Equipment Efficiency:

Quality and Poka-Yoke (Mistake-

Proof, )
Operations Analysis and Improvement

2010 Fall

Dr. Tai-Yue Wang

Industrial and Information Management Department
National Cheng Kung University

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Presentation
Shigeo Shingo developed a system to
improve inspection tasks with the goal of
guaranteeing 100% quality for
manufactured parts.
Leading the charge toward a defect-free
process.

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Presentation
This chapter will explain inspection
processes based on mistake-proving (called
Poka-Yoke).
Complements Statistical Process Control (SPC).
Poka-Yokes are visual and physical tools
that should be utilized in conjunction with
inspection.
This concept will also be presented in this
chapter.
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 1 11 12 20
9
7 16
14 5

Introduction
6 4
17 8
18 15
19 10 13
2 3

Poka-Yoke is part of the Just-in-time

philosophy and key number 11.
Poka-Yoke reduces the defect rate that is
part of the OEE rate. Thinking
revolution

The 5S

Standard
Poka-Yoke Jidoka
operations

Workforce optimization
Visual Control
One-Piece Multi-
TPM functional
flow workers

Leveling
Kanban SMED
Production

JUST IN TIME 4/32

Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
Every production process generates
defective products.
The objective for all quality control systems is
to reduce the number of defects produced.
Types of defects.
Isolated (a crack appeared on a product).
Sequence (repetitive) defects.

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Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
Product inspection is performed in order to
avoid defective products from reaching the
customer.

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 A Taxonomy of Inspection
Total or partial.
100% of the products or extrapolating a sample
study.
Statistical or not statistical.
Based on statistical methods or not.
Quantitative or qualitative.
Number of elements or appearance of the product.

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 A Taxonomy of Inspection
Based on measures or based on functional trials.
Numerical values or without measures.
Sensory or physical.
Through human senses or by means of devices.
Subjective or objective.
Evaluated by a person based on appearance or
evaluated based on a specific measurable feature.
Internal or external.
Within the process or as an independent activity. 8/32
 Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
Inspection should be able to identify defects.
Develop a corrective action to eliminate the errors
or more specifically the cause of the defects.

Otherwise, inspection process will become a pointless
exercise.

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 Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
Many years ago, it was believed that the only
way of insuring the quality of all
manufactured products was to inspect all of
the parts - 100% inspection.
100% inspection does not result in defect free
products to the customer.

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Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
To avoid this problem and reduce inspection
cost, it is possible to duplicate the
inspections.
How many control stages would be necessary
to guarantee the quality of the entire
manufactured lot?

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Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
Using this procedure, it is not possible to
avoid product defects in an efficient way.
Statistical quality control techniques (SQC)
seem to be the right alternative.
Some percentage of defects is always accepted.

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Inspection and Statistical Quality
Control
A high defect production rate (high defect
level) can be deadly for a company well
being.
It is very important to eliminate or capture all
defective parts before they reach the market.
Shingo utilizes the term SQC.
SQC is a term that today has become obsolete.
SQC has been replace by SPC.
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From SQC to Zero defects
Shingo introduced new ways of carrying
out inspection processes that were based on
SQC.
The inspection process evolution should be
similar to the historical evolution of these
methods.

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From SQC to Zero defects
SQC techniques are based on two principles.
Evaluate (statistical samplings).
Inform (feedback analysis until reaching the
cause/process that created the defect).
SQC implementation has two main problems.
Do not guarantee the quality of all products.
Because 100% of them are not inspected.
Feedback and corrective actions are slow or in
many cases do not even exist.
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 From SQC to Zero defects
Therefore, an inspection process, which is
based on control charts, does not reduce the
factory defective rate.
It only detects defects.

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 From SQC to Zero defects
Shingo proposed two methods to avoid these
problems.
100% inspection of the product utilizing Poka-Yoke
devices.
Accelerating feedback by self-checking
Where production workers check their parts and by
successive check systems.

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 Poka-Yoke
The Poka-Yoke concept was created by Shingo.
fool-proof devices -> Poka-Yoke mistake-proving
To consider an inspection device as a Poka-Yoke.
Ingenious, simple and cheap.
Several Poka-Yoke devices can be found in our
daily life activities.
Recording protection window on floppy disks

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 Poka-Yoke
Poka-Yoke systems can be used in a company in
order to mistake proof activities.
Automatic part feeders.
Poka-Yokes can reduce undesired workload components.
It is possible to separate parts with different
specifications.

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 Poka-Yoke
Poka-Yoke devices such as Go-no Go devices are
utilized in order to avoid inspections based on
trials.
It is not always possible to design a Poka-Yoke to
carry out 100% of the inspection.

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 Self-check and successive check
systems
Self-check procedure.
The worker who produces the part is the same
worker that carries out the inspection.
This system is the most efficient one.
The worker obtains immediate feedback.

Criticizing ones own performance may not be totally
objective.

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 Self-check and successive check
systems
Successive check.
Next worker will typically conduct the inspection
task.
Can reduce the defect rate by as much as one fifth of the
initial value in about one month.
It is necessary to fix 2 or 3 check points.
In the beginning of this checking procedure, the defect rate will
increase.

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 Self-check and successive check
systems
Sensory based inspections (scratches, painting
quality).
It is advantageous to place samples next to the
checking point to show acceptable limits.

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Source inspection
These techniques reduce the defect rate.
Do not eliminate the error(s).

Causal relationship between errors and defects.
If the error source is eliminated, errors will never become
defects.

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Source inspection
Source inspection eliminated all the errors
except the unnoticed errors.
These unnoticed errors can be detected by an
efficient use of Poka-Yoke devices.
Types of source inspection
Vertical -> Before the process.
Horizontal -> Inside the same process

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 Poka-Yoke design methodology
Three suggested methods.
Weight, the dimensions or the shape.

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 Poka-Yoke design methodology
The use of meters/counters, spare pieces
method or a fixed sequence in the assembly
process

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 Poka-Yoke design methodology
Use technology to design
the Poka-Yoke devices.
Contact mechanisms.
Limit switches.
Mechanisms without contact.
Sensors.
Meters/counters.

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 Poka-Yoke examples
Improper parts (extra material) can break or
otherwise adversely affect the tool of the
following process.
The introduction of a mechanical blade stop can
redirect the parts.
It is possible to avoid the line from stopping by
using a size limit Poka Yoke.

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 Poka-Yoke examples
Some templates (previously designed)
eliminate the errors when adjusting the
parameters before a process.
By designing separate face covers for the
proper product.
The template patterns indicate the proper
settings and values that should be utilized.

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 Poka-Yoke examples
A simple slot in the conveyor line can avoid an
incorrect product.
Without the utilization of a Poka-Yoke, filling material
can be wasted and a major spillage can occur.
With the Poka-Yoke the line will not stop and the
improperly oriented parts will fall to collector box

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 Summary
The chapter had the primary objective to present one of
the many quality related improvement tools: The Poka-
Yoke (mistake-proving devices). The Lean manufacturing
philosophy considers this tool as one of the pillars to
improve the overall equipment efficiency. The chapter has
presented several examples of this kind of devices
showing that in order for a device to be considered as a
Poka-Yoke it must be ingenious, simple and cheap.

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