Toyota Production system

(TPS) - Concept and 2 Main

Pillars (Detailed)
 What is Toyota Production System (TPS)
Toyota Production System (TPS) Means - A production system based on the
philosophy of achieving the complete elimination of all waste in pursuit of the
most efficient methods

So the Essence of this definition is:

• Identify Waste in all forms
• Do trial and errors to find out best practice/ method applicable for process
• It is a philosophy (a way of life) and not one or two time event or activity –
repeat it regularly
 Concept of Toyota Production System (TPS)
This production control system was established based on many years of
continuous improvements, with the objective of making the vehicles ordered
by customers in the quickest and most efficient way, in order to deliver the
vehicles as swiftly as possible (i.e. reduce lead time).
The Toyota Production System (TPS) was established based
on two concepts:
1. "jidoka" (which can be loosely translated as "automation with a human
touch"), as when a problem occurs, the equipment stops immediately,
preventing defective products from being produced;
2. the "Just-in-Time" concept, in which each process produces only what is
needed for the next process in a continuous flow.
 Outcome of Toyota Production System (TPS)
Based on the basic philosophies of jidoka and Just-in-Time, TPS can efficiently
and quickly produce vehicles of sound quality, one at a time, that fully satisfy
customer requirements.
So this statement summarizes all of the concept
Efficiently – Tending to Zero waste
Quickly – Reduced Lead Time
Sound Quality – No waste, only good quality (Quality at source)
One at a time – Single Pc Flow
Satisfy Customer Requirements – Quality and Quantity as per customer
requirement
 Pillars Of Toyota Production System
In my last presentation, I have covered 2 Pillars of Toyota Production system along with its
elements and how they evolved over period of time. These are depicted below

Pull System of
Just-in-time Production

Production
When a problem is
detected, production
Transporting only when lines stop and an alert
is needed is displayed
System

Jidoka
Producing products
within a flow

Producing products in Separation of

smaller lots operator’s work and
machine’s work
Production Leveling
based on takt time
 1st Pillar - Just in Time
Objective is ―Improving productivity―
By Making only "what is needed (Exact Item description), when it is needed
(Time or schedule), and in the amount needed (Quantity)“
Producing quality products efficiently through the complete
elimination of waste (Muda) , inconsistencies (Mura), and unreasonable
requirements (Muri) on the production line . (These topics will be covered in
forthcoming presentations)
So the essence of 1st pillar is to find out “EXACT & CORRECT”
Requirement and then establish a way to achieve it – in production (Material
flow) terms as well as in Information flow terms , as explained in next slide
 Just In Time - Principles
These Principles are to be followed for achieving JIT (Just in time) production:
1. When an order is received, production instructions must be issued to the
beginning of the production line as soon as possible – Information Flow
2. The assembly line must be stocked with the required number of all
necessary parts so that any kind of order can be assembled.
3. The assembly line must replace the parts used by retrieving the same
number of parts from the parts-producing process (the preceding
process). – Material Flow
4. The preceding process must be stocked with small numbers of all types of
parts and produce only the numbers of parts that were retrieved by an
operator from the next process. – Material Flow
Few Question comes to ones mind
• Is keeping parts between processes not amounting to “Waste” or “Muda”
• Is it absolutely necessary to have inventory in between?
• What parts should be kept?
• And in how to calculate the quantity in between?

Answers to these questions will be available in upcoming series, so keep

watching this space!!!
 2nd Pillar - Jidoka
Objective is ― Sound Quality ―
“By producing quality at source and passing only that parts to next processes
which ABSOLUTELY confirms to laid quality stardards“
For Toyota, jidoka means that a machine must come to a safe stop
whenever an abnormality occurs.
Abnormality means - Anything that is not Normal. So it may be
• Any product not conforming to laid quality standards
• Any safety issue where there is chance of injury or accident
• Any abnormal sound or behavior of machine or instruments
• Any process getting by passed
 Jidoka - Principles
Achieving jidoka, therefore, requires building and improving systems by hand
until they are reliable and safe.
• First, human engineers meticulously build each new line component
(through each process) by hand to exacting standards – This is critical to
develop a exact “How” a product is made i.e. how it is processed which
improves Human Skills and becomes a facilitator for second step
• Transfer Gained knowledge and skills to machines/ process steps through
incremental kaizen (continuous improvement), steadily simplify its
operations – Continuous small incremental improvement rather than 1
time activity
 Essence of Jidoka
Machines and robots do not think for themselves or evolve on their own.
Rather, they evolve as we transfer our skills and craftsmanship to them. In
other words, craftsmanship is achieved by learning the basic principles of
manufacturing through manual work, then applying them on the factory floor
to steadily make improvements.
This cycle of improvement in both HUMAN SKILLS and
TECHNOLOGIES is the essence of Toyota's jidoka.
Advancing Jidoka in this way helps to reinforce both our
manufacturing competitiveness and human resource development.
 Benefits of Jidoka
• Eventually, the value added by the line's human operators disappears,
meaning any operator can use the line to produce the same result – Less
Faults, Less Process Miss, Less production of defects, Less variations due
to process. Unless same results are produced , Jidoka should not be
incorporated into actual production lines.
• Skill of the Workers, Engineers improve in this journey
• Through the repetition of this process, machinery becomes simpler and
less expensive, while maintenance becomes less time consuming and less
costly, ENABLING THE CREATION OF SIMPLE, SLIM, FLEXIBLE LINES
THAT ARE ADAPTABLE TO FLUCTUATIONS IN PRODUCTION
VOLUME
Thank You!!!
Journey Continues...