Jidoka in lean manufacturing

Jidoka

Jidoka is to build devices in the machines which detect defects and automatically stop the machine upon such an occurrence. When we give the power “to push buttons or pull cords” to operators is called Andon, which can bring the entire assembly line to stop. 

The concept of Jidoka originated in the early 1900s when Sakichi Toyoda, founder of the Toyota Group, invented a textile loom that stopped automatically when any thread broke.

Principle of Jidoka :

1. Autonomation:

Providing the machine the ability to stop itself when it senses that there is an abnormality.

2. Stopping the line to remove the causes of the problem.

Stop the line and notify the problem. Never let a defect pass to the next station.

What is Autonomation :

Autonomation transfers human intelligence to automated machines so that machines can detect the production of a single defective part and immediately stop themselves while asking for help.

Jidoka uses limit switches or devices that stop a process when :

1. The required number of pieces has been made.
2. Any part is defective.
3. The mechanism jams.

Why Autonomation required?

• To make machines free from constant human attention.
• Operators can handle multiple machines.

Benefits of Autonomation :

• Productivity improves when people are multi-machine handlers as compared to automation.
• Machines detect errors and stop autonomously.
• Defects and machine crashes are prevented by auto-stop.
• Errors cause machines to stop and root cause can be found quicker.

List of things for “Stop the line culture & system”:

The following list includes some of the things that you will have to do in order to effectively create a “Stop the line culture and system”

1. Understand your current culture and why it developed.
2. Create a clear vision for change.
3. Pay attention to the dignity and respect of the people.
4. Establish a reasonable degree of stability in processes.
5. Have a method to stop the line.
6. The process must provide an audible and visual indication of the exact point of the problem.
7. Define rules and procedures for responding to problems.
8. Teach people to solve problems.
9. Increase the urgency and make it necessary to fix problems.
10. Have people designated to respond when the line stops.