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Question
What is cellular manufacturing?
Answer
Organising production into small, self-contained teams (cells), each completing a whole product or major part.
💡 Hint
Mini-factories in a factory
Question
Two advantages of cellular manufacturing?
Answer
Workers feel ownership/motivation; flexible (switch products quickly); quality improves; less WIP stock; isolated problems.
💡 Hint
Motivation + flexible + quality
Question
Traditional line: workers specialise in ___. Cellular: workers do ___
Answer
Traditional = one task (fast but repetitive). Cellular = multiple tasks (varied but needs training).
💡 Hint
One task vs multiple
Question
Cellular = small self-contained teams making a complete ___
Answer
Product or major part of a product.
💡 Hint
Product/part
Question
Traditional is better for ___; cellular is better for ___
Answer
Traditional = huge volumes. Cellular = flexibility and variety.
💡 Hint
Volume vs flexibility
Question
Two disadvantages of cellular manufacturing?
Answer
Needs multi-skilled workers (expensive training); duplicate equipment per cell; not ideal for mass production; reorganisation costs.
💡 Hint
Training + duplicate equipment
Question
How does cellular differ from a traditional production line?
Answer
Workers are grouped into cells with all equipment needed, rather than products moving through sequential stages.
💡 Hint
Cells vs sequential line
Question
Workers are multi-skilled and take ownership of ___
Answer
Quality — they see the whole product through from start to finish.
💡 Hint
Quality
Question
Cellular manufacturing is linked to ___ production
Answer
Lean production — reducing waste and improving flow.
💡 Hint
Lean
Question
Often linked to lean production and ___
Answer
Continuous improvement (kaizen) — always looking for ways to improve.
💡 Hint
Continuous improvement
Question
Strongest advantage/disadvantage pair for exams?
Answer
Improved worker motivation vs higher training costs — a clear trade-off.
💡 Hint
Motivation vs training cost
Question
Workers in cells are ___ (can do several jobs)
Answer
Multi-skilled — they perform multiple tasks within their cell.
💡 Hint
Multi-skilled
Question
Why does quality improve in cellular manufacturing?
Answer
Teams take responsibility for their whole product — ownership creates pride and accountability.
💡 Hint
Ownership → quality
Question
Cellular = teamwork + ___ + quality focus
Answer
Flexibility — empowering small groups to own the whole process.
💡 Hint
Flexibility
Question
Quick: Cellular = mini-___ inside a big factory
Answer
Mini-factories — each cell is self-contained with its own equipment and team.
💡 Hint
Factories
Question
Furniture factory example of cellular manufacturing?
Answer
One cell makes tables start to finish, another cell makes chairs — each is self-contained.
💡 Hint
Tables cell + chairs cell
Question
Quick: Main trade-off of cellular?
Answer
Better motivation and quality vs higher training and equipment costs.
💡 Hint
Motivation vs cost
Question
If one cell has a problem in cellular manufacturing, the rest ___
Answer
Keep working — problems are isolated, unlike a traditional line where one breakdown stops everything.
💡 Hint
Keep going
Question
Cells can work ___ of each other
Answer
Independently — a problem in one cell doesn't stop the whole factory.
💡 Hint
Independently
Question
Why is there less work-in-progress stock?
Answer
Each cell completes products fully, rather than items waiting between stages on a traditional line.
💡 Hint
Complete within cell
Read the notes
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Topic 5.2 hub
Operations methods
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