← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions — 2014
In sand casting, draft allowance is added to
A)
All linear dimensions
B)
Only the interior dimensions
C)
Only the exterior dimensions
D)
Only to the dimensions that are perpendicular to the parting plane
Draft allowance is the taper provided on vertical faces of a pattern so that it can be withdrawn easily from the sand mold without damaging the cavity. Therefore, it is applied to surfaces/dimensions perpendicular to the parting plane, not to all dimensions. Interior or exterior dimensions are not the rule; the key criterion is the direction relative to the parting plane.
Consumable electrode for manual metal arc welding of steel is made of
A)
tungsten
B)
steel
C)
copper
D)
cadmium copper
In manual metal arc welding (MMAW/SMAW), the electrode is a consumable coated metal rod. For welding steel, the core wire of the consumable electrode is made of steel. Tungsten is used in TIG welding as a non-consumable electrode, while copper and cadmium copper are not used as the consumable electrode material for MMAW of steel.
The number of nearest neighboring atoms in Face-centred cubic (FCC) crystal is
A)
six
B)
eight
C)
twelve
D)
none of these
In a face-centred cubic (FCC) crystal, each atom has 12 nearest neighbours: 4 in the same layer, 4 in the layer above, and 4 in the layer below. Therefore, the coordination number of FCC is 12. Options (a) 6 and (b) 8 are incorrect because they correspond to other crystal structures, not FCC.
In which of the following welding processes is non-consumable electrode used?
A)
TIG welding
B)
LASER welding
C)
MIG welding
D)
plasma arc welding
In TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, the electrode is a non-consumable tungsten electrode, which does not melt during welding. The filler metal, if needed, is supplied separately. In MIG welding, the electrode wire is consumable. Laser welding does not use an electrode in the same way, and plasma arc welding typically uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode, but in standard MCQ context the most direct and commonly expected answer is TIG welding.
Which one of the following is the cause of tool failure?
A)
excessive temperature
B)
excessive stress
C)
flank wear
D)
all of these
Tool failure in machining can be caused by excessive temperature, excessive stress, and flank wear. High temperature weakens the cutting tool, excessive stress can lead to fracture or chipping, and flank wear is a common wear mechanism that eventually makes the tool unusable. Therefore, all the listed factors are causes of tool failure.
A flow diagram drawn to scale must be given with
A)
outline process charts
B)
flow process charts
C)
multiple activity chart
D)
SIMO chart
A flow diagram drawn to scale is associated with a flow process chart, because it shows the movement of materials or workers on a scaled layout. Outline process charts do not require a scale drawing, multiple activity charts show simultaneous activities of more than one resource, and SIMO charts are used for micro-motion study.
Which one of the following micro constituents has maximum hardness?
A)
Austenite
B)
Pearlite
C)
Sorbite
D)
Cementite
Cementite (Fe3C) is the hardest among the listed micro-constituents. It is a very hard and brittle iron carbide phase. Austenite is relatively soft and ductile, pearlite has intermediate hardness, and sorbite is finer pearlite/tempered structure with hardness lower than cementite.
The total cost of manufacturing a product is reduced due to
A)
standardization
B)
diversification
C)
simplification
D)
sophistication
In industrial engineering, simplification means reducing the variety of parts, methods, and operations. This lowers material handling, inventory, setup time, and production complexity, thereby reducing total manufacturing cost. Standardization also helps reduce cost, but the most direct answer to this question is simplification. Diversification and sophistication generally increase complexity and cost.
The size of order which minimizes total cost of carrying and cost of ordering is called
A)
minimum order quantity
B)
economic order quantity
C)
safety order quantity
D)
re-order quantity
The order size that minimizes the total of ordering cost and carrying/holding cost is called the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ). It is the standard inventory management term for the optimal purchase quantity.
Why others are incorrect:
- (a) Minimum order quantity: refers to the least quantity that can be ordered, not the cost-minimizing quantity.
- (c) Safety order quantity: not a standard term for optimal inventory size; safety stock is extra inventory kept to avoid stockouts.
- (d) Re-order quantity: refers to the level at which a new order is placed, not the optimal order size.
Type of alloyed plain carbon steel used for drawing dies, punches and drills is
A)
high carbon steel
B)
medium carbon steel
C)
high speed steel
D)
none of these
Drawing dies, punches, and drills require very high hardness, wear resistance, and the ability to retain hardness at high cutting temperatures. High speed steel (HSS) is the alloyed tool steel commonly used for such tools. High carbon steel is hard but lacks the hot hardness needed for cutting tools, medium carbon steel is not hard enough, and therefore the correct choice is high speed steel.
Drawing out is a forging operation used to
A)
reduce the cross section of a part
B)
increase the cross section of a part
C)
finish the part
D)
flatten the part
Drawing out is a forging process in which the length of the workpiece is increased by reducing its cross-sectional area. Hence, it is used to reduce the cross section of a part. Option (b) is the opposite of drawing out, option (c) is too general, and option (d) refers to flattening/upsetting-related operations, not drawing out.
Product layout is employed for
A)
batch production
B)
continuous production
C)
effective utilization of machine
D)
none of these
A product layout arranges machines and workstations according to the sequence of operations required for a product. This is best suited for continuous or mass production, where the same product is made repeatedly in large quantities. Batch production usually uses process layout or a combination layout. Effective utilization of machines is not the primary defining feature of product layout.
Statistical quality control techniques are based on the theory of
A)
quality
B)
statistics
C)
probability
D)
all of these
Statistical Quality Control (SQC) uses statistical methods to monitor and control quality, and its control charts and acceptance sampling are fundamentally based on the theory of probability. Statistics provides the tools for analysis, but the underlying basis is probability. Hence, the correct option is (c) probability.
Examples of line defects are
A)
Vacancies
B)
Dislocations
C)
Twins
D)
Stacking faults
Line defects in crystals are defects that extend along a line in the lattice. Dislocations are the classic example of line defects. Vacancies are point defects, while twins and stacking faults are planar (surface) defects.
Which of the following elements does not impart hardness to steel?
A)
copper
B)
chromium
C)
nickel
D)
silicon
Hardness in steel is generally increased by alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, and silicon, which improve strength and wear resistance. Copper is not a typical hardening element for steel; it is mainly added to improve corrosion resistance and atmospheric durability. Therefore, copper does not impart hardness to steel.
Which of the following is the most ductile material?
A)
mild steel
B)
copper
C)
zinc
D)
aluminium
Ductility is the ability of a material to be drawn into thin wires. Among the given options, copper is the most ductile. Mild steel and aluminium are ductile too, but less so than copper in general exam context. Zinc is comparatively brittle at room temperature, so it is not the most ductile.
Which of the following conditions does not favour the production of discontinuous chips?
A)
brittle material
B)
large chip thickness
C)
low cutting speed
D)
large rake angle
Discontinuous chips are generally formed when the material is brittle, the chip thickness is large, and the cutting speed is low. These conditions promote fracture rather than smooth plastic flow. A large rake angle, however, reduces cutting deformation and tends to favor continuous chip formation, so it does not favor discontinuous chips.
Hot-chamber die-casting process is used for
A)
Aluminium
B)
Zinc
C)
Cast iron
D)
Steel
Hot-chamber die-casting is used for low-melting-point, non-ferrous metals that do not attack the machine components. Zinc is the standard material for hot-chamber die casting. Aluminium is generally cast by the cold-chamber process because its higher melting temperature would damage the submerged injection system. Cast iron and steel have much higher melting points and are not suitable for die casting.
A model of casting which is constructed in such a way that it can be used for forming an impression in damp sand is defined as
A)
molding
B)
pattern
C)
damper
D)
prototype
In casting, the model used to create an impression in damp sand is called a pattern. It is placed in the molding sand to form the cavity into which molten metal is poured. 'Molding' is the process, 'damper' is unrelated, and 'prototype' is a general model but not the specific foundry term.
Margin of safety is generally expressed as
A)
ratio of budgeted sales to sales at BEP
B)
ratio of actual sales to sales at BEP
C)
percentage of budget to BEP
D)
all of these
Margin of safety is the excess of actual sales over break-even sales. It is commonly expressed as a ratio or percentage of actual sales, but among the given options the correct expression is the ratio of actual sales to sales at BEP. Option (a) is not the standard definition, option (c) is incorrect, and option (d) is wrong because not all statements are correct.
In process chart, the symbol stands for the meaning of
A)
storage
B)
inspection
C)
delay
D)
transport
In a standard process chart, the symbols are: circle = operation, square = inspection, arrow = transport, D-shape = delay, and inverted triangle = storage. Therefore, the given symbol stands for inspection. The other options correspond to different standard process chart symbols.
When _______ is added to, its tensile strength of steel can be increased by adding
A)
Chromium
B)
Manganese
C)
Magnesium
D)
Tungsten
Manganese is commonly added to steel as an alloying element to improve its tensile strength, hardness, and toughness. Chromium and tungsten are also used in special steels, but the standard answer for increasing tensile strength in basic material science MCQs is manganese. Magnesium is not used for this purpose in steel.
The flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) is most suitable for a production system that falls under
A)
mass type
B)
batch type
C)
job type
D)
all of these
Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) are designed for medium-volume, medium-variety production where products are made in batches and changeovers must be quick. They are not most suitable for mass production, which uses dedicated lines, nor for pure job production, which is highly customized and low volume. Hence, the correct answer is batch type.
An optimum project schedule implies
A)
optimum utilization of men, machines and materials
B)
lowest possible cost and shortest possible time for project
C)
timely execution of project
D)
to produce best results
An optimum project schedule is one that achieves the best balance between time and cost, i.e., completing the project in the shortest possible time at the lowest possible cost. This is the standard objective in project scheduling and crashing analysis. Option (a) is related to resource utilization, but it is not the definition of an optimum schedule. Option (c) is too general, and option (d) is vague.
Young’s modulus may be defined as the ratio of stress to strain under
A)
shear condition
B)
lateral condition
C)
linear condition
D)
all of these
Young’s modulus is defined as the ratio of normal stress to longitudinal strain, i.e., under linear (axial) loading condition. It applies when a member is stretched or compressed along its length. Shear condition corresponds to shear modulus, and lateral condition is not the definition of Young’s modulus. Hence, the correct answer is linear condition.