Toyota Production System. Part 3.

Kaizen project at Showa Industry.

Our 2 teams spent 5 grueling days at the Showa Tekko plant in Fukuoka. This particular plant produces all kind of equipment, from air conditions to vacuum boilers. Some of their cooling equipment is as large as a small building.

Our project was to Kaizen (Improve) their production line. They produce a certain model of air conditioner. Our task was to reduce overtime of their workers without any change in their production capacity.

We utilized Toyota Production principles as I have mentioned before. We divided our team into 2 sub teams. 

We observed three different operators.  First operator was involved in the assembly,  second was  the inspector and third operator was involved with packaging.

Our goal was to reduce the total TakTime. We started with standard flow chart and measured their timings. Caroline White was our team leader and she did a remarkable job leading our team.

We came up with some great ideas. Dr. Nunez and Ruth Hemphill suggested a U shaped module for the inspector work station which reduced his walking time significantly, my team suggested to eliminate waste (Muda) from packaging and add value to the operator’s time by assisting other colleagues.

Our patients are not cars, but on the other hand we do have a line, a line in the ER. Different patients presenting with different problems like a production line, where you may have a Camry and the next could be a Highlander.

Our goal is to have a standard work for these problems so that all operations run free of defects/medical errors and our quality remains top notch/improved survival.

Toyota Production System. Part 2.

Toyota Production System Training.  Part 2.

Kaizen, it is all about improving a system, any system. This course,  Gemba Kaizen, is about learning skills to improve efficiency as you decrease Muda (waste) associated with work.

There are few key concept one need to comprehend as you learn more about Toyota Production systems.

-       Jidoka: it roughly translates to “Automation with a human touch”. So whenever there is an equipment malfunction, the machine stops immediately that prevents it from producing defective products.

-       “Just in time” approach: Any process produces only what is needed by the next process in a continuous flow. It helps with producing only what is needed, when it is needed and in the right amount.

Using these principles Toyota mass-produces automobiles utilizing the philosophy of Jidoka and “just in time”. These vehicles are of exemplary quality, long lasting and up to the par for the customer.

Few days ago we spent our day at the Toyota museum. It was a very interesting experience. Museum has tow major pavilions. One is about textiles/Looms and the seconds part is about Automobiles.

Toyota name is so synonymous with cars that few people know that their initial business was manufacturing automatic looms.

This was the first time I observed a museum as a student rather than a spectator. Our goal was to observe Toyota Lean manufacturing and Toyota production system and later describe that process to the group with a brief sketch.

About the picture:

Picture 1- First circular looms designed by Sakichi Toyoda.

Picture 2- This  is my sketch. I was impressed by the automotive pavilion where they tested different metals, improved their design, they went to the source to get better materials and design and at the same time kept safety in their mind. 

I was never good at sketching!

Toyota Production System.

I am attending a course, Toyota Production System in Nagoya, Japan. I am very excited to learn some new skills in regard to this system. For the next 2 weeks I am here in the land of the rising sun, hopping from one city to another. We have our Value stream map ready to present and as some of you may have guessed, our project in Sepsis-error proofing. Details later.

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About the picture: I saw this gigantic spherical structure today as I was walking along with my group around the museum of Science, looks alien.