CPIM Practice Exam

Which term describes the amount of time a job waits at a work center?

1. Run time

2. Queue time

3. Move time

4. Setup time

The correct answer is: Queue time

The correct answer is indeed the term that refers to the amount of time a job spends waiting at a work center, known as queue time. This term is crucial in both production and operations management as it indicates the delay a job experiences before it is processed at a work center. Understanding queue time is essential for analyzing workflow efficiency and identifying bottlenecks in the production process. Long queue times can indicate inefficiencies that may need to be addressed to improve overall production performance. Run time refers to the actual time it takes to process a job once it is started, which is not relevant to the duration a job waits. Move time pertains to the time taken to transport a job from one work center to another, thus it does not encompass waiting time at a specific location. Setup time is the period required to prepare a work center to process a job, and again, it does not relate to the waiting period of a job already in the queue.