APICS CPIM-Part-2 Exam Dumps

Developing flexible operations is the best action that supports a company's strategic focus on delivery speed to improve competitive advantage.Flexible operations are the ability to adapt to changes in customer demand, product mix, quality standards, and delivery schedules1.Flexible operations can help a company achieve faster delivery speed by enabling it to respond quickly and efficiently to fluctuations in the market, reduce lead times, optimize resource utilization, and avoid bottlenecks2.Flexible operations can also help a company gain a competitive edge by offering a wider variety of products or services, different volumes or quantities, and varying delivery dates to meet customer needs and expectations3.

Some examples of flexible operations are:

Volume flexibility: the ability to produce different quantities or volumes of output3

Delivery flexibility: the ability to change the timings or modes of delivery3

Product flexibility: the ability to produce different types or variants of products or services4

Process flexibility: the ability to use different methods or technologies to perform a process4

Resource flexibility: the ability to use different inputs or resources for a process4

Some strategies for developing flexible operations are:

Using modular design: designing products or services that consist of interchangeable components or modules that can be easily assembled or disassembled5

Implementing automation: using machines or software to perform tasks that would otherwise require human labor6

Adopting lean principles: eliminating waste and non-value-added activities from processes, such as overproduction, inventory, defects, waiting, transportation, motion, and overprocessing7

Applying agile methods: using iterative and incremental approaches to deliver products or services that meet changing customer requirements and feedback

Cross-training workers: training workers to perform multiple tasks or roles within a process or organization

The master production schedule (MPS) and final assembly schedule (FAS) are most closely linked in the assemble-to-order (ATO) production strategy. ATO is a production strategy that produces customized products or services by assembling standardized components or modules according to customer specifications. The MPS is a plan that specifies the quantity and timing of finished products to be produced in a given period. The FAS is a plan that specifies the quantity and timing of final assembly operations to be performed in a given period. In the ATO strategy, the MPS and FAS are closely linked because the MPS determines the demand for the finished products, and the FAS determines the demand for the components or modules. The MPS and FAS are synchronized to ensure that the components or modules are available when needed for the final assembly, and that the finished products are delivered on time to the customers.

The MPS and FAS are not closely linked in the other production strategies. Make-to-stock (MTS) is a production strategy that produces standardized products or services in advance of customer demand, and stores them in inventory until they are sold. The MPS is based on the forecasted demand, and the FAS is not relevant for this strategy, as there is no customization involved. Make-to-order (MTO) is a production strategy that produces customized products or services from raw materials or components after receiving customer orders. The MPS is based on the actual customer orders, and the FAS is not relevant for this strategy, as there is no assembly involved. Engineer-to-order (ETO) is a production strategy that produces customized products or services that require engineering design or modification after receiving customer orders. The MPS is based on the actual customer orders, and the FAS is not relevant for this strategy, as there is no standardization involved.Reference: CPIM Exam Content Manual Version 7.0, Domain 4: Plan and Manage Supply, Section 4.1: Supply Planning Concepts, p. 23; Master Production Schedule; Final Assembly Schedule; Assemble to order.

Production activity control (PAC) is the function of managing the flow of materials and work-in-progress in a manufacturing system. PAC is responsible for executing the master production schedule and the material requirements plan, as well as for planning, implementing, and monitoring the production activities. PAC aims to ensure that the required resources are available, that the production orders are released and completed on time, and that the quality and quantity standards are met. A result of effective PAC is that the actual input/output matches the planned input/output. This means that the actual amount and timing of materials, labor, and machines used for production are consistent with the planned amount and timing. This indicates that the production process is efficient, reliable, and synchronized with the demand. This also helps to reduce inventory, lead time, and waste.

The other options are not necessarily results of effective PAC. Less scrap and rework on the shop floor may be a result of effective quality control, which is a separate function from PAC. Quality control is concerned with inspecting and testing the products or services to ensure that they meet the specifications and standards. Fewer machine hours are required for production may be a result of effective process improvement, which is a separate function from PAC. Process improvement is concerned with analyzing and enhancing the production methods and techniques to increase productivity and performance. Available capacity is increased may be a result of effective capacity planning, which is a separate function from PAC. Capacity planning is concerned with determining and adjusting the optimal level of resources needed to meet the demand.Reference:Production Activity Control - Tutorial;Production Control: Process, Types and Best Practices - ProjectManager;Production control - Wikipedia.

Full pegging is a method of tracing the relationship between supply and demand in a manufacturing system. Full pegging shows the link between each demand and its corresponding supply, as well as the link between each demand and the highest-level order that triggered it. Full pegging helps to identify the impact of changes in demand or supply on the production plan, and to make adjustments accordingly. Full pegging is most beneficial in an assemble-to-order (ATO) environment, where products are customized by assembling standardized components or modules according to customer specifications. In an ATO environment, full pegging can show the connection between the finished products, the components or modules, and the customer orders. This can help to optimize the inventory level, reduce lead time, and improve customer service.

Full pegging is not very useful in the other production environments. Distribute-to-order is a production strategy that delivers finished products from inventory to customers based on their orders. There is no customization or assembly involved in this strategy, so full pegging is not needed. Make-to-order is a production strategy that produces customized products from raw materials or components after receiving customer orders. There is no standardization or modularization involved in this strategy, so full pegging is not applicable. Make-to-stock is a production strategy that produces standardized products in advance of customer demand, and stores them in inventory until they are sold. There is no customization or assembly involved in this strategy, so full pegging is not relevant.Reference: CPIM Exam Content Manual Version 7.0, Domain 4: Plan and Manage Supply, Section 4.1: Supply Planning Concepts, p. 23;Full Pegging; Assemble to order.

The S&OP process in an ATO production environment focuses on control of key intermediate part inventory, which are the components or subassemblies that are produced in advance and assembled to order when the customer order is received. By controlling the key intermediate part inventory, the S&OP process can balance the demand and supply of the final products, while reducing the lead time and inventory costs. The key intermediate part inventory is also known as the decoupling point, where the production process switches from MTS to MTO mode. The S&OP process can determine the optimal level of key intermediate part inventory based on the forecast and backlog of customer orders, as well as the production capacity and costs.

The other options are less relevant for the S&OP process in an ATO production environment. End product backlog refers to the customer orders that have not been fulfilled yet. Finished goods inventory refers to the final products that are ready for sale. Raw material inventory refers to the basic materials that are used to produce the components or subassemblies. These types of inventory are more applicable for MTS or MTO production environments, where the production process is either entirely based on forecast or entirely based on sales order. In an ATO production environment, the S&OP process does not need to control these types of inventory, as they are either minimal or nonexistent.Reference: CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual, Domain 4: Plan and Manage Supply, Section B: Production Planning and Control, Subsection 1: Production Strategies and Techniques, Page 19;Demand management process in assemble to order (ATO) environment;Assemble-to-Order (ATO): Overview, Examples, Pros and Cons.