CPIM Practice Exam

What does the concept of “load” typically express in terms of time?

1. Standard production hours

2. Idle machine time

3. Planned versus actual work hours

4. Overall production capacity

The correct answer is: Planned versus actual work hours

The concept of “load” in a production context typically relates to the measurement of work required across resources and is often expressed in terms of time. Among the options provided, planned versus actual work hours is most aligned with this idea because it reflects how much time is projected to be needed for production versus how much time is actually being used. This comparison helps organizations understand resource allocation, efficiency, and any discrepancies that may affect productivity. Standard production hours indicates a predetermined amount of time expected for producing a given amount of goods but does not directly measure load as a difference between planned and actual work. Idle machine time specifically accounts for unproductive periods where machines are not in use, which is a component of overall efficiency but does not represent the load itself. Finally, overall production capacity is a broader measure of how much can be produced over a certain period, rather than a direct expression of the load against time.