Mar 30 2015
Toyota’s car factory of the future | Autocar Professional
“Toyota says it has has completely re-thought the way its future car factories will operate. Its plans for the new-generation factories – nicknamed ‘simple and slim’ – are well advanced. Toyota claims they will be 25 percent smaller than existing plants, require 40% less investment and emit up to 55% less CO2. Toyota also plans to re-engineer the production lines so they can be shortened or lengthened in less than 80 minutes. It’s claimed that a standard line can be shrunk from a 100,000 car-per-year capacity to just 50,000 cars, or vice versa. This would allow capacity to be easily reduced or increased depending on demand”
Source: www.autocarpro.in
Thanks to Rob van Stekelenborg, a.k.a. Dumontis, for this scoop, which, again provides more specifics on Toyota’s plans, including surface-mounted conveyors, smaller paint shops, laser screw welding, what sounds like induction heating of sheet metal for stamping, and a variety of energy saving techniques.
See on Scoop.it – lean manufacturing
April 3, 2015 @ 2:38 pm
Toyota may be creating a new style of factory, but I think it is just an extension of, & a more aggressive application of the basic principles that have always driven their activities. —
When Lean thinking was extracted from the TPS, it lost some clarity of these basic principles.–
The main performance goals for TPS are to give the customer;
What they want. (The best P, S, & E available in your industry. Product, service & experience). —
In the quantity they want, without defects. (Any multiple of one. One piece flow facilitates this capability. Jidoka & Poka- yoke will ensure zero defects). –
Delivered when they want it. (Just in time to suit their needs. Takt time is the driver). —
These values must also be continuously improving faster than any existing or future competitor. —
(The new ‘Toyota New Global Architecture’ with enable designs to be customised to specifically suit local market needs. 75% of the investment saving from TNGA will be invested into ‘making even better cars’. TNGA will achieve significant reductions in new model introduction times. The new factories can adjust output to suit a 50% change in demand within a single shift. – I think the supply chain could cause problems with this capability.) —
There are three main activity goal areas in TPS to achieve this. They are called the 3 R’s. —
The first ‘R’ is Resources. The goal in this area is to achieve the three performance goals using the minimum ‘Resources’ (i.e. materials – machinery – methods – movement – minutes – manpower – money). Anything above the minimum resources required to produce the product, service & experience that will delight the customer is defined as waste, & is a target for removal. This is one the main areas of focus for TPS & lean activities – Waste elimination. What cannot be removed should then be seen as a target to be continuously improved. The first rule in this area is; remove it before you try to improve it. —
(The new ‘simple and slim’ factory design takes waste elimination to a new level. They will be 25% smaller, cost less to build, use much less energy and reduce emissions. Other features are listed below.)
The second ‘R’ has been largely missed by the lean movement. This is Resourcefulness.
The goal in this area is to release the ‘Resourcefulness’ (talent, creativity & enthusiasm) of all our people to achieve the first three goals. This ability must also drive the waste elimination & continuous improvement process throughout your organisation & down through your supply chain. A key rule in this area is; sustain the gains, maintain the change. —
(This Toyota programme is a wonderful example of the resourcefulness of their people. From the design of the new smaller style of factory with their no ‘hanging no digging’ features & surface mounted conveyors. To new paint plants that are smaller, 40% cheaper to build and use 40% less energy. Equipment that reduces pre-heat times on sheet metal parts from 5 mins to 15 seconds & now can preheat one piece. To Laser Screw Welding that can halve welding times.) —
The third ‘R’ is ‘Respect’. Again this was missed by the original lean thinkers. From my own experience we must see ‘RESPECT’ as the password that gives access to the file that contains our people’s total ability (talent, creativity & enthusiasm). This is one of the key bonding elements between managers & their people. The key rule in this area is; Star managers must make their people shine. —
One of the most enlightening comments I have heard on the ‘Toyota Respect for people’ subject came from a manager at their Burnaston plant. He explained that; “The respect we have for our people means that we must FILL their days with valuable work”. . Respect should not be seen as a ‘soft-side’ subject. A lot is given & a lot is will be returned. —
When you apply this thinking not only to your external & internal customer contact areas, but also down your supply chain, you will start to understand where & how Toyota’s amazing performance & competitive advantage is created. The new developments at Toyota illustrate the power & their mastery of the 3 R’s.