Here are 100+ questions that can be asked from a Process Engineer in the manufacturing sector, covering basic to advanced topics, technical terms, and practical scenarios across domains like production, quality, maintenance, lean, safety, and process optimization:
📘 General Process Engineering
- What is the role of a process engineer in a manufacturing plant?
- How do you define a manufacturing process?
- What steps do you follow to improve a process?
- What is process capability (Cp, Cpk)?
- How do you conduct a root cause analysis?
- What is the difference between a process and an operation?
- How do you document a standard operating procedure (SOP)?
- What is takt time and how is it calculated?
- How do you conduct time studies?
- What is a bottleneck and how do you identify it?
🏭 Production Knowledge
- How do you plan daily production?
- What is ROP (Rate of Production)?
- What is a changeover and how can it be reduced?
- What is SMED?
- Explain the role of production routing.
- What is cycle time vs lead time?
- How do you handle line balancing?
- What is a work instruction (WI)?
- Explain the difference between batch production and continuous production.
- What is rework and how should it be managed?
🔧 Machine Knowledge
- How does a CNC machine work?
- What is the difference between feed and speed?
- What is MRR (Material Removal Rate)?
- How do you choose the correct grinding wheel?
- What is a jamming issue in a press machine and how do you fix it?
- How does tool wear affect quality?
- What are the signs of spindle bearing failure?
- How do you maintain machine accuracy?
- What is TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)?
- What is the difference between preventive and predictive maintenance?
📊 Data Analysis & KPIs
- How do you measure OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)?
- What is MTTR and MTBF?
- How do you track scrap rate?
- How do you analyze downtime?
- What is a control chart?
- How do you use Pareto analysis in production?
- What software tools do you use for data collection?
- What are the top 3 KPIs for monitoring production?
- What is Six Sigma and how is it applied?
- How do you set targets for productivity?
🛠️ Tools & Fixtures
- What is a jig and fixture?
- How do you design a fixture for a specific part?
- What is the difference between soft and hard jaws?
- What is concentricity and how do you ensure it?
- What is tool life and how is it calculated?
- How do you prevent tool breakage?
- What is a limit gauge?
- What are the common causes of burr formation?
- How do you handle dimensional variation?
- What is GD&T?
🧪 Quality & Inspection
- How do you read an engineering drawing?
- What instruments do you use for inspection?
- What is CMM and how does it work?
- What is surface roughness (Ra) and how do you measure it?
- What is an SPC chart?
- What is the PPAP process?
- What is FMEA?
- What is a quality alert?
- What is the difference between QA and QC?
- What are the 7 QC tools?
🧰 Lean, Kaizen & Continuous Improvement
- What is 5S?
- What is the difference between value-added and non-value-added activities?
- What is a kaizen event?
- What is waste (Muda) in lean manufacturing?
- What is a VSM (Value Stream Map)?
- What are the 8 types of waste?
- What is Poka-yoke?
- How do you conduct a Gemba walk?
- What is standard work?
- What is JIT (Just-in-Time)?
🧯 Safety & Environment
- What is HIRA (Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment)?
- What is LOTO (Lockout/Tagout)?
- How do you ensure machine safety?
- What is PPE and when is it used?
- What is the importance of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)?
- How do you handle chemical spills?
- What is EHS audit?
- What is ergonomics in manufacturing?
- What is the purpose of a safety checklist?
- What is ISO 45001?
🗂️ Documentation & Standards
- What are control plans?
- Can you discuss the importance of documentation in process engineering?
- What is an SOP and how do you write one?
- What is the purpose of a process flow diagram (PFD)?
- What is ISO 9001?
- What is a deviation report?
- What is CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action)?
- What is traceability?
- What is batch number vs serial number?
- How do you manage engineering change requests (ECR)?
- What is a production version in SAP?
Soft Skills & Scenario-Based
- How do you handle operator resistance to new processes?
- Describe a time you solved a recurring problem.
- How do you train shopfloor workers on new machines?
- What do you do when there’s a sudden machine breakdown?
- How do you prioritize multiple issues on the shop floor?
- How do you deal with quality complaints from customers?
- How do you communicate process changes with different departments?
- How do you manage production during manpower shortage?
- Describe your experience with cross-functional teams.
- What would you improve in your current process area?
🧾 Additional/Advanced Questions
- What is Industry 4.0 and its relevance to process engineers?
- What is a digital twin in manufacturing?
- What is Statistical Process Control (SPC)?
- How do you apply DOE (Design of Experiments)?
- How do you use IoT in shopfloor monitoring?
- How do you validate a new process?
- What is the role of AI and data analytics in manufacturing?
- How do you calculate takt time in a multi-model line?
- What are the causes of variation in a stable process?
- What’s the role of a process engineer in NPI (New Product Introduction)?
What is the difference between a batch process and a continuous process?
How do you ensure quality control in process engineering?
What are the key considerations for designing a new process?
How do you calculate process efficiency?
How do you identify areas for process improvement?
Can you explain the difference between a process and a procedure?
What is process product matrix?
What is Process Engineering?