The 6 Commonly Implemented

Poka Yoke - (Mistake Proofing Techniques)

1. A change in a die design

In some operations (for example in stamping, drilling…), a die is necessary and can be placed incorrectly. That error can result
in product quality issues and in damage done to the die.
How to avoid this? By making it impossible to place the die only in one way. This can be realized in many ways. An approach is
to have guide pins of different sizes, so that they can only “fit” in one direction. There are many other approaches.

2. A change in a fixture design

This is relatively similar to point 1, with a key difference: the part being worked on can be placed the wrong way into a fixture,
with resulting quality issues.
The fixture can be modified in order to make it impossible to place the part incorrectly. (Sometimes the design of the part itself
has to be changed, for the same effect.)

3. Sensors that prevent processing under certain conditions

The most common sensors are listed below:
 Limit switch – convenient when a part is in contact with a tool/fixture.
 Proximity sensor – a good solution when a part is/might be at a certain distance.
 Infrared sensor – appropriate for checking presence from a distance.

4. A vision system
In simple terms, a vision system captures images, analyzes them, and triggers an action in pre-determined cases. It does not
require contact with the product.
For example, it might detect that a part is poorly positioned, that a component (or labeling element) is missing, that a step was
done before another, etc. As a response, it might sound an alarm, or it might make it impossible to proceed (often by stopping
a piece of equipment) until a positive change is made.

5. A checklist
By any standard, a checklist is one of the weakest mistake proofing techniques. It does help a lot when no other approach
listed above is possible and when operators are trained and careful – think pilots in a plane.
The more a checklist’s elements are integrated into the work content, the better. Think of color codes where a checklist step
matches a certain tool. Or a form to fill out that contains the steps in the right order.

6. Solutions to avoid or detect errors for close to zero investment

Poka yokes are a science but also an art. Think this way and you will see many opportunities that will take different shapes
depending on the application.
For example, let’s say some parts move on a conveyor. A few of them have a defect and are taller. The “obvious”
countermeasure is a sensor that detects that abnormality. But a better approach is to place a stick that will block the way to all
defective parts and push them into a red container on the side of the conveyor. It is faster and cheaper to implement, it is
easier to maintain, and it immediately acts on its findings!

Conclusion
There are many other types of devices and systems that reduce human errors without requiring a heavy investment. Some of
them actually add a step to the process (for example, kitting components together before assembling them usually results in
fewer missing parts and in faster assembly) and typically don’t qualify as a method of mistake proofing. Others cost virtually
nothing and cut defects by 80%.
In many industries, this tool is the best way to reduce defects from about 3% to a tenth of that. That’s a major component of
‘jidoka’, which is one of the 2 pillars of the Toyota Production System.

Do you have any questions about mistake proofing, or examples of where it has worked for you to share with us