5-S

This refers to the safe, clean, neat, and orderly arrangement of the workplace that provides a specific location for everything, eliminates anything not required, and supports the team member. There are five steps for achieving this. They are:

Sort (Seiri)

Set-In-Order (Seiton)

Shine (Seiso)

Standardized (Seiketsu)

Sustain (Shitsuke)

6-SIGMA

Approximately 3 errors per million. Six Sigma means the elimination of variance in the process in order to allow flow using the necessary analytical tools and process.

ANDON

An electrical board which can light or play music to show the current state of work operations. Based on this information, immediate action can be taken.



CAUSE AND EFFECT

To provide a pictorial display of a list in which you identify and organize possible causes of problems, or factors needed to ensure success of some effort.
It is an effective tool that allows people to easily see the relationship between factors to study processes, situations, and for planning.

CONTINUOUS FLOW PROCESSING

A production system in which inventory between processes is kept to a minimum and production is done one-piece-at-a-time.

CYCLE TIME

The total amount of time to complete one job from start to finish by a team member. The cycle time will vary slightly, depending on which team member is doing the work.



DEFECTS

Non - conformances in a product or service.
Could result in additional material requirements, labour and time to re-manufacture part and potential labour if defect reaches your customer.

DIRECT RUN RATIO

% of vehicles built correctly (i.e., that meet quality specifications) the first time that do not have to be removed from the line for rectification/correction.



5-WHYS

The so-called 5W's and 1H (who, what, where, when, why, and how) are used in problem solving. "WHY?" is asked a minimum of five times TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE of a problem.

FIXED POSITION STOP

If a Team Member has a problem while working on line, he/she activates the andon. The Team Leader immediately tries to correct the problem. If it cannot be fixed, the conveyor stops at the end of the process. This position is the fixed position stop.

GEMBA

A Japanese term which means, "the workplace".

GENCHI-GENBUTSU

Two Japanese words which mean "actual place-actual part." At Toyota, this very important expression means, "Go see with your own eyes."

HEIJUNKA

The act of leveling the variety and/or volume of items produced at a process over a period of time. Used to avoid excessive batching of product types and/or volume fluctuations.

JIDOKA

One of the two main pillars of the Toyota Production System (the other is Just-In-Time). Jidoka is a system which notifies us of problems with a process or equipment. It refers to the ability of production lines to be stopped in the case that problems occur, thereby preventing the passing on of defects.

JISHUKEN

A workplace-based activity in which TPS understanding is confirmed by first-hand, on-the-job application. Jishuken is an opportunity to transfer and confirm TPS knowledge and to "grow people" by a learning and coaching process throughout our organization.

JUST-IN-TIME

One of the two main pillars of the Toyota Production System (the other is Jidoka). Just-In-Time is a system which notifies us of problems with material flow. It refers to the manufacturing and conveyance of the right part, in the right amount at the right time.

To achieve Just-In-Time, you must have the following three in place: 1) Continuous flow, 2) Takt Time, and a 3) Pull System.

KAIZEN

Continuous improvement, done by applying the wisdom of all team members.

KANBAN

The communication tool used between customers and suppliers which signals to procure or produce more parts. Kanban may assume many forms, such as kanban cards, empty boxes, plastic disks, etc.

LEAN PRODUCTION

Lean production refers to a production technique (originally used in Japanese manufacturing companies) where production methods are streamlined as much as possible. The aim is to cut costs by reducing waste and improving quality.

LINE BALANCING

Line balancing consists of distributing work required to assemble a product in mass or series production on an assembly line among a set of work stations. Several constraints and different objectives may be considered for single lines, U-shaped lines, mixed model and mixed sequencing lines.

MUDA

The Japanese word for "non-value added", or "waste". Waste is that which raises the cost of production but adds no value. The seven types of waste are:

Waste of Waiting

Waste of Conveyance

Waste of Over-Processing

Waste of Inventory

Waste of Motion

Waste of Correction

Waste of Over-Production ( worst type)

MURI

The Japanese word for "unevenness" or "fluctuation". This can refer to two situations:

When work is unevenly distributed among team members, and

When products are unevenly distributed on the production line.

NON VALUE ADDED

e.g. - reworking materials / parts, deburring - do right first time. Value Stream Mapping is frequently used to identify non-value-added steps in the process.

OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY

% of actual production time during the possible production time.



OVER PRODUCTION

Producing more than the customer demands. (Muda) Opposite is a pull system - in Toyota Production System.

POKAYOKE

Error-proofing devices or innovations in a process which detect and prevent the production or delivery of a product that does not meet customer requirements.

PROCESS CAPABILITY

Process capability compares the output of an in-control process to the specification limits by using capability.

PRODUCTION LEAD-TIME

The amount of time it takes to produce one product from the time the order is placed until delivery. Lead time is defined as:



A: From the time order is received until work is begun
B: From the beginning of work until the product is completed
C: From product completion until delivery to the customer

PULL SYSTEM

A system of manufacturing in which latter production processes withdraw from preceding processes the parts they need, when they need them, in the exact amount needed.



PUSH SYSTEM

A system of manufacturing in which parts are pushed from one step to the next step as they are finished without regard for what is really needed.This is"MUDA"!



ROOT CAUSE

The real cause or "ORIGIN" of a problem.

RUN CHART

A simple plot of process characteristics against time or in a chronological sequence that is used to reveal trends or relationships between variables.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

A standardizing technique used for steering a process in a desired direction, reducing variation, increasing knowledge about the process, assessing process capability and providing performance benchmarks.

STANDARIZED WORK

This, the foundation of the Toyota Production System, is a concept that enables ALL team members to identify problems. The best current method for doing a job is WRITTEN DOWN; this is called standardized work.

TAKT-TIME

Takt is the pace of market sales reflected in production. To calculate takt time, the number of seconds worked per shift (excluding overtime) is divided by the number of vehicle orders to be filled in that shift.



UNDER-UTILIZATION OF TEAM MEMBERS

Can be applied to mental , creative , physical skills and abilities. Common causes - poor workflow, organizational culture, inadequate hiring practices, poor or non- existent training and high employee turnover.

TOTAL PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

Activity that targets zero downtime of machinery/equipment, zero defects and zero accidents by the pro-active identification of potential problems.

TOTAL QUALITY MAINTENANCE

TQM is a management system used to continuously improve all areas of the company.

TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM

The main goal of this manufacturing system, developed by Toyota, is to eliminate all unnecessary waste (muda). The two main elements of the system are 1) Jidoka and 2) Just-In-Time (see above).

TOYOTA WAY

The 14 Principles of the Toyota Way is a management philosophy used by the Toyota corporation that includes the Toyota Production System. The main ideas are to base management decisions on a "philosophical sense of purpose", to think long term, to have a process for solving problems, to add value to the organization by developing its people, and to recognize that continuously solving root problems drives organizational learning.

VALUE STREAM MAPPING

A pencil and paper improvement tool that provides an understanding of the flow of material and information as a product makes its way through the value stream.

VISUAL MANAGEMENT

This is the practice of making all standards, targets, and actual conditions highly visible in the workplace, so that everyone can see and understand the actual conditions vs. requirements.

WORK CELLS

Arrangement of equipment and/or people to improve productivity and communication.