HKIE Professional Assessment - Manufacturing, Industrial & Systems Discipline study plan

Map the full manufacturing-process landscape by writing a one-page comparison of casting, forming, machining, joining and additive processes, listing for each the typical defects, tolerances and cost drivers.

Derive and apply the core process calculations from first principles: cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, material removal rate, shear-plane and Merchant force relations, and blanking force.

Analyse a metal-forming case (deep drawing or extrusion) by calculating draw ratio, reduction, and forming load, then state which limit causes failure.

Diagnose five classic process defects (porosity, hot tearing, undercut, weld lack-of-fusion, residual-stress cracking) and propose one corrective action for each.

Build a personal formula sheet for Domain 1 with units checked on every term.

Formulate and solve linear-programming models by hand (graphical method) and by simplex tableau for production-mix and blending problems.

Solve a transportation and an assignment problem using the stepping-stone or MODI method and the Hungarian method, and interpret the dual prices.

Compute EOQ, reorder point, safety stock and production-run models, and explain how each input shifts the answer.

Apply work-study and line-balancing techniques: time study with rating and allowances, standard time, takt time, and precedence-diagram balancing.

Set up and read a queuing model (M/M/1 and M/M/s) for a workstation and interpret utilisation and waiting time.

Integrate process choice with capacity and cost by building a process-selection matrix scored against volume, tolerance, material and lead time.

Perform a break-even and cost-volume analysis comparing two manufacturing routes and identify the indifference volume.

Apply forecasting methods (moving average, exponential smoothing, Holt-Winters) to a 24-period demand series and compare error metrics (MAD, MAPE, bias).

Aggregate a master production schedule from a forecast and a bill of materials, then explode one product two levels down.

Critique where process capability constrains the production plan and quantify the capacity loss.

Write a stakeholder needs statement, then derive functional, performance and interface requirements with traceability identifiers.

Construct a functional architecture and an N-squared or design-structure-matrix view for a small industrial system, and justify the decomposition.

Apply the systems engineering V-model to a machine or line-integration project, mapping verification and validation activities to each level.

Perform interface analysis and a trade study using a weighted decision matrix with sensitivity check.

Draft a verification cross-reference matrix and state the acceptance criterion for each requirement.

Construct and interpret control charts (X-bar-R, individuals, p, c) and calculate control limits, then distinguish common from special cause variation.

Compute Cp, Cpk and Pp, Ppk for a dataset and explain why Cpk can differ from P, and what each tells a customer.

Design a sampling plan: choose AQL, lot size and inspection level, then compute producer's and consumer's risk using the operating-characteristic curve.

Calculate system reliability for series, parallel and k-out-of-n configurations, and apply the exponential and Weibull models to failure data.

Plan a measurement-system analysis: gauge R&R, bias, linearity and calibration traceability, and state acceptance thresholds.

Specify a pick-and-place automation cell: end-effector, sensors, actuators and controller, and justify each selection against cycle-time and payload requirements.

Derive forward and inverse kinematics for a simple planar or two-link arm, and compute workspace and singularities.

Select and size a motor and drive for an axis by calculating torque, inertia, acceleration and duty cycle.

Compare PLC, PAC and industrial-PC architectures and write structured ladder or function-block logic for an interlocked sequence.

Assess an Industry 4.0 / digital-twin proposal by identifying data sources, communication protocols, cybersecurity exposure and realistic payback.

Classify inventory by ABC and XYZ analysis and set differentiated replenishment policies for each class.

Evaluate a supplier using a weighted scorecard covering quality, cost, delivery, capacity and risk, and document the sourcing recommendation.

Compare NPV, IRR, payback and equivalent annual cost for two equipment options, including depreciation and tax effects.

Build a project network, compute critical path and float, and compress the schedule by crashing the cheapest activities.

Run a qualitative and semi-quantitative risk assessment (probability-impact matrix, FMEA with RPN) and assign mitigation owners.

Apply Hong Kong statutory duties for industrial undertakings: identify employer and employee duties under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, and state the role of the Labour Department.

Assess a workshop against key safety regulations and codes of practice covering machinery guarding, electricity, noise and confined spaces, and list non-compliances with corrective actions.

Conduct a risk assessment using the hierarchy of controls and calculate a noise exposure or chemical exposure result against an action level.

Evaluate sustainability measures by computing energy use, carbon footprint and waste-reduction options with payback.

Apply the HKIE professional and ethical obligations to three short scenarios (conflict of interest, safety sign-off under pressure, public-interest disclosure) and justify the correct course of action.