Process planning, routing, scheduling and dispatching MCQs With Answer

Introduction:

Process planning, routing, scheduling and dispatching are core elements of pharmaceutical manufacturing that link formulation concepts to practical production. For M.Pharm students, a firm grasp of these topics is essential to design efficient, compliant and cost-effective production systems for solid, liquid and sterile dosage forms. This blog-style MCQ set focuses on real-world applications: sequencing unit operations, selecting routing strategies, applying scheduling methods (Gantt, CPM/PERT), and executing dispatching on the shop floor. The questions emphasize decision-making, bottleneck management, capacity planning, lead time reduction and documentation — skills required for quality production, timely delivery, regulatory traceability and continuous improvement in the pharmaceutical industry.

Q1. Which activity best describes process planning in pharmaceutical manufacturing?

• Setting the final product price based on market demand
• Determining sequence of unit operations, equipment, and resources required to manufacture a product
• Designing the marketing strategy for a drug product
• Performing quality control tests on the finished batch

Correct Answer: Determining sequence of unit operations, equipment, and resources required to manufacture a product

Q2. What is meant by routing in the context of a pharmaceutical production facility?

• Choosing which suppliers provide raw materials
• Specifying the path and sequence that a job or batch follows through unit operations and workstations
• Selecting packaging artwork and labeling for distribution
• Assigning quality control personnel to testing tasks

Correct Answer: Specifying the path and sequence that a job or batch follows through unit operations and workstations

Q3. Scheduling primarily addresses which aspect of manufacturing control?

• How to source active pharmaceutical ingredients globally
• The timing and allocation of operations to machines and personnel to meet delivery dates
• Developing stability protocols for drug substances
• Designing product formulation and excipient selection

Correct Answer: The timing and allocation of operations to machines and personnel to meet delivery dates

Q4. What is dispatching in production management?

• Performing final product release testing in the QC lab
• Issuing work orders, authorizing the release of jobs to the shop floor and prioritizing tasks
• Calculating product shelf life and expiry dates
• Negotiating contracts with contract manufacturing organizations

Correct Answer: Issuing work orders, authorizing the release of jobs to the shop floor and prioritizing tasks

Q5. Which statement correctly contrasts batch and continuous production in pharmaceutical manufacture?

• Batch production is always cheaper than continuous production for large volumes
• Continuous production is intermittent and flexible; batch production is steady and fixed
• Batch production processes discrete lots with defined start/stop points; continuous production maintains steady flow without distinct batches
• Batch production eliminates need for cleaning and changeover; continuous requires frequent cleaning

Correct Answer: Batch production processes discrete lots with defined start/stop points; continuous production maintains steady flow without distinct batches

Q6. In project scheduling for a new product campaign, what does the Critical Path Method (CPM) determine?

• The resource that will be cheapest to expand
• The longest sequence of dependent activities that determines the minimum project completion time
• The number of QC tests required per batch
• The optimal inventory reorder point for raw materials

Correct Answer: The longest sequence of dependent activities that determines the minimum project completion time

Q7. What is the primary utility of a Gantt chart in plant scheduling?

• To illustrate supply chain cost drivers
• To visually display start and finish times of operations and monitor progress against schedule
• To replace quality assurance documentation
• To evaluate environmental impact of manufacturing

Correct Answer: To visually display start and finish times of operations and monitor progress against schedule

Q8. Which elements typically contribute to lead time in pharmaceutical order fulfillment?

• Only shipping time and sales forecasting
• Order processing, procurement, production setup, processing, inspection, packaging and shipping
• Advertising campaigns and physician detailing
• Only QC testing duration and batch release

Correct Answer: Order processing, procurement, production setup, processing, inspection, packaging and shipping

Q9. In Theory of Constraints (TOC), a bottleneck is best defined as:

• The machine with the lowest maintenance cost
• A resource whose capacity limits the throughput of the entire production system
• An operator who requires additional training
• A scheduling tool used to allocate raw materials

Correct Answer: A resource whose capacity limits the throughput of the entire production system

Q10. What is the difference between forward scheduling and backward scheduling?

• Forward scheduling schedules tasks from the due date backward; backward schedules from the release date forward
• Forward scheduling starts from job release date moving forward to estimate completion; backward scheduling plans from the due date backward to determine start times
• Forward scheduling ignores resource availability; backward scheduling ignores due dates
• There is no practical difference; both produce identical schedules

Correct Answer: Forward scheduling starts from job release date moving forward to estimate completion; backward scheduling plans from the due date backward to determine start times

Q11. Which dispatching priority rule is most effective at minimizing average flow time in a single-machine environment?

• First-Come-First-Served (FCFS)
• Shortest Processing Time (SPT)
• Longest Processing Time (LPT)
• Random selection

Correct Answer: Shortest Processing Time (SPT)

Q12. Which scheduling rule is known to minimize maximum lateness (or tardiness) for single-machine sequencing?

• Earliest Due Date (EDD)
• Shortest Processing Time (SPT)
• First-In-First-Out (FIFO)
• Critical Ratio (CR)

Correct Answer: Earliest Due Date (EDD)

Q13. What is the primary aim of load leveling (production smoothing) such as Heijunka in pharmaceutical operations?

• To maximize inventory holding for sales promotions
• To introduce frequent product changes to meet niche demands
• To smooth production flow, reduce variability and improve takt-time adherence
• To allow unlimited overtime for staff during demand peaks

Correct Answer: To smooth production flow, reduce variability and improve takt-time adherence

Q14. Which statement correctly distinguishes short-term from long-term capacity planning?

• Short-term capacity planning concerns factory location; long-term focuses on daily staffing
• Short-term adjusts workforce, shifts and machine hours; long-term involves facility expansion and major equipment investment decisions
• There is no difference — both deal only with product quality
• Short-term is only for marketing; long-term is only for R&D

Correct Answer: Short-term adjusts workforce, shifts and machine hours; long-term involves facility expansion and major equipment investment decisions

Q15. Which document is most commonly used on the shop floor to communicate routing, operation sequence and special instructions?

• Purchase order
• Route sheet or operation ticket
• Marketing brief
• Regulatory submission dossier

Correct Answer: Route sheet or operation ticket

Q16. Reducing setup and changeover times in pharmaceutical lines primarily leads to:

• Higher regulatory inspection frequency
• Increased lot sizes without operational benefit
• Increased flexibility, reduced lead times and improved overall throughput
• Reduced need for cleaning and validation activities

Correct Answer: Increased flexibility, reduced lead times and improved overall throughput

Q17. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a composite metric combining which three factors?

• Speed, warranty cost and advertising spend
• Availability, performance (speed) and quality (good output rate)
• Inventory turns, order size and batch number
• Lead time, cycle time and throughput only

Correct Answer: Availability, performance (speed) and quality (good output rate)

Q18. How does a Master Production Schedule (MPS) interact with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) in pharmaceutical manufacturing?

• MPS is derived from MRP outputs and focuses on procurement only
• MPS provides the planned production quantities and timing which serve as input to MRP for material planning
• MPS is unrelated to MRP and used only for sales forecasting
• MPS replaces quality assurance processes in batch release

Correct Answer: MPS provides the planned production quantities and timing which serve as input to MRP for material planning

Q19. PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) differs from deterministic CPM primarily because PERT:

• Uses fixed processing times for each operation
• Employs probabilistic time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to account for uncertainty
• Is only applicable to repetitive manufacturing lines
• Eliminates the need for resource leveling

Correct Answer: Employs probabilistic time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to account for uncertainty

Q20. Which characteristic best differentiates a job-shop from a flow-shop environment in pharmaceutical production?

• Job-shop uses a fixed sequence of operations for all products; flow-shop uses flexible routing per product
• Job-shop handles customized lots with flexible routing and varied sequences; flow-shop uses standardized sequence and higher volume continuous flow
• Job-shop eliminates need for quality control; flow-shop requires no maintenance
• There is no scheduling complexity in a job-shop compared to a flow-shop

Correct Answer: Job-shop handles customized lots with flexible routing and varied sequences; flow-shop uses standardized sequence and higher volume continuous flow

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