The production system is a synthesis of Toyota practices. Dmitrienko A.S. Analysis of the control system of Toyota Motor Corporation and the possibility of its application in Russia. Everyone involved in the improvement process
The main objective of the Toyota Production System is to increase profits by reduce production costs, i.e. by eliminating the cost of unnecessary inventory and labor.
In order to achieve cost reduction, production must adapt quickly and flexibly to changes in market demand. This ideal is embodied in the just-in-time system, which ensures that the right amount of the required product is produced at the right time. At the same time, production must be adapted to changes in volumes and parts nomenclature. Such an organization requires reduction of the order fulfillment cycle, since different items must be produced every day. This is achieved using small-scale production, as well as single (piece) production and delivery. Small batch production can be provided reduction of changeover time, and unit production - using multifunctional workers.
The production management system, developed and improved for Toyota, is based on the F. Taylor system (scientific production management) and the G. Ford system (inline conveyor production). The reduction in production costs is achieved in conjunction with the solution of three subtasks:
1) operational regulation of volume and nomenclature production, which helps the system adapt to daily and monthly changes in the quantity and range of demand;
2) quality assurance, which allows supplying each operation with the highest quality parts from subcontractors;
3) activation of employees which allows you to identify reserves for improving all processes and achieve high efficiency in the implementation of management decisions.
Basic principles of the Toyota control system
1. "Just in Time"– production of the right type of product in the right quantity and at the right time.
2. Autonomization– independent control of the employee over the marriage. It supports the accurate delivery of products by eliminating the possibility of defective parts from the previous production process to the subsequent one and prevents failures.
3. Flexible use of labor – change in the number of workers depending on fluctuations in demand.
4. Development of creative thinking and implementation of constructive ideas employees.
3.1.1. Toyota control system methods
To implement these four principles, Toyota has developed the following methods:
1. Kanban system to ensure just-in-time production.
2. Method of leveling production by volume uninterrupted production to adapt to changes in demand.
3. Reduced changeover time to reduce overall production time.
4. Rationing of work to ensure the balance of production operations.
5. Flexible placement of production equipment and use of workers with multiple professions.
6. Rationalization activities of quality circles and a system for encouraging proposals to reduce the workforce and improve work morale.
7. Visual control system to ensure the principle of automatic product quality control at the workplace, etc.
Kanban system
In the Toyota system, as in any "pull system", workers get the parts they need from the upstream process at the right time and in the right quantity. The type and quantity of items required are entered on a card called " kanban”, which is usually a rectangular card in a plastic envelope. In the card selection indicates the number of parts that should be taken at the previous processing site, while the card production order- the number of parts that must be manufactured at the previous production site. These cards circulate both within Toyota enterprises and between the corporation and the companies cooperating with it, as well as at affiliated enterprises. Thus, kanban cards carry information about the consumed and produced quantities of products, which makes it possible to ensure production on a just-in-time basis.
As a result, many areas in the enterprise are directly connected to each other, which allows you to better control the required amount of output. The Kanban system is an information system that allows you to quickly adjust the quantity of products at various stages of production. Sometimes the Kanban system is identified with the JIT system, but the Kanban system is only part of the JIT system and means its implementation.
Production Leveling
The method of leveling production by volume, known as "fine-tuning" production using the kanban system, is the most important way to minimize lost worker time and equipment downtime.
In order to avoid large variations in the number of parts required at all stages of production, as well as those obtained from external suppliers, it is necessary to minimize fluctuations in the output of products on the final assembly line. Therefore, the assembly line must go minimum parties each car model, realizing the ideal of piece production and delivery. In other words, different types of cars will be assembled one by one according to the daily production of each type. The assembly line will also receive the necessary parts from the previous sections in small batches.
Real production reveals a conflict between the need to diversify products and the balance of production. If product diversity is not required, then specialized equipment for mass production is usually a powerful means of reducing costs. However, Toyota produces cars with various combinations of bodies, tires, accessories in a wide range of colors. An example is the production of three or four thousand types of modifications and complete sets of the Crown model. To ensure the production of such a variety of products, it is necessary to have universal, or flexible, equipment.
The method of equalizing the volume of various products of production consists in non-stop adaptation to changes in consumer demand by gradually changing the frequency of production of batches of products without changing their size.
Reduced changeover time
The most difficult problem in ensuring leveled production is the setup and changeover of equipment in order to reduce production time. For example, in an environment where the end process is characterized by high product variability and inventory between the die press and the downstream body assembly line is kept to a minimum, the press station must make frequent and quick die changes to produce a wide range of parts.
For this, the technology for removing and installing stamps has been improved. In particular, in order to reduce the time for changing the die, it is necessary to prepare the necessary tooling fixtures, die and materials in advance, remove the dismantled die and install a new one (phase external adjustment). The operations that take place when the press is stopped constitute the phase internal adjustment. It is very important to combine the internal and external adjustments as much as possible in time. At Toyota, the die change time from 1945 to 1954 was about 2–3 hours, thanks to improvements made in 1955 and 1964. it was reduced to 0.25 hours, and after 1970 it fell to 3 minutes.
Flexible placement of production equipment and use of workers
Initially, at the plant, all five turning, milling and drilling machines were installed side by side and each worker served one machine, for example, a turner - only a lathe, etc. To ensure the continuity of the production flow, the layout of the equipment had to be changed so that each worker could operate several different machines, for example, lathes, milling and drilling machines, presses.
On a multifunctional line, a worker operates several machines in succession, and work on each machine will continue until the worker completes his task. As a result, each part that falls on the line is followed by another part, and strictly after the completion of the previous one. Such a method is called piece production.
These transformations make it possible to eliminate inventories between operations, reduce the number of workers, increase the professional self-esteem of workers, and obtain the interchangeability of multifunctional workers. The usual amount of work in progress is minimal, as it consists only of products that are at any given moment on the machines.
Rationing of works
Production standards are indicated on technological maps and contain the following information: the sequence of operations to be performed by the multi-machine; the order according to which the worker selects the workpiece, sets it on the machine, piece time, standard production reserve. Synchronization of operations on the line can be achieved when each worker implements all operations in accordance with piece time.
Automatic quality control in the workplace
For trouble-free functioning of the system "just in time" 100 % defective products must be delivered to subsequent production sites, and this flow must be continuous. Automatic quality control means the installation on the line of such devices that could prevent the massive appearance or failure of equipment.
Word " autonomy” (“jidoka”) should be understood as the organization and autonomous control of the violation of the processing process. At Toyota factories, almost all machine tools are equipped with automatic stop means, which makes it possible to prevent defects in mass production and to turn off the equipment in the event of a breakdown. The so-called "protection against careless or inept handling" is one such device that prevents defects in operation. If there is any deviation from the norm on the line, the worker stops the entire line by pressing a button. The express board in the Toyota system performs an important role of visual control. If a worker needs help to eliminate a delay in work, he turns on the yellow light on the scoreboard. If he needs to stop the line for troubleshooting, he turns on the red light. Generally, autonomy is a mechanism that allows you to autonomously detect deviations in the production process.
Activation of the human factor
The activation of workers makes the Toyota system truly alive. Each worker has the opportunity to put forward suggestions and suggest improvements at quality circle meetings, which are held under the guidance of the foreman on a regular basis. Proposals are considered by engineers, technologists, managers and implemented as much as possible into the production process. A system of measures for material and moral incentives for active workers is provided for.
The Toyota Production System is based on the principle of continuous improvement (Kaizen). It is a process of incremental but continuous improvement to eliminate any waste. Losses are understood as actions that increase costs and do not bring added value to the product, that is, do not bring value and benefit to the consumer.
There are 8 main types of losses in production
1. Overproduction
2. Waiting and wasting time
3. Extra transport and relocation
4. Over-processing
5. Overstocking
6. Extra movements
7. Defects and marriage
8. Unrealized creative potential of employees
The Toyota Production System includes many different and important elements. But the most remarkable thing is not that each of them works on its own, but that they all interact with each other within the framework of this system. The Toyota Production System is often depicted as a visual diagram. "House of TPS":
The roof of the house is the goal pursued by the company: quality, low costs and the minimum speed of order fulfillment.
Two load-bearing columns:
1. Just-In-Time prevents overproduction.
2. Quality control system (Jidoka) production process minimizes the occurrence of defects, increasing product quality.
The foundation of the house is based on the stability and philosophy of Toyota.
Inside the house are people, an expert team with high morale and a commitment to continuous improvement.
How it works
Thanks to the Just-in-Time concept, no excess production is created, so stocks do not build up in the production line. When a defect appears on the line, a signal is given - Andon - production stops, the search for a solution to the problem begins on the spot. Due to the lack of stocks, the entire production stops and the situation becomes critical. This contributes to the need for a quick solution to the problem. All employees take part in the search for a solution, thereby improving their qualifications. As a result, the problem is solved almost immediately, and not put off indefinitely.
Just in time concept
Even before Taiichi Ohno pioneered TPS in the 1950s, factories were more like warehouses: forklifts scurrying back and forth moved heaps of parts, parts were stockpiled in surplus right next to machines and in workplaces, which is why they were in constant mess. And the main reason for this state of affairs was precisely overproduction.
Overproduction- the main source of losses, which leads to loss of time, excess inventory, unnecessary movements and movements. To eliminate overproduction from the production process, Toyota developed the concept of "just in time". Her idea is to have the right parts in the right amount in the right place. No more no less.
This principle can be clearly observed in supermarkets - goods are put on the shelf when their quantity reaches a certain minimum. Similarly, in a factory, there is no need to store a mountain of parts in the workplace, if exactly such a number of them is not required right here and now.
Jidoka - quality control in the workplace
This is smart factory automation. The principle is based on work on quality and an immediate stop of production when a defect occurs. After that, work immediately begins to eliminate the cause of the defect on the spot. This eliminates overproduction, the appearance and accumulation of defective products.
Jidoka - smart automation of production processes
At the forefront of TPS is the consumer and the main question is always the same - what does he expect from the production process. It is important to understand that we mean not only the end user, that is, the buyer, but also the internal one - the one who works with the product on subsequent operations of the production line. It is important to convey to the consumer a quality product, without defects. This is what jidoka is for.
The main thing is people
People are always at the center of the Toyota system. Ensuring the safety, training and development of personnel, as well as the opportunity for each worker to take part in the life of the whole company. Kaizen teaches how to work effectively in small groups, solve problems, describe and improve processes, collect and analyze data, and work in a team.
People are the main link in the whole philosophy of Toyota
The philosophy of Kaizen implies that the decision or proposal must come from the workers. The introduction of any solution into the production process is submitted for open discussion, the purpose of which is to reach a reasonable consensus. These principles have been in place since the beginning of the Toyota Production System. After all, a worker knows the equipment he works with every day better than a plant manager. The worker knows exactly what the problems are and almost always knows what needs to be done to fix them.
TPS then and today
The Toyota Production System began to emerge in the 1950s. Japan was going through one of the worst crises in its history: war exhaustion, atomic bomb explosions, and a severe economic downturn. It was at this time that the management of Toyota Corporation decided to improve production processes. Under such circumstances, Taiichi Ohno, then Toyota Plant Manager, began to develop the Toyota Production System.
Taiichi Ohno comes up with TPS
As a result, this system became effective not only in the automotive industry, but also entrenched in office work, services, sales, etc. After 40 years, elements of the Toyota production system began to be used all over the world.
Continuous improvement, reduction of waste, improvement of product quality, all this is the result of the work of the Toyota Production System. Its main task is to make sure that the consumer receives a quality product just in time. Toyota and all its suppliers relentlessly adhere to this concept, which ensures a leading position in the global market. Be with the leaders - buy Toyota equipment.
KANBAN
Toyota production management system
One of the first attempts at practical implementation of the concept of "just in time" was the micro-logistics system KANBAN (which means "map" in Japanese) developed by Toyota Motors Corporation.
The Kanban system is a pull system for organizing production and supply, which allows you to implement the Just-In-Time principle.
Developed and implemented for the first time in the world by Toyota. In 1959, this firm began experimenting with the Kanban system and in 1962 began the process of converting all production to Kanban principles. Kanban is based on the theoretical constructions of F. Taylor (1856-1915); G. Ford (1863-1947), as well as some provisions of the philosophy of Zen Buddhism and Confucianism.
The main principles of the functioning of the system are timely delivery of products to the customer, enhanced control over product quality at all stages of production, careful adjustment of equipment that excludes the production of defects, reduction in the number of suppliers of components, maximum approximation of subcontracting enterprises to the location of the main, as a rule, assembly plant.
The Kanban system involves a specific approach to the selection and evaluation of suppliers, based on working with a narrow circle of suppliers selected for their ability to guarantee “just in time” delivery of high quality components. At the same time, the number of suppliers is reduced by two or more times, and long-term business ties are established with the remaining suppliers.
The parent company provides various assistance to suppliers, primarily aimed at improving the quality of the products they supply. The introduction of the Kanban system also involves the use of a comprehensive quality management system, autonomous product quality control, an integrated system for ensuring high-quality equipment operation, and the dissemination of quality circles.
The practical application of the Kanban system gives Japanese engineering firms a significant impact.
Many Russian and Western experts believe that the high competitiveness of Japanese industrial products is primarily due to the use of the ideas and methods of the Kanban system.
The system is used by such well-known firms as General Motors (USA), Renault (France), and many others. commodity stocks - by 8% with a significant acceleration in the turnover of working capital and improving the quality of products.
However, the implementation of Kanban outside of Japan faces serious difficulties, ranging from poor delivery discipline to territorial disunity of suppliers and consumers. (if in Japan the average distance from a car assembly plant to its main suppliers is tens of kilometers, then in Western Europe and the USA it is hundreds of kilometers). For these reasons, most non-Japanese firms use separate elements of the K. system, often in combination with other systems common in the West.
November 6th, 2017Achieving Quality Through Optimal Inventory Utilization
When you think of Toyota, you think of world class quality. So what is the reason for Toyota's success? A very simple concept called Toyota Production System (TPS).
Let's see how it all started. A delegation of officials from Toyota visited Michigan automobile plants owned by Ford Motor Company, the world leader in automotive manufacturing at the time. The Delegation, however, was not impressed by what they saw - it was found that a large number of stocks were simply not being used. Toyota representatives were also shocked by the fact that the workflow between divisions in the company differed from day to day, which indicated suboptimal use of resources. Thus, the potential for automation at Ford was identified! This statement in no way negates Henry Ford's contributions to automating the automotive industry, but merely reflects the lack of attention paid to proper inventory management.
The same delegation visited an American supermarket called Piggly Wiggly, and the visit made a huge impression on them. They found that in the supermarket, replenishment and restructuring of inventory was carried out after the existing inventory was sold. This forced Toyota to seriously rethink its inventory management practices.
The delegation returned to Japan and applied the knowledge gained at Piggly Wiggly to the automation process. They reduced the number of reserves to a minimum level, after which the reserves began to be reorganized depending on their consumption. This principle laid the foundation for the just-in-time inventory management system.
A management philosophy built on best practices gave birth to the Toyota Production system. TPS integrates production and logistics management, as well as the interaction between the customer and the supplier. There are two main principles on which TPS is based. The first is called "Jidoka", which means "automation using human intelligence". When a problem occurs on a conveyor, operators are authorized to stop the entire production line. This is done to prevent the production of defective products. The second is the notion of just-in-time. The TPS system was built on the principles that Toyota founder Sakichi Toyoda adhered to. They were developed between 1948 and 1975 by a Toyota team including Eiji Toyoda, Shigeo Shingo and Taiichi Ohno.
Three "M" in TPS: Muri, Mura and Muda:
What is Muri? Muri's literal translation is overload. The process should be scheduled to provide maximum performance, without "muri" or overload.
What is Mura? A process designed to produce what you need without any deviation or "mura".
What is Muda? Logically, any inconsistency or stress in the process will generate waste or "muda" that must be eliminated.
The concepts of Muri, Mura and Muda are so simple yet so profound and so critical to understand that it's no wonder Toyota is now synonymous with quality.
The ultimate requirement for any process is the reduction or elimination of waste. The TPS talks about 7 types of losses (Muda). They manifest themselves in overproduction, unnecessary movements, waiting, excessive transportation, unnecessary additional processing or creation of unnecessary characteristics by the client, excessive losses and defect correction. Loss elimination is at the heart of the TPS system. Applying this concept to Toyota has resulted in lower costs and reduced inventory rotation times. This is the reason why Toyota has become one of the top ten companies in the world.
The profits generated by the company are constantly increasing, and in 2007 Toyota finally took a leading position in the rankings of car manufacturers in terms of production volume. Jeffrey Liker's book "Tao Toyota" details the TPS system.
My introduction to the Toyota Production System (TPS) began with The Tao of Toyota. The first thing that struck me was the timing of Toyota's strategic planning - 500 years. Further, as I read, I increasingly admired the company's tenacity in achieving its goals. After all, the TPS ideologist Taiichi Ohno had a hard time in the 50-60s - because of the seemingly inefficient methods and low productivity of Toyota plants, the system was called the "disgusting Ono system". With persistence, Toyota has proven to the world that TPS (also known as Just-In-Time or Just-In-Time or Lean or Lean Manufacturing), when applied consistently, can achieve phenomenal results!
And so, a new director came to our company, who constantly mentioned the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and advised to read Goldratt's books "Goal" and "Goal-2". The author has shown how Theory allows to achieve excellent results, and much faster than TPS suggests. But for me it was not at all clear how TOC is consistent with TPS? Or, on the contrary, are these two mutually exclusive ways in production management? After all, even in Japan, only 20% of enterprises use TPS, despite Toyota's willingness to share knowledge, even with its competitors. After all, the answer was given by the creator of TOC - TPS and TOC are based on the same concept, but can fully work in different production environments. Moreover, it is possible to successfully combine these approaches.
Who will be interested in the article
Project managers, business analysts and anyone interested in organizing the work of production.
Examples of effective production management (very briefly)
| Concepts for efficient production | |
| flow improvement | |
| Overproduction protection mechanism | |
| Cancellation of local efficiency indicators | |
| Powerful Flow Balancing Mechanism | |
| Prerequisites for applying application solutions | |
| TPS | TOC |
| Work environment stability | instability production environments |
| Stable demand for a limited range | Assortment with changing demand |
| Stability of loading equipment with orders | Processing is 10% of the time spent in production |
The very concept of organizing efficient production was developed Henry Ford at the beginning of the 20th century. The essence of the concept was to organize a continuous production flow and eliminate restrictions along the entire assembly path that would negatively affect the time to create a car. Ford introduced a flow balancing mechanism - limited the area between the sites for warehousing work in progress. This step allowed the method of observation to quickly identify overproduction of parts and emerging problems in the stream. To move the car from the beginning of the assembly to the exit from the factory, they used conveyor (which, it turns out, was not invented by Ford - the idea of using a conveyor at slaughterhouses proposed to adopt Ford production director. The most interesting thing is that initially the conveyor was mechanical and the workers manually moved the cars from site to site. Over time, the conveyor was made mechanized, and all sections were connected to it. By dividing the assembly stages into 84 operations, it was possible to reduce the assembly time of a car consisting of 5 thousand parts from 14 hours to 1.5 hours. And the flow control mechanism made it possible to achieve fantastic (still unsurpassed in mass-produced cars) speed - 81 hours after the ore was mined, the car was ready for shipment to the buyer. As a result of effective flow management and lower operating costs, the price of a Ford T dropped from $950 to $360 in three years.
Toyota started making cars in the middle of the 20th century. Taiichi Ono carefully read the successful experience of Henry Ford. After Ono heard about the idea of running supermarkets in America, a decision came up on how to organize the production of cars in Toyota. Ford's production environment differed from Toyota's in that Ford mass-produced one car model, while Toyota produced several models in small quantities at the same time.To control the flow, Ford's idea of limiting the space between sections had to be abandoned and moved to the idea of limiting the number of parts between sections. As a result, between the two production sites, there were containers with parts for each car model. Kanban became a practical mechanism for limiting the quantity produced (in Japanese, Kanban is translated as Card). When the container ran out of parts, the kanban with the empty container was passed to the previous site, which meant that another batch of parts had to be produced. And just like Ford, Taiichi Ohno introduced the assembly line, which in those days for the production of small batches was simply unthinkable. In 50 years of operation, TPS has become a fantastic competitive advantage for Toyota. The low cost of cars, the high level of profitability of Toyota, coupled with excellent quality, have not allowed other automakers to live in peace for 30 years.
Theory of Constraints (T heory Of Constraints - TOC or 1 more BBK name - Drum Buffer Rope) was developed Eliyahu Goldratt for productions with low turnaround times (less than 10%) compared to the current turnaround time. TOC also works great in production with any amount of output. Why have so many manufacturers failed to adopt the Toyota Production System? It should be well understood that Taiichi Ohno developed a practical mechanism for the organization of production specifically for Toyota, based on Ford's concepts of efficient production. Toyota is characterized by the production of an insignificant range of cars, the model range changes no more than once a year, and the receipt of orders from customers is aligned in such a way as not to disrupt the deadlines for their implementation. However, most enterprises operate in a different production environment: a wide assortment that changes more than once a year and is accompanied by an unstable flow of orders from customers. As a result, the use of the Toyota overproduction restriction mechanism - Kanban becomes impossible. Indeed, under the condition of the production of a wide range of products, it will not be possible to keep containers with parts for each type of product between two sections. Based on the specified nature of the production environment, Goldratt proposes to move away from the limitation of overproduction by area, like Ford, and by quantity, like Toyota, and use the mechanism of limiting the time to start production. Flow control should be prioritized, for example highlighting parts that are less than 30% in production in green, more than 70% in yellow and the rest in red. And build the order of processing parts strictly according to the colors red-yellow-green.
Conclusion
As a matter of fact, that's all. The goal was to introduce such an unexpected discovery. Although the concepts of efficient production are the same, practical solutions are built based on the conditions of a specific production environment. Therefore, before you take up the application of practical approaches in your production, you need to clearly understand for which production environment a particular solution was developed.
You can find all the details on this topic in the sources of information listed at the end of the article.