Multiple Choice CH 4

File: ch04, Chapter 4: Product Design
True/False
1. Product design has a tremendous impact on the quality of a manufactured good or

service.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: LO 1
2. Dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to identify design features that

might be used to improve your own product is known as reverse engineering.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Moderate
3. An effective design process matches product characteristics with customer

requirements.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
4. Comparing a product or process against the best-in-class is known as reverse

engineering.
Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
5. Creating preliminary design models that are quickly tested and either discarded or
further refined is known as rapid prototyping.
Ans: True
6. Form design refers to the physical appearance of a product.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
7. A product’s reliability is a function of the reliabilities of its component parts, but not
a function of how those parts are arranged.
Ans: False
8. To increase system reliability redundant parts can be built in to back up a failure.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
9. Products assembled in modules can be easier to repair and maintain.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
10. One quantitative measure of maintainability is mean time to repair (MTTR).

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Feedback: Rapid Prototyping and Concurrent Design
11. Modular design is one way to gain the benefits of standardization without losing the
advantage of variety and uniqueness.
Ans: True
12. Modular design combines standardized building blocks, or modules, to create unique
finished products.
Ans: True
13. Employing a systematic approach to analyzing the causes and effects of product
failures is known as design for manufacture (DFM).
Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
14. The final design consists of detailed drawings and specifications for the new product.
Ans: True
15. Using a cross-functional team to design new products is known as concurrent design.
Ans: True
16. Establishing multifunctional design teams can help reduce the time-to-market.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
17. Concurrent design may involve simultaneously designing products and their
production processes.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
18. Concurrent design is often aided by the use of technology.

Ans: True
19. One of the factors supporting the increase in new products has been advances in the
technology available for designing products.
Ans: True
Feedback: Technology in Design
20. Product life cycle (PLC) systems maintain design data from product conception to
retirement excluding minor design updates.
Ans: False
21. Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) has replaced computer-aided design (CAD) in

the product design process.
Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
22. Collaborative product design (CPD) software provides interconnectivity among

members of a product’s supply chain.
Ans: True
23. Design review involves identifying possible defects and the value added by each part
or component.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
24. Computer-aided design (CAD) produces better products but always increases the time
to design them.
Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
25. Value analysis is often utilized by a multifunctional product design team as part of
design review.
Ans: True
26. Worldwide, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is becoming an important factor

influencing product design for personal computers and some household appliances.
Ans: True
27. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a concept that holds consumers responsible
for their products following the products’ useful lives.
Ans: False
Feedback: Design for the Environment
28. Quality function deployment (QFD) consists of a series of matrix diagrams that
define product design changes and the ramifications of implementing those changes.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Hard
29. The house of quality, the most popular quality function deployment (QFD) matrix,
converts product design specifications into customer requirements.
Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
30. Incorporating the voice of the customer into technical product design requirements is
known as quality function deployment (QFD).
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
31. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) translates the voice of the customer into
technical design requirements.
Ans: True
32. Products designed to withstand variations in operating conditions are said to be

robust.
Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
33. The allowable range of the variation in a part’s design specification is called the
signal-to-noise ratio.
Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
34. Reliability is the probability that a given part or product will perform its intended
function for a specified length of time under adverse operating conditions.
Ans: False
Multiple Choice
35. Design can provide a competitive edge by

a. bringing products to market quickly.
b. doing an even better job of satisfying customers.
c. being easier to manufacture, use and repair.
d. All these answer choices are correct.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Easy
36. Which of the following is not a characteristic of an effective product design process?
a. matches product characteristics with customer requirements
b. maximizes the revisions necessary to make a design workable
c. ensures that customer requirements are met in the least costly and simplest
manner
d. reduces the time required to design a new product or service
Answer : B
37. All of the following are characteristics of an effective design process except
a. increasing the design time for new products and services.
b. meeting customer requirements in the least costly manner.
c. matching product or service characteristics with customer requirements.
d. minimizing the number of revisions needed to make the design workable.
Answer : A
38. Product design begins with

a. a feasibility study.
b. a form design.
c. understanding the customer and identifying customer needs.
d. pilot runs and final tests.
Answer : C
Difficulty: Easy
39. If a firm’s design process is too lengthy

a. a competitor may capture market share by being first to market.
b. a competitor may lose market share by being first to market.
c. a competitor may decide not to enter the market.
d. None of these answers is correct.
Answer : A
40. Carefully dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to look for design
features that can be incorporated into your own product is known as
a. concurrent design.
b. design for manufacturability.
c. benchmarking.
d. reverse engineering.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Easy
41. A feasibility study consists of all the following except

a. a market analysis.
b. an economic analysis.
c. a technical and strategic analysis.
d. a concurrent analysis.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Easy
42. ____________________ describe(s) what the product should do to satisfy customer

needs.
a. Performance specifications
b. Benchmarks
c. Perceptual maps
d. Reverse engineering
Answer : A
43. Creating a preliminary design that can be quickly tested and then either discarded or
further refined is referred to as
a. Benchmarking.
b. rapid prototyping.
c. concurrent design.
d. perceptual mapping.
Answer : B
44. The probability that a product will perform its intended function for a specified length
of time under normal conditions is called
a. benchmarking.
b. perceptual mapping.
c. Maintainability.
d. Reliability.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Easy
45. Which of the following is a quantitative measure of reliability?

a. reliability bar
b. maintainability
c. mean time between failures (MTBF)
d. mean time to repair (MTTR)
Answer : C
46. All of the following can improve a product’s reliability except

a. simplifying product design.
b. improving individual component reliability.
c. changing the product warranty.
d. adding redundant components..
Answer : C
Difficulty: Hard
47. Combining standardized building blocks in different ways to create unique finished
products is known as
a. rapid prototyping.
b. robust design.
c. modular design.
d. concurrent design.
Answer : C
Difficulty: Easy
48. A company produces a product consisting of two components arranged as follows:
0.95 0.93
If both components must function for the product to function, then the product’s
overall reliability is
a. 0.950
b. 0.940
c. 0.930
d. 0.884
Answer : D
0.97 0.90
Both components must function for the product to function. To achieve an overall
reliability of at least 0.95 without changing the reliability of the first component, the
reliability of the second component would need to be
a. at least 0.925 .
b. at least 0.95.
c. at least 0.97.
d. at least 0.98.
Answer : D
R1 R2
If both components must function for the product to function, then the two
components would need individual reliabilities of _______ to achieve an overall
reliability of 0.90.
a. R1 = 0.90 and R2 = 0.90
b. R1 = 0.95 and R2 = 0.95
c. R1 = 0.80 and R2 = 0.80
d. R1 = 0.85 and R2 = 0.85
Answer : B
51. A product consists of three components arranged as follows:
R1 = R2 = R3 =
0.95 0.90 0.95
If all three components must function for the product to function, then the product’s
overall reliability is approximately
a. 0.812.
b. 0.90.
c. 0.933.
d. 0.95.
Answer : A
52. The overall reliability of the following system is
0.90
0.95 0.95 0.95
a. greater than 1.00.

b. 0.95.
c. 0.90.
d. 0.898.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Hard
53. For the overall reliability of the following system to be 0.975 or greater the reliability
of the backup component, Rb, must be
Rb =?
0.99 0.95 0.99
a. at least 1.00.
b. at least 0.896.
c. at least 0.736.
d. at least 0.534.
Answer : B
Difficulty: Hard
54. The overall reliability of the following system is
0.85 0.89
0.90 0.94 0.93
a. 0.787.
b. 0.85.
c. 0.89.
d. 0.919.
Answer : D
Difficulty: Hard
55. A product consists of three components arranged as follows:
R1 = R2 = R3 =
? 0.94 0.98
If all three components must function for the product to function, and the product’s
overall reliability must be at least 0.92, then the reliability of the first component, R1,
must be
a. at least 0.999.
b. at least 0.84.
c. at least 0.96.
d. at least 0.972.
Answer : A
Difficulty: Hard
56. If a product fails 10 times in 500 hours of operation, then its mean time between
failures (MTBF) is
a. 0.02 hour.
b. 0.10 hour.
c. 20 hours.
d. 50 hours.
Answer : D
57. If a piece of equipment has a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 500 hours with
a mean time to repair (MTTR) of 10 hours, then its uptime or average availability
would be
a. 0.020 or 2.00%
b. 0.980 or 98.00%
c. 0.500 or 50.00%
d. 1.000 or 100.00%
Answer : B
Difficulty: Hard
58. The system availability for a system with a mean time between failures (MTBF) of
1000 hours and a mean time to repair (MTTR) of 50 hours would be
a. 100.00%
b. 97.50%
c. 95.24%
d. 4.76%
Answer : C
Difficulty: Hard
59. Which of the following will not improve design for manufacture and assembly?
a. minimizing the number of parts and subassemblies
b. using standard parts when possible
c. designing parts for limited, unique uses
d. designing parts for many, varied uses
Answer : C
Difficulty: Easy
60. _____________________ involves taking into account the capabilities at each level
of the supply chain when designing a product.
a. Design for supplier
b. Design for manufacturer
c. Design for supply chain
d. Design for competitor
Answer : C
Difficulty: Easy
61. Functional design includes all the following except

a. reliability.
b. usability.
c. form design.
d. maintainability.
Answer : C
62. Simultaneously designing new products and the processes to produce them is known
as
a. concurrent design.
b. functional design.
c. modular design.
d. standard design.
Answer : A
Difficulty: Easy
63. ____________________ is a software system that facilitates collaborative design and

development among trading partners.
a. Computer aided design
b. Collaborative product design
c. Computer aided engineering
d. None of these answer choices is correct.
Answer : B
64. ____________________ is a software system that assists in the creation, modification

and analysis of design.
Answer : A
65. ____________________ is a software system that retrieves the description and

geometry of a design from a database, and tests and analyzes that design on a
computer screen.
Answer : C
66. ____________________ is a software system that stores, retrieves and updates design
data through the lifecycle of a product.
Answer : D
67. Product lifecycle management is a software system that

a. facilitates collaborative design and development among trading partners.
b. stores, retrieves and updates design data through the lifecycle of a product.
c. retrieves the description and geometry of a design from a database, and tests
and analyzes that design on a computer screen.
d. assists in the creation, modification and analysis of design.
Answer : B
68. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is

a. a software systems that uses computer graphics to assist in designing products.
b. a systematic approach to analyzing the causes and effects of product failures.
c. a visual method for analyzing the interrelationships among failures.
d. a structured process that translates the voice of the customer into technical design
requirements.
Answer : B
69. Fault tree analysis (FTA) is

requirements.
Answer : C
70. __________________________is a procedure, used by multifunction design teams,

to eliminate unnecessary features and functions from a product design.
a. Failure mode and effects analysis
b. Value analysis
c. Fault tree analysis
d. All of these answer choices is correct.
Answer : B
71. Which of the following techniques would most likely be used to systematically
analyze product failures?
a. concurrent design
b. quality function deployment
c. failure mode and effects analysis
d. value analysis
Answer : C
Difficulty: Easy
72. The ability to meet present needs without compromising those of future generations is
a concept in product design known as
a. reusability.
b. maintainability.
c. reliability.
d. sustainability.
Answer : D
73. All of the following are principles of green product design except
a) use new materials.
b) use less materials.
c) involve the entire supply chain.
d) change the paradigm of design.
Answer : A
Difficulty: Hard
74. ___________________ is a concept where companies are held responsible for their
product even after its useful life.
a. Design for disposal or reuse
b. Sustainability
c. Extended producer responsibility
d. Environmentally safe people
Answer : C
75. With ___________________, consumers are encouraged to use the product

efficiently, repair it when possible and dispose of it responsibly.
a. green sourcing
b. green manufacture
c. recycling and reuse
d. green consumption
Answer : D
76. With ___________________, suppliers are encouraged to suggest more

environmentally friendly materials, methods and processes.
a. green sourcing
b. green manufacture
c. recycling and reuse
d. green consumption
Answer : A
77. Design for the environment includes all the following concepts except
a. design for disposal or reuse.
b. sustainability.
c. extended producer responsibility.
d. environmentally safe people.
Answer : D
78. Quality function deployment (QFD) is

requirements.
Answer : D
79. A structured process that translates the voice of the customer into technical design
requirements is known as
a. quality function deployment (QFD).
b. failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA).
c. concurrent design.
d. robust product design.
Answer : A
80. Which of the following is a quantitative measure of maintainability?

a. design for manufacture (DFM)
b. mean time to repair (MTTR)
c. mean time between failures (MTBF)
d. quality function deployment (QFD)
Answer : B
Difficulty: Hard
81. When a product is designed to withstand variations in environmental and operating

conditions, it is known as
a) robust design.
b) design for change.
c) design for modification.
d) design for tolerance.
Answer : A
82. The Taguchi Quality Loss Function implies that a

a. customer’s dissatisfaction increases geometrically as the actual value deviates
from the target value.
b. customer’s satisfaction increases geometrically as the actual value deviates from
the target value.
c. customer’s dissatisfaction decreases geometrically as the actual value deviates
from the target value.
d. customer’s preferences are strongly oriented towards conforming to
specifications.
Answer : A
83. As a part of design for robustness, Taguchi believes that

a. consistent errors can be more easily corrected than random errors.
b. parts within tolerance limits may produce assemblies that are not within limits.
c. consumers have a strong preference for product characteristics near their ideal
value.
d. All of these answer choices are correct.
Answer : A
Difficulty: Easy
Short Answer Questions
84. Briefly discuss the characteristics of an effective design process.
An effective design process (1) matches product or service characteristics with customer
requirements; (2) ensures that customer requirements are met in the simplest and least
costly manner; (3) reduces the time required to design a new product or service; and (4)
minimizes the revisions necessary to make a design workable.
Level of Difficulty: Medium
85. What does a feasibility study consist of and how is it related to the design process?
Once marketing has taken the ideas that are generated and the customer needs that are
identified from the first stage of the design process and formulated alternative product
and service concepts, the promising concepts undergo a feasibility study that includes
several types of analyses beginning with a market analysis. Market researchers use
customer surveys, interviews, focus groups, and market tests to determine whether there
is enough demand for the proposed product to justify further investment in it. If the
demand potential exists, then there is an economic analysis that looks at estimates of
production and development costs and compares them to estimated sales volume. A price
range for the product that is compatible with the market segment and image of the new
product is discussed. Quantitative techniques may be used to evaluate the profit potential
of the project. Finally, there are technical and strategic analysis that answer such
questions as: “does the new product require new technology?”; “does the company have
the capability to support the new product?”; “is the new product compatible with the core
business of the firm?”
86. Briefly discuss three performance characteristics considered during the functional
design phase of a product.
Functional design is concerned with how the product performs. Three performance
characteristics considered during the functional design phase are reliability,
maintainability, and usability. Reliability is the probability that a given part or product
will perform its intended function for a specified length of time under normal conditions
of use. Maintainability, also called serviceability, refers to the ease and/or cost with
which a product or service is maintained or repaired. Usability is what makes a product or
service easy to use and a good fit for its targeted customer.
87. What role does simplification play in the design process?
Production design is concerned with how the product will be made. Designs that are
difficult to make often result in poor-quality products. Engineers tend to overdesign
products, with too many features, options, and parts. Design simplification attempts to
reduce the number of parts, subassemblies, and options in a product. It also means
avoiding tools, separate fasteners, and adjustments. By employing simplification,
designers hope to make it easier to build and assemble higher quality products faster and
less costly than they otherwise could.
Level of Difficulty: medium
88. List at least four design for manufacture guidelines that promote good design
practice.
Design for manufacture guidelines that promote good design practice include: (1)
minimizing the number of parts and subassemblies; (2) avoiding tools, separate fasteners,
and adjustments; (3) using standard parts; (4) designing parts for many uses; (5)
designing for ease of assembly and minimal handling; and (6) allowing for efficient and
adequate testing and replacement of parts.
89. List five ways that design quality can be improved.

Design quality can be improved by (1) reviewing designs to prevent failures and ensure
value; (2) designing for the environment; (3) measuring design quality; (4) using quality
function deployment (QFD); and (5) designing for robustness.
90. What are some of the questions/inquiries one would ask regarding every material,
every part, and every operation in value analysis?
The writer should address the question “can we live without it?” Does it do more than is
required? Does it cost more than it is worth? Can something else do a better job? Can it
be made by a less costly method? Can it be made cheaper, better, faster by someone
else?

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File: ch04, Chapter 4: Product Design

1. Product design has a tremendous impact on the quality of a manufactured good or

2. Dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to identify design features that

3. An effective design process matches product characteristics with customer

4. Comparing a product or process against the best-in-class is known as reverse

8. To increase system reliability redundant parts can be built in to back up a failure.

9. Products assembled in modules can be easier to repair and maintain.

10. One quantitative measure of maintainability is mean time to repair (MTTR).

18. Concurrent design is often aided by the use of technology.

21. Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) has replaced computer-aided design (CAD) in

22. Collaborative product design (CPD) software provides interconnectivity among

26. Worldwide, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is becoming an important factor

32. Products designed to withstand variations in operating conditions are said to be

35. Design can provide a competitive edge by

38. Product design begins with

39. If a firm’s design process is too lengthy

41. A feasibility study consists of all the following except

42. ____________________ describe(s) what the product should do to satisfy customer

45. Which of the following is a quantitative measure of reliability?

46. All of the following can improve a product’s reliability except

48. A company produces a product consisting of two components arranged as follows:

49. A company produces a product consisting of two components arranged as follows:

50. A company produces a product consisting of two components arranged as follows:

51. A product consists of three components arranged as follows:

52. The overall reliability of the following system is

0.95 0.95 0.95

a. greater than 1.00.

54. The overall reliability of the following system is

0.90 0.94 0.93

55. A product consists of three components arranged as follows:

61. Functional design includes all the following except

63. ____________________ is a software system that facilitates collaborative design and

64. ____________________ is a software system that assists in the creation, modification

65. ____________________ is a software system that retrieves the description and

67. Product lifecycle management is a software system that

68. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is

69. Fault tree analysis (FTA) is

70. __________________________is a procedure, used by multifunction design teams,

75. With ___________________, consumers are encouraged to use the product

76. With ___________________, suppliers are encouraged to suggest more

78. Quality function deployment (QFD) is

80. Which of the following is a quantitative measure of maintainability?

81. When a product is designed to withstand variations in environmental and operating

82. The Taguchi Quality Loss Function implies that a

83. As a part of design for robustness, Taguchi believes that

Short Answer Questions

84. Briefly discuss the characteristics of an effective design process.

87. What role does simplification play in the design process?

89. List five ways that design quality can be improved.

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