a) They may require isolation, ventilation and controlled access
  23. Which layout feature supports effective supervision in a process layout?
    a) Hidden work areas
    b) Appropriate visibility and logical departmental grouping
    c) Maximum separation of related employees
    d) blocked travel paths
    Answer: b) Appropriate visibility and logical departmental grouping
  24. Which action can improve an existing process layout?
    a) Increasing unnecessary movement
    b) Ignoring changing demand
    c) Rearranging departments based on updated flow information
    d) Keeping every department fixed regardless of need
    Answer: c) Rearranging departments based on updated flow information
  25. Which statement best summarizes effective facility-layout design?
    a) Every organization should use a product layout
    b) Layout decisions should be based only on available space
    c) The most automated layout is always best
    d) The layout should support safe, efficient flow and the organization’s process needs
    Answer: d) The layout should support safe, efficient flow and the organization’s process needs

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