Practice IB Design Technology (DT) Topic 10. Commercial Production with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for 10. Commercial Production and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
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A production manager at an automotive plant implements several changes to improve efficiency on the shop floor. These actions are summarized in the table below:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Broken pallets and unused packaging materials are removed from the workstation. |
| 2 | Floor markings are painted to designate the exact location for incoming component bins. |
| 3 | A standardized visual checklist is posted to ensure all workers perform identical maintenance tasks. |
Which sequence correctly identifies the stages of the 5S lean production methodology represented by these actions?
The table below provides production data for a component on a manufacturing line using lean principles.
| Production Stage | Processing Time | Waiting Time |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Shaping | 20 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Finishing | 15 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Quality Assurance | 10 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Packing | 5 minutes | 15 minutes |
Based on the data provided, what is the total lead time for the production of a single unit?
Which group of functional areas is typically connected through the shared database of a Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system?
During the manufacture of fiber-optic cables, sensors collect data on the core diameter in real-time. This data is analyzed using upper and lower boundary limits to distinguish between 'common cause' variation and 'assignable cause' variation, allowing for immediate intervention if the process trends toward a defect.
Which quality management technique is being described in this scenario?
Harbour Café currently uses a just in case (JIC) approach for key ingredients: it keeps a large storeroom inventory of bread rolls, salad items, and packaged meats to avoid running out during busy periods.
The owner is considering switching to a just in time (JIT) approach:
Recent issues have raised concerns:
A summary of the café’s current weekly figures is shown below.
| Item | Average units used per week | Cost per unit | Shelf life once delivered | Weekly waste under current system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread rolls | 700 | $0.30 | 2 days | 40 rolls |
| Salad packs | 220 | $1.10 | 3 days | 25 packs |
| Packaged meats | 160 | $2.40 | 7 days | 5 packs |
Outline one reason why Harbour Café might prefer a JIC approach rather than a JIT approach for at least one of its ingredients.
List two advantages of using a JIT inventory system for Harbour Café.
Outline one disadvantage of using a JIT inventory system for Harbour Café.
Harbour Café’s owner must choose between JIT and JIC for its inventory management.
Explain why the owner might use a combination of JIT and JIC across different ingredients when making this decision.