Toyota Production System

Presented by Aysel Muradlı

Taiichi Ohno (1912-1990)

Japanese industrial engineer

and businessman

The Father of TPS

He devised “Seven Wastes” as

part of TPS.

History of TPS

A production system which is steeped in the philosophy of "the complete elimination of all waste" imbuing all aspects of production in pursuit of the most efficient methods.

It was developed by Taiichi Ohno, Sakichi Toyoda, Kiichiro Toyoda, Eiji Toyoda.

Toyota Production System

The Toyota Production System (TPS) was established based on two concepts:

Jidoka

Just-in-Time

Toyota Production System

“Jidoka” can be loosely translated as "automation with a human touch“.

It means that when a problem occurs, the equipment stops immediately, preventing defective products from being produced.

 As a result, only products satisfying quality standards will be passed on to the following processes on the production line.

Jidoka

When a problem arises and is communicated via the "andon" (problem display board).

Each operator can be in charge of many machines, resulting in higher productivity, while continuous improvements lead to greater processing capacity.

Quality must be built in during the manufacturing process!

Jidoka

Producing quality products efficiently through the complete elimination of waste, inconsistencies, and unreasonable requirements on the production line.

In order to deliver a vehicle ordered by a customer as quickly as possible, the vehicle is efficiently built within the shortest possible period of time.

Making only "what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed!"

Just-in-Time

Unique production control method

Idea borrowed from super markets so called “super market method”.

When a process goes to the preceding process to retrieve parts, it uses kanban signs to communicate what parts have been used.

Reduces excess production.

Kanban System

1) Reduced setup times2) Small-lot production3) Employee involvement and empowerment4) Quality at the source5) Equipment maintenance6) Pull production 7) Supplier involvement

7 Principles of TPS

All setup practices are wasteful because they add no value and they tie up labor and equipment.

By organizing procedures,  using carts, and training workers to do their own setups,  Toyota managed to slash setup times from months to hours and sometimes even minutes.

Reduced Setup Times

Producing things in large batches results in huge setup costs, high capital cost of high-speed dedicated machinery, larger inventories, extended lead times, and  larger defect costs.

Because Toyota has found the way to make setups short and inexpensive, it became possible for them to economically produce a variety of things in small quantities.

Small-lot production

Toyota organized their workers by forming teams and gave them the responsibility and training to do many specialized tasks.

Teams are also given responsibility for housekeeping and minor equipment repair.

Each team has a leader who also works as one of them on the line.

Employee Involvement and Empowerment

To eliminate product defects, they must be discovered and corrected as soon as possible. 

Since workers are at the best position to discover a defect and to immediately fix it, they are assigned this responsibility.

If a defect cannot be readily fixed, any worker can halt the entire line by pulling a cord (called Jidoka).

Quality at the Source

Toyota operators are assigned primary responsibility for basic maintenance since they are in the best position to defect signs of malfunctions.

Maintenance specialists diagnose and fix only complex problems, improve the performance of equipment, and train workers in maintenance.

Equipment Maintenance

To reduce inventory holding costs and lead times, Toyota developed the pull production method wherein the quantity of work performed at each stage of the process is dictated solely by demand for materials from the immediate next stage.

The Kanban scheme coordinates the flow of small containers of materials between stages. This is where the term Just-in-Time (JIT) originated.

Pull Production

Toyota treats its suppliers as partners, as integral elements of Toyota Production System (TPS).

Suppliers are trained in ways to reduce setup times, inventories, defects, machine breakdowns etc., and take responsibility to deliver their best possible parts.

Supplier Involvement

The "Toyota spirit of making things" is referred to as the "Toyota Way.“

It has been adopted not only by companies inside Japan and within the automotive industry, but in production activities worldwide, and continues to evolve globally.

"Toyota Way“

The End