Japanese Quality tools and Techniques

Dr Rhys Rowland-Jones

Lecture aims

By the end of this lecture you will be able to :

Demonstrate an understanding of the differing types of quality tools / techniques attributed to the Japanese Evaluate the applicability of tools and techniques of quality improvement Appraise the effectiveness of individual applications of appropriate quality tools

Phases of Quality Assurance

Inspection before/after production
Acceptance sampling

Inspection and corrective action during production

Process control

Quality built into the process

Continuous improvement

The least progressive

The most progressive

Japan -Post WW2

Joseph Juran talked of the 'serious marketing problems' that hampered the nation's attempts to convert production to civilian goods. Japanese goods were traditionally considered to be of sub-standard quality, which deterred foreign importers. However, the nation became an economic superpower, and by the beginning of 1980, Japanese automakers were responsible for a quarter of American car sales. HOW??????

The experts views

The west, says quality expert Geoff Tennant,

According to automotive writer John Pearley Huffman,

was caught on the hop by the Japanese industry because it consistently attempted to 'add luxury' to everything so that it could mark up the price. Quietly and stealthily, though, Japanese manufacturers were, instead, 'adding quality to everything'.

'buying Japanese didn't necessarily mean you'd made a compromise or settled for second best. It was a Japanese vehicle that competed with the best of Europe and America in quality, performance and sheer sexiness and beat them without sacrificing the keen pricing advantage that opened the door to Japanese imports in the first place'.

Source Institute of Quality Assurance 2006

Examples of Quality Dimensions

Dimension
1. Performance

(Product) Car
Everything works, fit & finish Ride, handling, grade of materials used Interior design, soft touch

(Service) Auto Repair

All work done, at agreed price Friendliness, courtesy, Competency, quickness Clean work/waiting area

2. Aesthetics

3. Special features Gauge/control placement Location, call when ready Cellular phone, CD Computer diagnostics player

Examples of Quality Dimensions (Contd)

Dimension (Product) Car
5. Reliability Infrequency of breakdowns

(Service) Auto Repair

Work done correctly, ready when promised Work holds up over time Award-winning service department

6. Durability

Useful life in miles, resistance to rust & corrosion Top-rated car

7. Perceived quality

8. Serviceability Handling of complaints and/or Handling of complaints requests for information

Key Contributors to Quality Management

Contributor Known for
Deming 14 points; special & common causes of variation Quality is fitness for use; quality trilogy Quality is a total field Quality is free; zero defects Cause-and effect diagrams; quality circles Taguchi loss function / Design of Experiments

Juran Feignbaum Crosby Ishikawa

Taguchi

Quality

A question of culture?

The US and Japanese markets have demonstrated quite characteristic attitudes to quality, which have often been informed by the countries' social and cultural difference.

Basic Steps in Problem Solving

1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Define the problem and establish an improvement goal Collect data Analyze the problem Generate potential solutions Choose a solution Implement the solution Monitor the solution to see if it accomplishes the goal

Sun Tzus Art of War

Traditionally, a Japanese Samurai carried seven tools into battle.

After World War II the Japanese adopted 'quality' as a philosophy for economic recovery and, in line with this traditional approach, sought seven tools to accomplish the economic rejuvenation. The seven tools chosen were:

Histograms Cause and Effect Diagrams Check Sheets Pareto Diagrams Graphs Control Charts Scatter Diagrams

The seven tools

Control Chart Pareto Chart

* * * * * * ** * Scatter Plot

Data Collecting

Ishikawa Chart

Stratification Histogram

Techniques For Improvement.

Scatter Diagrams
Inputs Outputs

x x x x x x x x
Flow Charts

Input-Output analysis
Cause-Effect Diagrams

Pareto Analysis Why - why analysis

Why? Why? Why?

Cause-and-Effect Diagram
Methods
Cause
Cause Cause

Materials
Cause
Cause Cause

Environment
Cause
Cause Cause Cause

Effect
Cause
Cause

People

Equipment

Check Sheet
Billing Errors
Wrong Account
Wrong Amount

Monday

A/R Errors
Wrong Account Wrong Amount

Pareto Analysis
80% of the problems may be attributed to 20% of the causes.

Number of defects
Off Smeared Missing Loose Other center print label

Control Chart
1020 1010 1000 990 980 970 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

UCL

LCL

Run Chart
Diameter

Time (Hours)

Tracking Improvements
UCL UCL UCL

LCL LCL Process centered Process not centered and stable and not stable LCL Additional improvements made to the process

Strategic Alignment.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
Improvement priorities should be determined by..

CUSTOMERS
what the customers want

COMPETITORS
achievement relative to competitors

the

your

IMPORTANCE
of each competitive performance objective

PERFORMANCE
in each of the competitive performance objectives

IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES

Quality Specifications

Design quality: Inherent value of the product in the marketplace

Dimensions include: Performance, Features, Reliability/Durability, Serviceability, Aesthetics, and Perceived Quality.

Conformance quality: Degree to which the product or service design specifications are met

Lean Production

Lean Production can be defined as an integrated set of activities designed to achieve high-volume production using minimal inventories (raw materials, work in process, and finished goods) Lean Production also involves the elimination of waste in production effort Lean Production also involves the timing of production resources (i.e., parts arrive at the next workstation just in time)

Features of Lean Production

WHAT IT IS Management philosophy Pull system though the plant WHAT IT DOES Attacks waste
Exposes problems and bottlenecks Achieves streamlined production

WHAT IT REQUIRES

WHAT IT ASSUMES Stable environment

Employee participation
Industrial engineering/basics Continuing improvement Total quality control Small lot sizes

The Toyota Production System

Based on two philosophies:

1. Elimination of waste 2. Respect for people

Elimination of Waste
Focused factory networks Group technology Quality at the source JIT production Uniform plant loading

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6.

Kanban production control system

Minimized setup times

7.

Respect for People

Level payrolls
Cooperative employee unions

Subcontractor networks
Bottom-round management style

Quality circles (Small Group Involvement Activities or SGIAs)

Toyota Production Systems Four Rules

1.

All work shall be highly specified as to content, sequence, timing, and outcome

2.

Every customer-supplier connection must be direct, and there must be an unambiguous yes-or-no way to send requests and receive responses
The pathway for every product and service must be simple and direct Any improvement must be made in accordance with the scientific method, under the guidance of a teacher, at the lowest possible level in the organization

3.

4.

Lean Implementation Requirements: Total Quality Control

Worker responsibility

Measure SQC
Enforce compliance Fail-safe methods Automatic inspection

Lean in Services (Examples)

Organize Problem-Solving Groups Upgrade Housekeeping Upgrade Quality Clarify Process Flows Revise Equipment and Process Technologies

Continuous Improvement

Philosophy that seeks to make neverending improvements to the process of converting inputs into outputs. Kaizen: Japanese word for continuous improvement.

Taguchi Loss Function

Traditional cost function
Cost

Taguchi cost function

Lower spec

Target

Upper spec

Quality at the Source

The philosophy of making each worker responsible for the quality of his or her work.

Waste (muda)
Activities:
operation

Which of these symbols signify nonvalue adding activities?

types of waste:

movement

inspection

delay

storage

overproduction waiting time transport process inventory motion defective goods

influencing the throughput efficiency

Most businesses are unnecessarily complex and difficult to manage. However, in JIT operations:
focus on:

low cost high quality conformance standardisation and/or modularization selected market segments volumes product range technology choice

Focus:

consistent policies for:

emphasis:

strategy design for operations

The end