APPAREL QUALITY

CONTROL
POKA-YOKE AND QUALITY
CIRCLE

SIDDHI A. SHIRODKAR
BSC FAD , 3RD YEAR
 POKA –YOKE
• POKA – YOKE IS ANY MECHANISM IN A LEAN MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT
HELPS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AVOID MISTAKE.
• IT IS JAPANESE TERM – MEANS “MISTAKE-PROOFING”.
• IT IS MOSTLY IMPLEMENTED IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
• THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF APPROACHES FOR MISTAKE-PROOFING DEVICES:
1. CONTROL APPROACH -CONTROL APPROACH SENSES THE ERROR/PROBLEM AND
STOPS OR SHUT DOWN THE MACHINE/PROCESS SO THAT CORRECTIVE
MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN QUICKLY, AND THUS PREVENTING DEFECTS
OCCURRENCE.
2. WARNING APPROACH-THE WARNING APPROACH SIGNALS THE OCCURRENCE OF
DEFECTS OR MISTAKES THROUGH BUZZERS, LIGHTS, OR OTHER WARNING
DEVICES. HOWEVER, THE WARNING METHOD DOES NOT SHUT DOWN THE
MACHINE OR PROCESS ON EVERY OCCURRENCE.
• POKA YOKE DEVICES CONSIST OF THREE METHODS FOR PREVENTION AND
DETECTION OF ERRORS/MISTAKES IN MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
• CONTACT METHOD. FIXED-VALUE METHOD. MOTION-STEP METHOD.
Poka yoke categorized into main two
types:
• PREVENTION POKA-YOKE NOT ALLOWING THE POSSIBILITY FOR THE MISTAKE TO
OCCUR IN THE FIRST PLACE.

• DETECTION POKA-YOKE ALLOWING THE MISTAKE TO OCCUR BUT PROVIDE SOME

MEANS OF DETECTING, ALERTING, AND CORRECTING IT.
• CONTACT METHOD: CONTACT METHODS INVOLVE TESTING/INSPECTING FOR
PRODUCT PARAMETERS AND OTHER PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES SUCH AS SIZE, SHAPE,
COLOR, ETC. TO IDENTIFY IF ANY ERROR EXISTS. EXAMPLE: LIMIT SWITCHES, TOGGLE
SWITCHES, AND PHYSICAL CONTACT SENSORS.

• FIXED-VALUE METHOD: THE COUNTING METHOD ALERTS THE MACHINE OPERATOR IF

THE NUMBER OF ITEMS, MOVEMENTS, OR EVENTS IS NOT FOLLOWED OR MADE .
EXAMPLE, FIVE SCREWS REQUIRED TO ASSEMBLE A CASE. A COUNTER DEVICE ON
THE TOOL/MACHINE KEEPS TRACK OF THE NO. OF SCREWS USED.

• MOTION OR SEQUENCE METHOD: THE MOTION METHOD DETERMINE THAT WHETHER

THE DEFINED SEQUENCE OF OPERATION HAS BEEN FOLLOWED.
 WHY POKA –YOKE IS
IMPORTANT

The value of using Poka-Yoke is that they help

people and processes work right the first time,
which makes mistakes impossible to happen.
These techniques can significantly improve the
quality and reliability of products and processes
by eliminating defects.
 BENEFITS
•Elimination of mistakes/errors/defects before
they occur. DISADVANTAGES
•Detecting and correcting defects as they
occur. For example, eliminating the need for an
•Improvement in product and process quality operator to perform routine checks may
•Reduction in cost due to poor quality. result in an obvious error being
•Reduction in customer complaints and overlooked. Additionally, if the
rejection. poka-yoke measure is not well-designed,
•Prevention of defect outflow to customer. it may reduce efficiency and increase
•Elimination of unwanted operations related costs unnecessarily.
to quality control.
•Higher productivity.
•Less bourdon on workers.
•Enhance customer satisfaction.
 QUALITY CIRCLE
DEFINITION
Quality circle basically consists
of a formal, institutionalized
mechanism for productive and
participative problem solving
interaction among the employees
of the organization. It is made of a
group of employees who perform
similar tasks or share an area of
responsibility.
What are the roles of
quality circle?
Quality circles have become an
important instrument for the
improvement of the quality in primary
care. These small groups of doctors are
based on voluntary participation and are
continuously assessing and improving
their own performance in patient care.
Advantages of Quality Circles
are Disadvantages of Quality Circles include:
• Improved communication (1) lack of management support
• Management awareness of employee (2) time required to implement
job-related concerns (3) failure to hire consultants
• personal growth and development (4) improper composition of Circles
• Increased individual power
• Improved motivation
• Opportunities for recognition of
individual improvement.