Jidoka

 

What is Jidoka? 

Jidoka was invented in 1896 and was used to stop the shuttle of an automatic loom in a case where a thread broke. Not only did this reduce the number of defects when threading, it allowed operators to operate multiple looms at once instead than having to watch only one in case something went wrong. It is essentially automation with a human element.

What are the principles of Jidoka?

The principles can be broken down into four steps:

1. Discover an abnormality or problem.
2. Stop the operation process.
3. Fix the problem at hand.
4. Discover the root cause to prevent future issues.

The primary innovation Jidoka brought to lean manufacturing is the idea of examining a manufacturing issue in the middle of the process rather than at the end. Inspecting throughout the manufacturing process can play a key role in preventing defects and fixing problems before they cause significant damage.

One-Piece Flow

 

What is One-Piece Flow? 

One-Piece Flow is the sequence of a product or service through a process that is one unit at a time. One-Piece Flow is the opposite of batch processing, where a large number of products are created at once and they are sent through the manufacturing process as a batch or group. In One-Piece Flow the focus is on the manufacturing of the product itself rather than the waiting, transportation, and storage of the product.

What are the advantages of One-Piece Flow? 

The advantages are:

• Ability to detect defects earlier and more accurately.
• More flexibility for customization and meeting customer demands.
• Reduces costs by eliminating waste.
• Reduce the amount of work in progress to make each step more efficient.
• Easier to predict shipment times.

To increase efficiency, companies can choose to implement One-Piece Flow or simply reduce the number of products produced in a batch.   

Kaizen

 

What is Kaizen?

Kaizen is the Japanese word for "change for the better" or "continuous improvement." The term refers to activities that improve every function of a business and is generally applied to manufacturing, but can be used to make almost any business more efficient.

By definition, Kaizen includes the involvement of all employees, from upper management to assembly line workers and can be used to improve every process in a supply chain, from purchasing to logistics. The lean manufacturing tool was first used by the Japanese in World War Two and was a major influence of the book “The Toyota Way.”

What is the goal of Kaizen?

Kaizen seeks to improve standardized processes in order to eliminate waste, fix workflow issues, and solve business problems.      

How is Kaizen implemented? The Kaizen method generally involves 5 primary steps:

1. Identify problem area that will be given focus.
2. Utilize videotape to analyze current method.
3. Test and evaluate improvement tactics.
4. Implement improvements.
5. Analyze results and present to upper management for feedback.

What is Kaizen most applicable to?

The Automotive industry. In fact, the Toyota Production System made the tool famous. If problems occur within the production process, Toyota assembly line personnel and their supervisors are expected to stop the production process and begin a Kaizen.